لَقَد طالَ يا دُنيا إِلَيكِ رُكوني

وَدامَ لُزومي ضِلَّتي وَفُتوني

For long, O world, my repose in you persisted

And long my errors lasted, and temptations twisted,

وَطالَ إِخائي فيكِ قَوماً أَراهُم

وَكُلُّهُمُ مُستَأثِرٌ بِكِ دوني

And long my brethren's stay with you - but they

Monopolized you wholly, leaving me no say.

وَكُلُّهُمُ عَنّي قَليلٌ غِنائُهُ

إِذا غَلِقَت في الهالِكينَ رُهوني

And little is their gain if closed on loss were reckoned

The pledge, while into nothingness my hopes were sunken.

فَيا رَبِّ إِنَّ الناسَ لا يُنصِفونَني

وَكَيفَ وَلَو أَنصَفتُهُم ظَلَموني

My Lord, men do me wrong, no justice I'm accorded,

And when I'm just to them, I'm wrongly contravened.

وَإِن كانَ لي شَيءٌ تَصَدَّوا لِأَخذِهِ

وَإِن جِئتُ أَبغي شَيئَهُم مَنَعوني

If I possess a thing, they wish to take it from me,

If I seek out their goods, access they've barred and banned me.

وَإِن نالَهُم رِفدي فَلا شُكرَ عِندَهُم

وَإِن أَنا لَم أَبذُل لَهُم شَتَموني

If I extend a hand, no gratitude's evinced,

If not, they censure me, no generous deed evidenced.

وَإِن وَجَدوا عِندي رَخاءً تَقَرَّبوا

وَإِن نَزَلَت بي شِدَّةٌ خَذَلوني

When comfort's mine, they flock to me to claim a portion,

When hardship comes, I'm left alone to face misfortune.

وَإِن طَرَقَتني نَكبَةٌ فَكِهوا بِها

وَإِن صَحِبَتني نِعمَةٌ حَسَدوني

If I am struck by fate, they laugh with glee unhidden,

If grace smiles on me, envy makes sure it's chidden.

سَأَمنَعُ قَلبي أَن يَحِنَّ إِلَيهِمُ

وَأَحجُبُ عَنهُم ناظِري وَجُفوني

I'll lock my heart that it incline no more toward them,

My eyes and eyelids equally from sight of them.

وَأَقطَعُ أَيّامي بِيَومِ سُهولَةٍ

أُزَجّي بِهِ عُمري وَيَومَ حُزونِ

I'll live a life serene, keep sorrow at a distance,

And pass my days in peace, tranquil and free from grievance.

أَلا إِنَّ أَصفى العَيشِ ما طابَ غِبُّهُ

وَما نِلتُهُ في عِفَّةٍ وَسُكونِ

For sure, the choicest life is one where, free of clamor,

Far from the throng, in purity and calm, I savor.