1. صبراً لصرفِ زمانٍ قاطعِ الحججِ

    لمْ يدرِ ما صحةُ الممشى من العرجِ

    Patience with the vicissitudes of an age that silences arguments,

    that cannot tell a sound gait from a limp.

  2. يرعى اللئامَ ويغتالُ الكرامَ ولا

    يخشى الملامَ بقلبٍ غيرِ مختلِجِ

    It tends the base and treacherously slays the noble, and does not

    fear reproach, with a heart that never trembles.

  3. صبراً على صرفِهِ صبراً فرحلتُنا

    قريبةٌ عنهُ فَلْيَحْتَلْ على المهجِ

    Patience with its vicissitudes, patience! For our departure

    from it is near; so let it plot against our souls.

  4. ما بالُهُ لا يرى قَدْرَاً لذي شيمٍ

    سمحِ اليدينِ ويُعلي القدرَ مِنْ سمِجِ

    What ails it, that it sees no worth in a man of noble character,

    openhanded, yet raises the rank of a loathsome man?

  5. فيا ذوي الفضلِ رفقاً إنَّ دهرَكُم

    لمْ يدرِ ما الفضةُ البيضا منَ السبجِ

    So, people of merit, be gentle, for your age

    cannot tell white silver from jet.

  6. لا تعجبوا لارتفاعِ الجاهلينَ بهِ

    وخفضِكُمْ بالرضى منكم أو اللججِ

    Do not marvel at the ignorant being raised by it,

    and at your abasement, whether you consent or stubbornly protest.

  7. فهذهِ كفةُ الميزانِ إذْ حكمتْ

    تقابلُ الذهبَ الإبريزَ بالصنجِ

    For this is the pan of the balance: when it judges,

    it sets pure gold against the weights.

  8. جربْتُ أهلَ زماني واختبرْتُ فلمْ

    أجدْ كريماً ولا عوناً على الحرجِ

    I tried the people of my age and tested them, but did not

    find a noble man, nor any help in distress,

  9. ولا محباً لذي فضلٍ ولا ثقةٍ

    ولا أميناً ولا عدلاً عنِ العوجِ

    nor anyone who loves a man of merit, nor anyone trustworthy,

    nor anyone faithful, nor an upright man who shuns crookedness,

  10. ولا مصيخاً إلى مدْحٍ إذا مُدحوا

    ولا كريماً يخافُ الهجوَ حيثُ هُجي

    nor anyone who heeds praise when they are praised,

    nor any noble man who fears satire when he is satirized.

  11. منْ أجلِ ذلكَ قدْ جانبْتُ أكثرَهُمُ

    وقلتُ يا أزمةُ اشتدي لتنفرجي

    For that reason, I have shunned most of them,

    and said, "O crisis, grow severe, that you may ease!"

  12. فإنهمْ عنْ سبيل الصدقِ قد عَرَجوا

    فاعذرْ فليسَ على العرجانِ مِنْ حرجِ

    For they have strayed from the path of truth;

    so pardon them, for no blame falls on the lame.

  13. زيادةُ الفضلِ عينُ النقصِ عندهُم

    وكثرةُ المالِ فيهمْ أرفعُ الدرجِ

    Greater merit is deficiency itself in their eyes,

    and abundant wealth among them is the highest rank.

  14. فصافِ أعدلَهُمْ قولاً وأصدقَهُمْ

    في الودِّ وافتحْ لهُ بابَ الهوى يلجِ

    So befriend the fairest of them in speech, and the most sincere

    in affection, and open for him the door of love, that he may enter.

  15. فلا تُزاحمْ على الدنيا الكلابَ فَمَنْ

    يزاحمِ الكلبَ فيما نالَهُ يُهِجِ

    So do not jostle with dogs over this world; whoever

    jostles a dog over what it has gained will provoke it.

  16. ما شاقَني في زماني قربُ غائبةٍ

    رنَّتْ ولا راقني ذو منظرٍ بهجِ

    Never in my time have I yearned for the nearness of an absent woman

    whose voice rang out, nor been charmed by someone of lovely appearance.

  17. ولا مرادي وصالُ المردِ إذ خَطَروا

    ولا ازدهاني بخدٍّ ناعمٍ ضرجِ

    Nor is my desire union with beardless youths as they strut,

    nor have I been beguiled by a soft, flushed cheek.

  18. ولا سباني سنا هيفاءَ مقبلةٍ

    عجزاءَ مدبرةٍ بالجعدِ والدعجِ

    Nor has the radiance of a slender-waisted woman approaching me taken me captive,

    full-hipped as she turns away, with curls and dark eyes.

  19. وليسَ ذاك لجهلي بالجمالِ إذنْ

    لكنني من بحارِ الهمِّ في لُججِ

    And that is not, then, because I am ignorant of beauty;

    but I am in the depths of the seas of sorrow.

  20. يا نفسُ صبراً فعقبى الصبرِ صالحةٌ

    لا بدَّ أن يأتيَ الرحمنُ بالفرجِ

    O soul, be patient, for the outcome of patience is good;

    the All-Merciful will surely bring relief.