أَلا يا اِبنَ الحَصينِ جَمَعتَ نَفساً

مُذَمَّمَةً إِلى خُلُقٍ قَبيحِ

Alas, O son of Al-Hasin, you have gathered

An ignoble soul prone to ugly behavior.

وَكُنتَ تُعابُ قِدماً بِالوَدادِ ال

مَشوبِ فَجِئتَ بِاللُؤمِ الطَريحِ

You were once reproached for pure affection -

Yet you came with vile and wretched treachery.

هَجَمتَ عَلى حِمى مالٍ مَصونٍ

بِذِمَّةِ مُستَحِلٍ مُستَبيحِ

You attacked protected wealth

With the morals of a transgressor and despoiler,

عَلى مالٍ تَجَمَّعَ مِن جَوادٍ

سَخِيِّ الراحَتَينِ وَمِن شَحيحِ

Wealth gathered from the generous

And the stingy alike.

فَكَم فيما أَغرَت عَلَيَّ مِنهُ

لَحاكَ اللَهُ مِن وَجهٍ صَبيحِ

How much did you trick me out of

May Allah shame your radiant face!

وَكَم غادَرتَ بِالوُزَراءِ لَمّا

نَوَيتَ الغَدرَ مِن قَلبٍ قَريحِ

How many ministers did you cheat

When you plotted betrayal in your wretched heart

يَحِنُّ إِلَيكَ لا طَرَباً وَشَوقاً

إِلى لُقياكَ ياوَجهَ الصَبوحِ

That yearns not for you in delight

Or longing to see your bright face.

تَعُدُّ الغَدرَ دَأباً في الوَضيِّ ال

ميلِ فَكيفَ في الجَهمِ القَبيحِ

You count betrayal as habit in playfulness

So how much more in serious ugly sin!

لَقَد أَصبَحتَ أَكذَبَ مِن سَجاحٍ

فَلَيتَكَ كُنتَ ذا خُلُقٍ صَحيحِ

You have become more lying than a barking dog

Would that you had an honest character!

أَغَرتَ عَلى مُغيرٍ بِالقَوافي

وَجَوَّزتَ اِستِماحَةَ مُستَميحِ

You fooled me with rhyming couplets

And claimed the forgiveness of one pleading,

وَبِعتَ دَريسَ عِرضِكَ مُستَهيناً

بِهِ وَنَجَوت بِالثَمَنِ الرَبيحِ

You sold your honor cheap, disdaining it,

And escaped for a paltry profit.

وَلَم تَنظُر لِنَفسِكَ في صَلاحٍ

وَلا أَرعَيتَ سَمعَكَ لِلنَصيحِ

You did not look to better yourself

Or heed advice and good counsel.

وَلَيتَكَ لَم تُعَرِّضها لِذَمٍّ

إِذا كانَت تَقِلُّ عَنِ المَديحِ

Would that you had not exposed yourself to blame

When you fall short of praise!