1. My friend, worries will surely pass
And he who seeks the truth, the truth is more eloquent
١. خَليلَيَّ إِنَّ الهَمَّ قَد يَتَفَرَّجُ
وَمَن كانَ يَبغي الحَقَّ فَالحَقُّ أَبلَجُ
2. The deceitful one is frightened, the advisor is safe
The rash one is rejected, the just prevails
٢. وَذو الغِشِّ مَرهوبٌ وَذو النُصحِ آمِنٌ
وَذو الطَيشِ مَدحوضٌ وَذو الحَقِّ يَفلُجُ
3. The truthful has no doubts, justice remains
On the paths of truth, while injustice is distorted
٣. وَذو الصِدقِ لا يَرتابُ وَالعَدلُ قائِمٌ
عَلى طُرُقاتِ الحَقِّ وَالجَورُ أَعوَجُ
4. The morals of the devout and the righteous in the darkness
Have for them a lamp between their eyes lighting
٤. وَأَخلاقُ ذي التَقوى وَذي البِرِّ في الدُجى
لَهُنَّ سِراجٌ بَينَ عَينَيهِ يُسرَجُ
5. The pleasures of the virtuous are pure white
And the tongues of the truthful do not waver
٥. وَلَذّاتُ أَهلِ الفَضلِ بيضٌ نَقِيَّةٌ
وَأَلسُنُ أَهلِ الصِدقِ لا تَتَلَجلَجُ
6. No creature over God has an argument
And from God's argument he has no escape
٦. وَلَيسَ بِمَخلوقٍ عَلى اللَهِ حُجَّةٌ
وَلَيسَ لَهُ مِن حُجَّةِ اللَهِ مَخرَجُ
7. Oh, many generations have vanished from us
And we will follow them and march on
٧. أَلا دَحَرَت مِنّا قُرونٌ كَثيرَةٌ
وَنَحنُ سَنَمضي بَعدَهُنَّ وَنَدرُجُ
8. Oh, kingdoms rose high and rejoiced
But they perished and the rejoicing perished
٨. أَلا إِنَّ أَملاكاً سَمَت وَتَبَهَّجَت
وَلَكِنَّها بادَت وَبادَ التَبَهُّجُ
9. Oh, the world has fooled men I have known
Oh, sometimes they wandered in it and became senile
٩. أَلا غَرَّتِ الدُنيا رِجالاً عَهِدتَهُم
أَلا رُبَّما راحوا عَلَيها وَأَدلَجوا
10. Slow down, you of the lofty palace
You will be driven out and disturbed
١٠. رُوَيدَكَ يا ذا القَصرِ في شُرُفاتِهِ
فَإِنَّكَ عَنهُ تُستَحَثُّ وَتُزعَجُ
11. You slip from what you have chosen
And you escape what is in your hands
١١. وَإِنَّكَ عَمّا اختَرتَهُ لَمُزَحلَقٌ
وَإِنَّكَ عَمّا في يَدَيكَ مُخَرَّجُ
12. Remember and forget not the fate and be not
Like someone heedless playing and frolicking
١٢. تَذَكَّر وَلا تَنسَ المَعادَ وَلا تَكُن
كَأَنَّكَ مُخلاً لِلمَلاعِبِ مُمرَجُ
13. And forget not when you toss and turn around it
And your soul escapes amongst your organs
١٣. وَلا تَنسَ إِذ أَنتَ المُوَلوَلُ حَولَهُ
وَنَفسُكَ مِن بَينِ الجَوانِحِ تَخرُجُ
14. And forget not when you are wrapped in its clothes
And when you choke in the sauce of death
١٤. وَلا تَنسَ إِذ أَنتَ المُسَجّى بِثَوبِهِ
وَإِذ أَنتَ في كَربِ السِياقِ تُحَشرِجُ
15. And forget not when you are consoled, a relative
And when you lie in a shroud of muslin
١٥. وَلا تَنسَ إِذ أَنتَ المُعَزّى قَريبُهُ
وَإِذ أَنتَ في بيضٍ مِنَ الرَيطِ مُدرَجُ
16. And forget not when a people guide you to the soil
If they straighten you, they will not swerve
١٦. وَلا تَنسَ إِذ يَهديكَ قَومٌ إِلى الثَرى
إِذا ما هَدَوكاهُ انثَنَوا لَم يُعَرِّجوا
17. And forget not, a grave and made of its soil
Poured upon you a mound and mud plastered
١٧. وَلا تَنسَ إِذ قَبرٌ وَإِذ مِن تُرابِهِ
عَلَيكَ بِهِ رَدمٌ وَلِبنٌ مُشَرَّجُ
18. And forget not, a distant separation and a far
Away house, the cause of which beside you lies joined
١٨. وَلا تَنسَ إِذ بَينٌ بَعيدٌ وَإِذ أَدا
لَهُ سَبَبٌ لِلصَرمِ دونَكَ مُدمِجُ
19. And forget not, you will wear tomorrow from you isolation
Councils in which spin spiders
١٩. وَلا تَنسَ إِذ تُكسى غَداً مِنكَ وَحشَةٌ
مَجالِسُ فيهِنَّ العَناكِبُ تَنسِجُ
20. There must be a house of isolation and loneliness
Even if the ancient gilded house appeals to you
٢٠. لا بُدَّ مِن بَيتِ انقِطاعٍ وَوَحدَةٍ
وَإِن سَرَّكَ البَيتُ العَتيقُ المُدَبَّجُ
21. Sometimes the misguided have a similar path
But the path of righteousness is more guiding and brighter
٢١. وَلِلغِيِّ أَحياناً سَبيلٌ مُشَبَّهٌ
وَلَكِن سَبيلُ الرُشدِ أَهدى وَأَبهَجُ
22. If only hearts would seek their faith
They would clear to the soul of life and freeze
٢٢. وَإِنَّ القُلوبَ لَو تَوَخَّت يَقينَها
لَتَصفو عَلى روحِ الحَياةِ وَتَثلُجُ
23. Have you not seen that seriousness gleams in its lines
And though sometimes in it is jest intermingled
٢٣. أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ الجِدَّ يَبرُقُ صَفُّهُ
وَإِن كانَ أَحياناً بِهِ الهَزلُ يُمزَجُ
24. Oh, how many lowly became noble
And a king crowned with the crowns of disgrace
٢٤. أَلا رُبَّ ذي طِمرٍ غَدا في كَرامَةٍ
وَمَلكٍ بِتيجانِ الهَوانِ مُتَوَّجُ
25. By your life, the world is no land of settlement
Even if the misguided embellished and adorned it
٢٥. لَعَمرُكَ ما الدُنيا بِدارِ إِقامَةٍ
وَإِن زَبَّرَ الغاوُونَ فيها وَزَبرَجوا
26. And how many faded the pressure of a pit hides
And he once in the world screamed and sparked
٢٦. وَكَم خامِدٍ تُخفيهِ ضَغطَةُ حُفرَةٍ
وَقَد كانَ في الدُنيا يَصيحُ وَيُرهِجُ
27. When the order of a person passes, it is as if
The bloom of flowers or pages crumpled
٢٧. إِذا ما قَضى لَهُ امرِئٍ فَكَأَنَّهُ
تَحَسُّفُ زَهرٍ أَو كِتابٌ يُمَجمَجُ