أَلَم نَرَ يا دُنيا تَصَرُّفَ حالِكِ

وَغَدرَكِ يا دُنيا بِنا وَانتِقالِكِ

Have we not seen, O world, your fickleness

And your betrayal, O world, of us and your transience

فَلَستِ بِدارٍ يَستَتِمُّ بِكِ الرِضا

وَلَو كُنتِ في كَفِّ امرِئٍ بِكَمَلِكِ

So you are not a home where contentment can be perfected

Even if you were in the grip of a man of power and kingdom

حَرامُكِ يا دُنيا يَعودُ إِلى الضَنا

وَذو اللُبِّ فينا مُشفِقٌ مِن حَلالِكِ

Your unlawful gains, O world, return to misery

And the wise among us are concerned about your lawful gains

أَليفُكِ يا دُنيا كَثيرٌ غُمومُهُ

فَلَيسَ النَجاةُ مِنكِ غَيرَ اعتِزالِكِ

Your companionship, O world, has much sorrow

So there is no salvation from you except by abandoning you

أَيا نَفسُ لا تَستَوطِني دارَ قُلعَةٍ

وَلَكِن خُذي في الزادِ قَبلَ ارتِحالِكِ

O soul, do not settle in an abode of castles

But take provision for the journey before your departure

أَيا نَفسُ لا تَنسي كِتابَكِ وَاذكُري

لَكِ الوَيلُ إِن أُعطيتِهِ بِشِمالِكِ

O soul, do not forget your book and remember

Woe to you if you give it with your left hand

أَيا نَفسُ إِنَّ اليَومَ يَومُ تَفَرُّغٍ

فَدونَكِهِ مِن قَبلِ يَومِ اشتِغالِكِ

O soul, today is a day of disengagement

So devote it, before the day of your preoccupation

وَمَسؤولَةٌ يا نَفسُ أَنتِ فَيَسِّري

جَواباً لِيَومِ الحَشرِ قَبلَ سُؤالِكِ

And, O soul, you are accountable so make easy

An answer for the Day of Assembly before being questioned

وَمِسكينَةٌ يا نَفسُ أَنتِ فَقيرَةٌ

إِلى خَيرِ ما قَدَّمتِهِ مِن فِعالِكِ

And, O soul, you are poor so need

The good of what you have sent forth in your deeds

هُوَ المَوتُ فَاحتاطي لَهُ وَابشِري إِذا

نَجَوتِ كَفافاً لا عَلَيكِ وَلا لَكِ

It is death, so be wary of it and rejoice when

You are spared, neither against you nor for you