And the people’s corruption has only deepened in every town—
lying tales (1) are forged and polished anew.
Among the worst of all that you have saddled, at dawn or in the dead of night,
is a reddish-brown wine (2) in which the drinkers gladly wallow.

From him as well (3):
“The Sovereign has revealed to those who walk His spacious earth:
‘Roam the land—or be yourselves overrun.’ (4)
You are an evil folk for whom no reform is possible;
even the one you call ‘Fortunate’ is, to people of discernment, ill-omened.

Mūsā ibn Muḥammad in Baalbek recited to us; al-Sharaf al-Irbilī recited to us; Aḥmad ibn Mudrik the judge recited to us; Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad ibn Muʾayyad ibn Aḥmad ibn Ḥawārī recited to me; my grandfather Abū al-Yaqẓān Aḥmad recited to us; and Abū al-ʿAlāʾ ibn Sulaymān himself recited for us:

O watcher of lightning, rouse those who doze at the night gatherings, (5)
for perhaps, down in the ravine, (6) there are allies in wakefulness.
If you begrudge every living soul your water,
then at least give the rain-laden clouds (7) a drink—children of the Rain-giver.
O captive of your anklets, (8) I see but folly
in wearing jewels for one too weary to look.
I never travel but that a phantom of you casts me down, (9)
gliding on before me in the night (10) and echoing its call behind my steps. (11)