وكَيفَ بَقاءُ المَرءِ بَعدَ اِبنِ أُمِّهِ

إِذا بَرَقَت أَوصالُهُ كَالمَحاجِنِ

How can a man live on when his mother's son is gone,

When his joints are as brittle as dry twigs?

أَخي ما أَخي لا فاحِشٌ عِندَ بَيتِهِ

وَلا مُرثَعِنٌّ ساقِطٌ في الدَواخِنِ

O brother, my brother was no debaucher in his house,

No sluggard lolling about in the corners,

وَما كانَ وَقّافاً إِذا الخَيلُ أَحجَمَت

وَلا وَرِعاً جَثّامَةً في الأَماكِنِ

Nor did he hold back when horses charged in battle,

No over-pious hypocrite in his haunts.