1. I see greed calling me, so I follow its voice,
And hidden despair warns me away from its approaches.
١. أَرى الحِرصَ يَدعوني فَاِتبَعُ صَوتَهُ
وَيَزجُرُني اليَأسُ الخَفِيُّ مُداخِلُه
2. Yet neither greed benefits me, nor despair stops me -
My share is what I am destined to obtain.
٢. فَلا الحِرصُ يُغنيني وَلا اليَأسُ مانِعي
نَصيبي مِنَ الشَيءِ الَّذي أَنا نائِلُه
3. They hope for days of safety and wealth,
Yet unforeseen catastrophes take them unawares.
٣. يُرَجّونَ أَيّامَ السَلامَةِ وَالغِنى
وَتَغتالُهُم دونَ الرَجاءِ غَوائِلُه
4. And one meets a fate he had hoped to avoid,
While another is struck by what he never feared.
٤. وَبالِغٌ أَمرٍ كانَ يَأمَلُ دونَهُ
وَمُختَلِجٍ مِن دونِ ما كانَ يامُلُه