إنْ كنتَ ترغبُ في الثّوا

ءِ بهذه الدّنيا عزيزا

If you wish to live

Honored in this world,

فَاِحذرْ مُنى الأطماعِ أنْ

تُعنى بها أو أنْ تحوزا

Beware the greed of desires,

Lest you pursue them or possess them.

لا تُرعِها سمعاً فإن

ن لها القعاقعِ والأَزيزا

Do not heed their tumult and noise,

For they clang and buzz.

كم آمنٍ أضحى المطا

حَ بها وقد أمسى الحريزا

How many secure men

Became tempted by them and lost their refuge!

لم يَفدِهِ من صَوْلَةِ ال

أيّام أنْ جمعَ الكنوزا

The gathering of riches

Did not avail him when days assaulted.

كانتْ له نِعَمٌ فَرَرْ

ن فعاد قاطنُها نَشوزا

He had bounty, but fled,

So he returned to it unwilling.

كَم ذا نَحوزُ وَقَد رَأَي

نا حائزاً ترك المحوزا

How much do we acquire,

When we've seen an owner leave his possessions?

وَغَدا قَديراً ثمّ أَم

سى بَعدَ قُدرتهِ عَجيزا

He was powerful, then

After his power, helpless.

أين الذين على التِّلا

عِ تبوّأوا الوطنَ الحجيزا

Where are those who

Inhabited the lofty, fortified abode?

سحبوا وراءهمُ الجيو

شَ وطالما سحبوا الخُزوزا

They dragged armies behind them

And dragged along the reluctant.

إنْ زُرْتَهم زرت الأهل

لَةَ في مَطالِعِها بُروزا

If you visit them, you visit ruins

Emerging at daybreak.

نطقوا بما أعيا الرّجا

ل وعاد ناطقُهُمْ ضَموزا

They spoke what exhausted men,

And their words became mumbling.