1. يا مَعشَرَ الشُعَراءِ قا

    رَنَ نَجمَ سَعدِكُمُ النُحوسُ

    O company of poets, con-

    joined with your lucky star are the stars of ill omen.

  2. لا تَقصُدوا بَلَداً حَرا

    ماً أَن يُرى فيها نَفيسُ

    Do not seek a town where it is forbid-

    den for anything of worth to be seen,

  3. كَالدِبنِ لَيسَ بِهِ إِذا

    فَتَّشتَهُ إِلّا التُيوسُ

    like al-Dibn, where, when

    you search it, there are only billy goats.

  4. كانَت صِلاتِهِمُ إِذا

    وَصَلوا الدَراهِمُ وَالفُلوسُ

    Their gifts, whenever

    they gave, were dirhams and copper coins;

  5. فَاليَومَ عِندَهُمُ القُيو

    دُ لِمُجتَديهِم وَالحُبوسُ

    but today they have fet-

    ters for those seeking their bounty, and prisons.