أرْضُكُمْ قَرِيبَةٌ مِنَ المَاءِ،
Your land is close to the sea
بَعِيدَةٌ مِنَ السَّماءِ،
and away from the sky.
خَفَّتْ عُقُولُكُمْ،
Your wits have become light
وَسَفِهَتْ حُلُومُكُمْ،
and your minds are full of folly.
فَأَنْتُمْ غَرَضٌ لِنَابِل،
You are the aim of the archer,
وَأُكْلَةٌ لاِكِل،
a morsel for the eater
وَفَرِيسَةٌ لِصائِد.
and an easy prey for the hunter.
Alternative Sources for Sermon 14: Al-Mufid, al-Jamal, 217; al-Waqidi, al-Jamal, see al-Mufid, op. cit.; al-Dinawari, al-'Akhbar, 151; Ibn Qutaybah, ‘Uyun, I, 217; al-Mas’udi, Muruj, II, 368; Ibn ‘Abd Rabbih, al-’Iqd, II, 169.
