1. He who does not weep, nor makes others weep, over the ugly things he does, he is not chaste.
The world called me, so I said to it: "Make yourself short! Whoever fills his pockets in you is not wise."

2. And when the righteous are close to God, not an eminent or lowly man approaches Him.
You kept deceiving me with tricky lightning, and had I been guided, I would not have been deceived by that.

3. It said to me: "Does not the length of your wing make you arrogant?" As if by it you have set traps for me!
By God, there is no place of comfort on earth except that my traps have been set upon it.

4. Fly however you wish, for you will fall into it, helpless, with no hope of escape.
Whoever tries to gore me with his horn in battle, I floor him without a fight.

5. I do not know polished swords or spears, yet I have crushed the armed warrior.
How many tyrants have I buried in their lairs! And how many have I destroyed with the blows of the killer!

6. So I answered it, astonished by its betrayal: "Do you repay with hatred those who love you?"
I will keep my eyes on your sons, for they are all either your prisoners, or your wounded, or your dead.

7. If they were to charge you for your treatment of them, they would spend their whole lives seeking revenge.
You have blinded their minds and the light of their hearts, so they desperately rush after your sweets.

8. It is as if they are flies that have fallen into sticky honey, until they are completely destroyed and perish.
You were no mother to us who cared for her children after giving birth. How brief is your life!

9. And we know a mother is affectionate to her son, yet you are so harsh!
Whoever dwells upon your back or takes shelter in you will surely be crushed in the dirt of your path.

10. You are a mirage, you are a hidden disease in the ribs - how difficult is your cure!
God is disobeyed when you are obeyed, and obeying my Lord means breaking your staff.

11. It is our duty to be good to our mothers, but disobeying them is forbidden - except for you!
Whether poverty or wealth continues in you, your poverty and wealth are the same to us.

12. Where are the arrogant tyrants and their feathers? They have taken to silk after wool.
Their faces were like full moons but are now shrouded in your black robes.

13. They turned away from worshiping the Master of the Heavens on High, the Lord of all and Subduer of angels.
By the majesty of my Lord, if my determination were sound, I would abandon you and not seek another.

14. I would take my provision of piety from you and strengthen my faith by breaking your bonds.
I would pitch my tent under the banners of guidance so that when God saw me under His banner,

15. He would say: "Wait for her, for decay will overtake her and she will be without land or heaven."
And our Lord who gives death to us all will resurrect us to please none but those He pleased.

16. By God, the beloved of the King is none but the intelligent one who constantly worries Him.
He abandoned false lovers, connecting to devoted hearts who smile with love for the crying saint.

17. I stay up for them, not for doves crying over the branches of cypress trees.
No life is pure for kings - rather, the life of ascetics is pure and praised.

18. And from God, prayers upon the Prophet, as numerous as the stars and equal to the angels.