1. ألا قُل لذي الجهل كم تطمَحُ

    وقلبُك للغيّ كم يجنحُ

    Listen! Say to the ignorant one: how high do you aspire?

    And how strongly does your heart incline toward error?

  2. جريت إلى الذنب جريَ الجم

    وح وذو اللبّ في الذنب يجمَحُ

    You raced toward sin like a headstrong steed,

    while one with reason balks at sin.

  3. لقد خاب من حلمه خِفّةً

    يشولُ ومن وزرهُ يرجحُ

    Lost indeed is he whose forbearance, being light,

    rises in the scales, and he whose burden of sin weighs heavy.

  4. نصحتُكَ والنصح دينٌ فلا

    تذن بمعاصاة من ينصحُ

    I have counseled you—counsel is religion—so do not

    incur blame by disobeying one who counsels you.

  5. وقوّض خيامك عن منزلٍ

    كأنّي به دارسا يمصحُ

    And strike your tents, leaving a dwelling

    that I can almost see in ruins, fading away.

  6. وفوّض إلى اللّه مستمسِكاً

    به واجتنب كلّ ما يفضحُ

    And entrust your affairs to God, holding fast

    to Him; and shun all that brings disgrace.

  7. ولا تبك عيناك إلّا دما

    لعلّ الخطايا به تنضحُ

    And let your eyes weep nothing but blood,

    perhaps the sins may be washed away with it.

  8. بعيشكَ أعرض عن المبطل

    ين عساك إذا خسروا تربحُ

    By your life, turn away from the wrongdoers;

    perhaps, when they lose, you will profit.

  9. وكن واثقاً في اجتراح الذنو

    بِ بأن مقدّرها يصفحُ

    And be confident, in committing sins,

    that He who decreed them will pardon.

  10. أليسَ الجواد الذي كلّما

    لجأتَ إلى بابه يفتحُ

    Is He not the Generous One who, whenever

    you seek refuge at His door, opens it?