رَأَيتُ الشَيبَ يَعدوكا

بِأَنَّ المَوتَ يَنحوكا

I saw old age rushing at you

As if death is beckoning you

فَخُذ حِذرَكَ يا هَذا

فَإِنّي لَستُ آلوكا

So beware, o you

I will not follow suit

وَلا تَزدَد مِنَ الدُنيا

فَتَزدادَن بِها نوكا

And do not indulge further in this life

Lest you increase your suffering

فَتَقوى اللَهِ تُغنيكا

وَإِن سُمّيتَ صُعلوكا

Piety suffices you

Even if you are called wretched

تَناوَمتَ عَنِ المَوتِ

وَداعي المَوتِ يَدعوكا

You turned away from death

While death's caller calls you

وَحاديهِ وَإِن نِمتَ

حَثيثُ السَيرِ يَحدوكا

And its guide, even if you sleep

Moves hastily towards you

فَلا يَومُكَ يَنساكَ

وَلا رِزقُكَ يَعدوكا

So neither your day forgets you

Nor does your provision evade you

مَتى تَرغَب إِلى الناسِ

تَكُن لِلناسِ مَملوكا

Whenever you seek people

You become enslaved by them

إِذا ما أَنتَ خَفَّفتَ

عَنِ الناسِ أَحَبّوكا

If you lighten up

On people, they will love you

وَإِن ثَقُلتَ مَلّوكا

وَعابوكَ وَسَبّوكا

But if you burden them

They will denounce and insult you

إِذا ما شِئتَ أَن تُعصى

فَمُر مَن لَيسَ يَرجوكا

If you want to be disobeyed

Then command one who does not hope in you

وَمُر مَن لَيسَ يَخشاكا

فَيَدمى عِندَها فوكا

And command one who does not fear you

For he will bleed because of it