عِش بجَدِّ ولا يضركَ نَوك

إنَّما عيشُ من تَرى بالجُدودِ

Live with diligence, don't let laziness harm you

Indeed life belongs to those you see being diligent

عِِش بجَدٍّ وكن هَبنّقةَ القَيسيَّ

جهلاً أو شيبةَ بن الوليدِ

Live diligently, and be like Qais the wise

In ignorance or like Ibn Al-Walid in old age

رُبَّ ذي أربة مقلٍ من الما

لً وذي عَنجهيةٍ محمودِ

One who has wisdom though young

Is praised, and one who is wise in old age

شيبُ يا شيبُ يا جُدَىّ بني القعقاع

ما أنتَ بالحليمِ الرشيدِ

Old age, my old age, oh Juda the son of Al-Qaqa

You are not wise or rational

لا ولا فيك خَلَّةٌ من خِلالَ

الخير أحرزتها بحزمٍ وجودِ

There is no defect in you among other defects

I have attained goodness with determination and generosity

غير ما أنك المجيدُ لتقطيع

غناءٍ وضَربِ دفٍّ وعودِ

Except that you are excellent at cutting off

Singing, beating drums and playing the lute

فَعلى ذا وذاك يحتمل الدهر

مُجيداً له وغير مُجيدِ

So because of this and that, life bears

One who is excellent to it and one who is not