1. The days melt your heart into copper,
And the hours carve your body in sculpture,

2. Death calls you with a call of sincerity,
"O friend! It is you I want, you I need."

3. I see you love a bride of betrayal,
The wise have refused to divorce her ever.

4. You sleep a lifetime as she cheats,
Until you die, still asleep and unaware.

5. How long will you be fooled, and how long
Will you not keep away from her forever?

6. Abu Bakr, I called you - if only you’d answer -
To what is good for you, if you have reason.

7. To knowledge that makes you a leader obeyed
When you forbid and when you command.

8. It clears your view of her lustful ways
And guides you to the path if you go astray.

9. It brings you glory among your people
And clothes you in beauty if you're far away.

10. You benefit from it while alive
And its riches remain if you pass away.

11. It's a sharp sword that hits its target,
When you wield it at an enemy in the fray.

12. A treasure safe from any thief,
Light to carry wherever you stray.

13. It grows by spending lavishly
And shrinks if you hoard it and lock it away.

14. If you had but tasted its sweetness
You would seek learning and always obey.

15. No tempting beauty could distract you
Or worldly vanities lead you astray.

16. No lovely garden could enthrall you,
No wine's drunkenness lead your mind astray.

17. The soul's nourishment is meanings' souls,
Not that you eat and drink night and day.

18. So stick to it with diligence,
God may grant it if you always pray.

19. If you gain great knowledge in it,
Though people say you have gone astray,

20. Do not feel safe from God's questioning,
With rebuke - did you know and obey?

21. The essence of knowledge is fearing God,
Not to say: I have gained the upper way.

22. Rather clothe yourself in doing good,
Not seen doing evil night and day.

23. If knowledge does not benefit you,
Better ignorant you stay.

24. And if your mind plunges into an abyss,
Would that you'd never thought or tried to sway!

25. From inability's fruit you will reap ignorance,
Belittled, though great, in people's way.

26. You'll be missed if ignorant, though alive,
Found if you know, when you've passed away.

27. And my words you will remember later,
Envying them when from them you did stray.

28. You will bite your hand in regret,
But regret won't help when you rue the day.

29. When you see your friends elevated above,
While you below them have fallen away,

30. Return to them and leave foolishness;
Slowly you will not regain the way.

31. Do not care for your money, turn from it,
Only what you know is money, I say.

32. An ignorant man has no standing among people,
Even if Iraq's kingdom to him made its way.

33. Your knowledge will speak well of you in gatherings,
And of you be written, on Resurrection Day.

34. Building monuments won't benefit you
If you've ruined your soul and gone astray.

35. You've made wealth above knowledge, wrongfully!
By God, in this matter, justice gave way.

36. Between them the Scripture shows a gulf,
You'll know, if you read Qur'an and obey.

37. If the wealthy raise a banner of riches,
You raise your banner of knowledge, I say.

38. And if the wealthy sit atop cushions,
You upon the stars have found your place to stay.

39. If they ride thoroughbred horses,
You ride the paths of Godliness, I say.

40. And however many blooms of beauty they reap,
How many wisdoms' buds will you pick away!

41. Poverty will not harm you at all
If you've known your Lord in night and day.

42. With Him you have no grace
If you disobey and go your own way.

43. So accept my good advice wholeheartedly,
If you reject it you will go astray.

44. And if you observe it in word and deed,
Trading with God, you have gained the day.

45. This world is nothing,
Whether it brings you bliss or dismay,

46. Its limit, if you think on it,
Is like your nap or dream by day.

47. You're imprisoned in it, loving it,
How can you love what imprisons you astray!

48. It feeds you food, and before long,
It will feed on you, from what you fed the way.

49. It strips you bare if you wear its clothes,
And clothes you if you take its clothes away.

50. Each day you witness a friend's burial,
As if you will remain and not decay!

51. You weren't created to build it up
But to pass through it - be earnest in your way.

52. And if it crumbles, make it crumble more,
And fortify your faith, while yet you may.

53. Do not grieve over what from it is gone,
If at the end you've gained the day.

54. No use in what you gained that fades,
If robbed of what remains and always stays.

55. Do not laugh foolishly with fools,
For you will cry if you laugh the way they sway.

56. How can you feel joy while you are hostage,
