1. عَلَيكُم بِإِحسانِكُم إِنَّكُم

    مَتى تَكتِبوا غَيرَكُم تُكبَتوا

    Hold fast to your good deeds, for you

    will be brought low whenever you write of others.

  2. يُرَبّي المَعاشِرُ أَبناءَهُم

    وَيَشقى الأَنامُ بِما رَبَّتوا

    Communities bring up their children,

    and humankind suffers from what they have reared.

  3. وَما الناسُ إِلّا نَباتُ الزَما

    نِ فَليَحصِدِ القَومُ ما نَبَّتوا

    And people are nothing but the plants of time;

    so let the people reap what they have grown.

  4. فَيا لِلنَصارى إِذا أَمسَكوا

    وَيا لِليَهودِ إِذا أَسبَتوا

    So, oh, the Christians when they fast!

    And oh, the Jews when they keep the Sabbath!

  5. وَقَد سُئِلوا عَن عِباداتِهِم فَما

    أَيَّدوها وَلا ثَبَّتوا

    And they have been asked about their acts of worship, but have not

    supported them or substantiated them.

  6. وَمِن خَيرِ مافَعَلَ الفاعِلونَ

    أَنَّهُمُ بِتُقىً أَخبَتوا

    And among the best things those who act have done

    is that they have humbled themselves in piety.