أَحمَدُ اللَهَ عَلى كُلِّ حالِ

إِنَّما الدُنيا كَفَيءِ الظِلالِ

I praise God in every state

The world is but shadows that shift

إِنَّما الدُنيا مُناخٌ لِرَكبٍ

يُسرِعُ الحَثَّ بِشَدّي الرِحالِ

The world is but a resting place for a caravan

That hastens the pace with firm resolve

رُبَّ مُغتَرٍّ بِها قَد رَأَينا

نَعشَهُ فَوقَ رِقابِ الرِجالِ

We have seen many deluded by it

Their bier carried on people's shoulders

مَن رَأى الدُنيا بِعَينَي بَصيرٍ

لَم تَكَد تَخطُرُ مِنهُ بِبالِ

Whoever saw the world with discerning eyes

It barely crossed their mind

إِنَّما المِسكينُ حَقّاً يَقيناً

مَن غَدا يَأمَنُ صَرفَ اللَيالي

Indeed the truly poor and helpless

Is one who tomorrow fears the night's caprice

لَيسَ مالٌ لَم يُقَدِّمهُ ذُخراً

رَبُّهُ بَينَ يَدَيهِ بِمالِ

No wealth that is not sent ahead

As provision by the Lord's decree

ما أَرى لي ظالِماً غَيرَ نَفسي

وَيحَ نَفسي ما لِنَفسي وَمالي

I see none oppressing me but my self

Oh my soul, what do I and my wealth matter

يا مُضيعَ الجِدِّ بِالهَزلِ مِنهُ

مَن يُبالي مِنكَ ما لا تُبالي

O squanderer of seriousness in jest

Who cares what you don't care for

في سَبيلِ اللَهِ ماذا أَضَعنا

إِذ تَشاغَلنا بِغَيرِ اشتِغالِ

In God's cause what did we waste

While busied with other toil

إِنَّ أَيّاماً قِصاراً حَمَتنا

خَيرُ أَيّامٍ سَتَأتي طِوالِ

Days brief burdened us

Better days will come, long

لَو عَقَلنا ما نَرى لَانتَفَعنا

وَاعتَبَرنا بِالقُرونِ الخَوالي

Had we understood we would have benefited

And learned from generations past

عَجَباً مِن راغِبٍ في حَرامٍ

لَم تَضِق عَنهُ وُجوهُ الحَلالِ

A wonder, one desiring the unlawful

When the faces of the lawful haven't narrowed

إِحتِيالُ المَرءِ تَأتي عَلَيهِ

ساعَةٌ تَقطَعُ كُلَّ احتِيالِ

A person's scheming, there comes upon him

An hour that cuts off all scheming