1. Let wealth be for its sons,
If you want never to be humbled.

2. How much does one cling to a shadow
Fading and withering?

3. If you turn away from it,
It humbles itself to you.

4. And if one day you seem eager for it,
It turns away.

5. Whoever frees himself of greed's shackles
Has only freed himself of shackles.

6. Whoever makes little of gifts
Was the proudest and most glorious.

7. Whoever carries a heavy burden
Of men's affairs becomes weary.

8. And whoever mixes much with people
Is humbled and becomes little.

9. Seek no cure
For an illness that proved fatal.

10. And earn no illicit livelihood
To live by.

11. Allah has a daring call
For one who sees humbleness as disgrace

12. And counts what is in his hands
A burden and shackle upon him.

13. And one who extracts himself
From the coarseness of men is extracted safely.

14. Life is but a lightning flash
Or a guest who briefly alights.