عَجَباً لأحمدَ والعجائبُ جمَّةٌ

أنى يلومُ على الزمانِ تَبذُّلي

How strange is Ahmed though wonders abound,

That he should blame the times for my decline!

إنَّ الَعجيبَ لما أبثك أمرهَ

من كلِّ مثلوجِ الفؤادِ مهبَّلِ

Yet nothing strange when your command's proclaimed

And heart’s desires are burned in Passion’s fire.

وَغدٌ يلوكُ لِسانَهُ بلهاتِه

وَتَرى ضَبَابةَ قلبهِ لا تنجلى

Tomorrow his tongue may feed on falsehood’s food

And mist will shroud his heart, no light within.

مُتصرفُ للنَّوكِ في غُلوائِه

زمر المروءة جامح في المسحل

A slave of passion in his pride perverse,

A raging bull trampling man’s dignity.

وإذا شهدت به مجالسَ ذي النُّهى

وَبَلَتْ سحابَتهُ بنوكٍ مُسهلِ

When wanton assemblies witness him in sin,

His clouds will burst in floods of shame untold.

غَلَبَ الزمانَ بجِدَّه فسما بهِ

وكبا الزمانُ لوجهِهِ والكَلْكَلِ

He conquered Time by purpose and pure heart,

And Time bowed down its head to him, resplendent.

ولقد سَمَوتُ بهمتي وسما بها

طَلَبِي المكارمَ بالفعالِ الأفضلِ

My aspiration soared and with it soared

My quest for noble deeds and excellence,

لأنالَ مَكرُمَةَ الحياةِ وربما

عَثَرَ الزمانُ الدَّهاء الحوّل

That I life's treasured gifts may win, though Time,

The cunning rogue, may seek to trip my feet.

فَلَئنْ غُلبتُ لَتُمضيَنَّ ضريبتي

كَلَبَ الزَّمانِ بعفةٍ وتجملِ

And if defeated, still my share's assured

As Time's true hound in modesty bedight.