إِنّي هَزِئتُ مِنُ اُمِّ الغَمرِ إِذ هَزِئَت

بِشَيبِ رَأسي وَما بِالشَيبِ مِن عارِ

I was mocked by the mother of darkness when she mocked

The grayness of my head, though gray hair merits no shame.

ما شَقوَةُ المَرءِ بِالإِقتارِ يُقتِرُهُ

وَلا سَعادَتُهُ يَوماً بِإِكثارِ

A man's misfortune comes not from meager means,

Nor is he fortunate one day through abundance.

إِنَّ الشَقِيَّ الَّذي في النارِ مَنزِلُهُ

وَالفَوزُ فَوزُ الَّذي يَنجو مِنَ النارِ

Truly wretched is he whose abode is the fire,

And triumph belongs to him who escapes the flame.

أَعوذُ بِاللَهِ مِن أَمرٍ يُزَيِّنُ لي

لَومَ العَشيرَةِ أَو يُدني مِنَ العارِ

I seek refuge in God from a matter that makes fair to me

The blame of kin, or draws me nigh to shame.

وَخَيرُ دُنيا يُنسِّي شَرَّ آخِرَةٍ

وَسَوفَ يُنبئُني الجَبّارُ أَخباري

The best of life makes one forget the evil of the last,

Yet the Almighty shall inform me of my account.

لا أُدخُلِ البَيتَ أَحبو مِن مُؤَخِّرِهِ

وَلا اِكسِّرُ في اِبنِ العَمِّ أَظفاري

I enter no home dearer than from behind,

Nor in the son of an uncle brandish my claws.

إِن يَحجُبِ اللَهُ أَبصاراً أُراقِبُها

فَقَد يَرى اللَهُ حالَ المُدلَجِ الساري

If God screens eyes I watch over,

Then God may see the state of the cloaked thief.