Not knowing if you'll ransom pay or stay?

57. So pray your Lord for success in it,
Be sincere to Him if you pray.

58. And call, when bowing down to Him confessing
What Dhu al-Nun called and Matta's son oft said.

59. Frequent His door, hoping if you knock
He may open up, if you but sway.

60. Remember Him frequently while here,
That you'll be mentioned in heaven, when you stray.

61. Say not: "I have time yet as youth,"
Consider how many young in grave decay.

62. With youth, you were better guided,
How can you, after graying, go astray?

63. As you have sailed until you drowned midway.
I have not drunk wine, mother of disgrace,

64. As you have, till you were drunk in every way.
I have not set foot in an unjust land,

65. While you went in and became dazed astray.
I was not born in a time of benefit,

66. While you were, and did not benefit your day.
You accompanied great leaders,

67. But I don't see you following their way.
The Book called you but you did not respond,

68. Old age advised you but you did not sway.
A young man acting foolishly is ugly,

69. But uglier, an old man gone astray.
You are more deserving of my rebuke

70. If the wrongdoer stayed silent, I'd not say.
But blame yourself, no other,

71. For a fault making it the target of your prey.
If your tears flowed in fear

72. Of your sins, I'd not say: you are safe today.
Who can guarantee you safety when you are

73. A slave, ordered but not obeying the way?
Heavy with sins yet fearing not

74. Meeting God, in your ignorance, you stray.
You pity the insistent sinner

75. And have mercy on him, but not your way.
You turned back and wandered blindly,

76. By your life, if you reached the path you would not stray.
If you met your Lord without a sin

77. And He examined you, you would die midway.
He wrongs you not in any deed, but

78. It's hard to stand up with all you did and said.
If you came on Judgement Day alone

79. And saw the different ranks displayed,
You'd wish the greatest regret and ardour

80. For what in life you missed and went astray.
You shun hot deserts, avoiding them,

81. But do you flee from Hell and run away?
You cannot endure its lightest torment,

82. Even if you were made of iron, you would melt away.
So do not deny, the matter is serious,

83. Not as you thought or fancied in your way.
Abu Bakr, you've uncovered my slightest vice

84. And most of it, its bulk, you did not display.
Say what you will of my disgrace,

85. Double it! For you spoke truth in all you say.
However much you chide me, because you know

86. My inner state, it's as if you gave me praise.
Do not approve of vice, it is ugly,

87. Greatly disgraced, making people scorn your way.
It debases the noble among men

88. And places the lofty person low in every way.
While virtues make you don pearls

89. And feel close, even if you are far away.
In life, it spreads your goodness about you,

90. So you reap kindness wherever you did stray.
You walk life's arena generously

91. And gain praise for all the seeds you did plant and spray.
While now, you have no known disgrace,

92. Nor have you stained your clothes since your first day.
You have not been first in any cheating race,

93. Nor placed in it, nor thrown dust in its way.
But if you do not avoid it altogether,

94. You will be mired completely in its clay.
Who then can save you once you're stuck?

95. All that you purified will pass away.
You'll be a prisoner of your sin, in shackles,

96. How can you free yourself, when led astray?
You will fear your fellow man and shun him

97. As you'd fear a snake or scorpion in your way.
Deal with them and avoid them cautiously,

98. Behave as a Samaritan behaved, I say.
If they are ignorant to you, say only "Peace,"

99. Perhaps you may find safety if you obey.
Who can guarantee you safety in an age

100. When none are safe unless God keeps at bay?
Do not stay where injustice makes

101. Hearts die, unless you wish to be bound and shackled.
Seek the East or West if your fortune rises,

102. The stranger finds provision along the way.
Even if over the ruler you'd be honored,

103. You would be if you yourself walked the way.
And if you shun it and leave it

104. For the Abode of Peace, then you're safe in every way.
But if you respect it and gaze on it

105. Reverently, then yourself you have debased in every way.
I have gathered advice for you, so follow it,

106. The best your life if you follow the way it says.
I prolonged reproach and increased it

107. Since in laziness you have delayed your day.
Do not take my shortcomings and lapses,

108. But take my advice for you if you can find your way.
I've appended six verses, goodly,

109. To the hundred and six that came before their way.