1. روحِيَ كَالنّارِ أَذابَت دَمي

    غَلياً فَلَمّا بَرَدَت غاضَ دَم

    My soul, like fire, melted my blood,

    boiling it; then, when it cooled, the blood ebbed away.

  2. لا تُقدِمِ الدَهرَ عَلى مَأثَمٍ

    وَاِستَغفِرِ الواحِدَ رَبَّ القِدَم

    Never venture into sin,

    and seek forgiveness from the One, Lord of eternity.

  3. شَرِبتُ بِالعَسجَدِ عَن عِزَّةٍ

    وَمَشرَبي مِن خَزَفٍ أَو أَدَم

    I paid gold for my drink, out of self-respect,

    and my drinking vessel is of earthenware or leather.

  4. أَعوذُ بِالخالِقِ مِن مَعشَرٍ

    إِذا غَلَت قِدرُهُم لَم تَدُم

    I seek refuge in the Creator from a people

    whose pot, when it boils, does not boil for long.

  5. هَذي نُجومٌ شاهَدَت تُبَّعاً

    وَمَن مَضى مِن حِميَرٍ أَو قُدُم

    These stars beheld Tubbaʿ,

    and those of Himyar or Qudum who passed away.

  6. بُروجُها كَالبُرجِ في الأَرضِ إِن

    طالَ مَداهُ في العُصورِ اِنهَدَم

    Their celestial mansions are like a tower on earth: if

    it lasts long through the ages, it crumbles.

  7. فَاِندَم عَلى الذَنبِ إِذا جِئتَهُ

    فَمِن شُروطِ التائِبينَ النَدَم

    So feel remorse for a sin when you commit it,

    for remorse is required of those who repent.

  8. وَالخَدَمُ الأَحجالُ في اللَفظِ وَال

    مَقصَدِ كَالقَومِ دُعوا بِالخَدَم

    And khadam—anklets—in wording and

    meaning are like the people called khadam—servants.

  9. ما هِنَةُ الجِسمِ هِيَ الرِجلُ وَال

    خَلخالُ في المَنزِلِ عِندَ القَدَم

    What is the body's lowly part? It is the leg; and the

    anklet has its place beside the foot.

  10. وَالمالُ كَالتابِعِ أَهوِن بِهِ

    وَرُبَّ يُسرٍ في قَوامِ العَدَم

    And wealth is like a follower—how paltry it is!

    And many a comfort lies in a life of poverty.