1. قالوا وزيرانِ هوَى نجمُ ذا

    ونجمُ هذا قد علا طالعا

    They said: Two viziers—that one's star has fallen,

    and this one's star has risen, ascending.

  2. كذلك الدهرُ يُرَى خافضا

    طورا وطورا قد يُرَى رافعا

    Thus fate is seen bringing low

    at times, and at times it may be seen raising high.

  3. قلتُ قياسٌ ويحْكم زِبْرِجٌ

    جوهرُه لا يقبلُ الطابعا

    I said: This comparison—woe to you!—is mere glitter;

    its substance will not take the stamp.

  4. هذا أتى من آمدٍ ساميا

    وذا أتى من فارسٍ خاضعا

    This one came from Amid, exalted,

    and that one came from Fars, submissive.

  5. كم بين من وُلِّىَ من فوقها

    فقرَّ في مركزها وادعا

    What a gulf between one appointed from above it,

    who then settled peacefully at its center,

  6. وبين من رُقِّىَ من تحتها

    فخرَّ من ذِروتها واقعا

    and one promoted from below it,

    who then fell from its summit, tumbling down!

  7. نطَّرِحُ الباطنَ ما بيننا

    ونستفيدُ الظاهر الذائعا

    Let us, between ourselves, set aside the hidden,

    and draw on what is apparent and widely known:

  8. ابِن جَهيرٍ وابنُ دارسْتِكم

    بأىِّ لفظٍ يُعجِبُ السامعا

    'Ibn Jahir and your Ibn Darast'—

    in what wording could that please the listener?

  9. أليس مطبوعا على قلبه

    من ظنَّ تيسا أسدا رائعا

    Is his heart not sealed—

    the man who took a he-goat for a fearsome lion?