رَأَت رَجُلاً لاقى مِنَ العَيشِ غِبطَةً

وَأَخطَأَهُ فيها الأُمورُ العَظائِمُ

She saw a man who found happiness in life

Yet great matters evaded him

وَشَبَّ لَهُ فيها بَنونَ وَتوبِعَت

سَلامَةُ أَعوامٍ لَهُ وَغَنائِمُ

Youth flourished for him and he followed it

Years of safety and spoils were for him

فَأَصبَحَ مَحبوراً يُنَظِّرُ حَولَهُ

بِمَغبَطَةٍ لَو أَنَّ ذالِكَ دائِمُ

So he became enraptured, looking around

If only such bliss would last forever

وَعِندي مِنَ الأَيّامِ ما لَيسَ عِندَهُ

فَقُلتُ تَعَلَّم أَنَّما أَنتَ حالِمُ

And I have from days what he does not have

So I said, learn that you are but a dreamer

لَعَلَّكِ يَوماً أَن تُراعي بِفاجِعٍ

كَما راعَني يَومَ النُتاءَةِ سالِمُ

Perhaps one day you will be struck with grief

As I was struck on the day of parting, Salim

يُديرونَني عَن سالِمٍ وَأُديرُهُم

وَجِلدَةُ بَينَ العَينِ وَالأَنفِ سالِمُ

They turn me from Salim and I turn them

While the skin between the eye and the nose is safe