ما لي أرى الدُّنيا تشو

بُ لنا المسرَّة بالفجايع

Why do I see the world being adorned

With joys derived from tragedies?

يَسعى الفَتى فيها وما

يَدري الفتى ما الدهرُ صانِع

The youth strives in it, not knowing

What fate has in store for him.

وَمغانمُ الأيّامِ لم

تكُ عندَها إلَّا ودائع

The spoils of days were not with it

Except as trusts placed with others.

هنَّ الليالي المعطيا

تُ لَنا وهنَّ موانِع

Those were nights that gave generously,

And those were the withholders.

إيّاكَ بل إيّاكَ أن

تزري بشيمتِك المطامِع

Beware, beware of maligning

Your noble traits out of greed.

واِحذر تقاطع من يوا

صل أَو تواصل مَن يقاطِع

And beware of severing ties with one

Who stays connected or connects with one severed.

وَمَتى زرعتَ حصدتَ أن

تَ مُسارعاً ما أنت زارِع

Whenever you plant, you reap that

You hasten what you did not plant.

ما في الأنام تفاضلٌ

لولا التَّفاضلُ في الطَبايع

Among people there is no superiority

Except for the superiority of natures.