تَأويني هم فَبِت أُخاطِبُه

وَبت أَراعي النجم ثُمَّ أُراقِبُه

My anxiety kept me awake, so I conversed with it

And stayed up watching the stars, observing them

لما رابَني من رَيب دَهر أَضرَني

فَأَنيابُه يبرينَني وَمَخالِبُه

When the vicissitudes of fate wronged me

Its fangs wound me, and its claws scratched me

وَأَسهَرَني طول التَفكر إِنَّني

عَجِبت لِدَهر ما تَقضى عَجائِبُه

And insomnia from excessive thinking kept me awake

I'm amazed by the wonders fate accomplishes

أَرى عاجِزاً يُدعى جَليداً لِغشمه

وَلَو كلف التَقوى لِفلت مضارِبه

I see a coward called brave because of his tyranny

Had he been pious, his blows would have missed

وَعفاً يُسمى عاجِزاً لِعَفافِهِ

وَلَولا التَقى ما أَعجَزَتهُ مَذاهِبُه

And a chaste man called impotent for his chastity

Had it not been for his piety, his ways would have shamed him

وَأَحمَق مَصنوعاً لَهُ في أُمورِهِ

يَسودُهُ اِخوانُهُ وَأَقارِبُهُ

And a fool contrived in his affairs

His brothers and relatives favor him

عَلى غَيرِ حزم في الاِمورِ وَلا تقى

وَلا نائِل جَزل تعد مَواهِبُه

Without wisdom in matters or piety

No worthy person whose gifts you could count

وَلَيسَ بِعَجز المَرءِ إِخطاؤُهُ الغِنى

وَلا بِاِحتِيالِ اِدرك المالُ كاسِبُه

A man's poverty is not his failing to gain wealth

Nor is scheming how his earner acquired it

وَلكِنَّهُ قَبض الإِله وَبَسطُه

فَلا ذا يُجاريه وَلا ذا يُغالِبُه

Rather, it is God's giving and withholding

None can compete with Him or overcome Him

اِذا كَمل الرَحمن لِلمَرءِ عَقلُهُ

فَقَد كَمَلت أَخلاقُهُ وَمَناقِبُه

When a man's reason fully matures

His morals and virtues become complete