1. سَجايا كُلُّها غَدرٌ وَخُبثٌ

    تَوارَثَها أُناسٌ عَن أُناسِ

    Traits, all of them treachery and malice,

    inherited by one people from another.

  2. يُهاجِرُ غابَهُ الضُرغامُ كَيما

    يُنازِعُ ظَبيَّ رَملٍ في كِناسِ

    The lion leaves his forest so that

    he may contend with a sand gazelle in its shelter.

  3. وَتَقبُحُ بَعدَ أَهليها المَغاني

    كَقُبحِ غُيوبِهِم بَعدَ الإِناسِ

    And dwellings grow ugly after their people have gone,

    as their absence is ugly after companionship.

  4. يُرادُ بِكَ الجَميلُ عَلى اِقتِسارٍ

    وَتُذكَرُ بِالوَفاءِ وَأَنتَ ناسي

    Good is intended for you under compulsion,

    and you are called faithful, though you are forgetful.

  5. وَحَمِّلتَ الذُنوبَ قَرا ضَعيفٍ

    وَسِرتَ بِهِنَّ في طُرُقِ التَناسي

    And you were laden with sins upon a frail back,

    and walked with them along the paths of feigned forgetfulness.

  6. يُفارِقُ شَهلَةً كَهلٌ وَشَرخٌ

    فَواسي بِالتَشابُهِ وَالجِناسِ

    A middle-aged man and a youth part from a mature woman;

    so console yourself with resemblance and shared nature.

  7. وَما أَرضاكَ رَأيٌ مِن دُرَيدٍ

    غَداةَ يَرومُ قُرباً مِن خُناسِ

    And Durayd's opinion did not satisfy you

    on the morning he sought closeness to Khunas.