أَيُّها الشَيخُ كَم تَرومُ وَتَبني

أَيُّها الشَيخُ كَم تَرومُ وَتَبني

لَيسَ مِنكَ الدُنيا وَلا أَنتَ مِنها

لَيسَ مِنكَ الدُنيا وَلا أَنتَ مِنها

O old man, how long will you keep aspiring and building?

O old man, how much you seek and build!

The world is no part of you, nor are you part of it.

The world is not yours, nor do you belong to it.

لا تَرومَنَّها فَأَنتَ وَإِن كُن

لا تَرومَنَّها فَأَنتَ وَإِن كُن

تَ مُقيماً بِها كَمَن زالَ عَنها

تَ مُقيماً بِها كَمَن زالَ عَنها

Never seek it; for you—even if you should

Do not seek it, for you, even if you are

remain within it—are like one who has departed from it.

dwelling in it, are like one who has departed from it.