لا تخدعنك اللحى ولا الصور

لا تخدعنك اللحى ولا الصور

تسعة اعشار من ترى بقر

تسعة اعشار من ترى بقر

Let neither beards nor appearances deceive you.

Do not be deceived by beards or appearances

Nine tenths of those you see are cattle.

Nine tenths of those you see are cattle

تراهم كالسحاب منتشرا

تراهم كالسحاب منتشرا

وليس فيه لطالب بقر

وليس فيه لطالب بقر

You see them spread out like clouds,

You see them spread out like clouds

Yet in it there are no cattle for a seeker.

Yet for the seeker there is no rain to be found

فى شجر السرو منهم مثل

فى شجر السرو منهم مثل

له رواء وماله ثمر

له رواء وماله ثمر

In cypress trees there is a likeness of them:

Among them are those like the cypress tree

It has a fine appearance, but no fruit.

With foliage, yet bearing no fruit