ما دامَ جَريُ الفَلَكِ الدائِرِ

لَم يَبقَ مِن بَرٍّ وَلا فاجِرِ

As long as the sphere of heaven revolves round,

No righteous or wicked person remains,

ما عَطفَ الدَهرُ عَلى حاتِمٍ

كَلّا وَلا قَصَّرَ عَن مادِرِ

Time has favoured neither Hatim

Nor fallen short of honor.

إِنَّ خُيولَ الدَهرِ إِن طارَدَت

أَتبَعَتِ الأَوَّلَ بِالأَخِرِ

If the steeds of fate give chase

The first is followed by the last,

لا تَحرِصَن مِنهُ عَلى مَورِدٍ

فَغايَةُ الوارِدِ كَالصادِرِ

Do not hanker after the watering place,

For the fate of all is the same.

أَبعَدَ عَبدِ اللَهِ بَحرِ النَدى

لِزَلَّةِ الأَيّامِ مِن غافِرِ

Abdullah's sea of generosity

Cast up on the shore of days, unforgiving,

مُجري النَدى في الأَرضِ حَتّى نَهى

بَسيطُها مِن بَحرِهِ الوافِرِ

The running of the sea on land, until it overflowed

And its expanse wet the desert.

وَمُخصِبٌ في بَلَدٍ ماحِلٍ

وَعادِلٌ في زَمَنٍ جائِرِ

Bringing prosperity in time of dearth,

And justice in an unjust age,

وَمَن غَدَت سَيدَةُ إِنعامِهِ

تَملَأُ سَمعَ المَثَلِ السائِرِ

She whose house was filled by his favour

Becomes the metaphor on people's lips,

أَصبَحَ دَستُ المُلكِ مِن بَعدِهِ

خِلواً بِلا ناهٍ وَلا آمِرِ

After it the hand of kingship lies empty

With no helper or counsellor,

وَأَصبَحَ العَينُ بِلا ناظِرٍ

كَأَنَّها العَينُ بِلا ناظِرِ

And the eye that watched now seems

An eye with none to guide it.