ألاَ إنما دنياكمُ مثلُ حيّة

ألاَ إنما دنياكمُ مثلُ حيّة

ألا فاحذرْ أن تضرَّس فيها

ألا فاحذرْ أن تضرَّس فيها

Behold, your world is but like a serpent.

Behold, your worldly life is only like a snake.

So beware lest it sink its teeth into you.

Take heed, then beware lest you be bitten in it.

وكنْ عالماً فيها ولا تكُ جاهلاً

وكنْ عالماً فيها ولا تكُ جاهلاً

بأحوالها من أن تمرَّسَ فيها

بأحوالها من أن تمرَّسَ فيها

Know it well, and do not be ignorant

And be knowledgeable about it, and do not be ignorant

of its ways, lest you become entangled in it.

of its ways, through gaining experience in it.

فما يستوى مِثْلانِ مَنْ هُوَ جاهلٌ

فما يستوى مِثْلانِ مَنْ هُوَ جاهلٌ

بأحوالها أو مَن تَفرَّسَ فيها

بأحوالها أو مَن تَفرَّسَ فيها

For two are not equal: one who is ignorant

For the two are not equal: one who is ignorant

of its ways, and one who has seen deeply into it.

of its ways, or one who has gained insight into it.

وما أهلُها إلا كمِثْلِ مُسافر

وما أهلُها إلا كمِثْلِ مُسافر

إلى داره الأخرى وعَرَّسَ فيها

إلى داره الأخرى وعَرَّسَ فيها

Its inhabitants are only like a traveler

And its inhabitants are only like a traveler

journeying to his other home, who merely stops here for the night.

bound for his other home, who has halted here for the night.

أما أسوةٌ فيما مضى لك فاعتبره

أما أسوةٌ فيما مضى لك فاعتبره

ولاتمشِ في أرض البسيطةِ تيهَا

ولاتمشِ في أرض البسيطةِ تيهَا

Is there no example for you in what has passed? Then heed it.

Is there not an example for you in what has passed? Then learn from it.

Do not walk the broad earth in vainglorious pride.

And do not walk upon the broad earth in pride.

إذا ما أطعتَ اللهَ سرّاً وجهرةً

إذا ما أطعتَ اللهَ سرّاً وجهرةً

ولم تمصِه فاجررْ ذُيُولك فيها

ولم تمصِه فاجررْ ذُيُولك فيها

If you obey God in private and openly,

If you have obeyed God in secret and openly,

and do not disobey Him, then trail your robes proudly through it.

and have not disobeyed Him [probable reading], then trail your hems upon it.