عَجِبتُ لِلنارِ نامَ راهِبُها

وَجَنَّةِ الخُلدِ نامَ راغِبُها

I'm amazed that the keeper of hell sleeps

While the seeker of paradise keeps vigil

عَجِبتُ لِلجَنَّةِ الَّتي شَوَّقَ الـ

ـلاهُ إِلَيها إِذ نامَ طالِبُها

I'm amazed that one longs for paradise

Which God has promised to those who seek it

إِنّا لَفي ظُلمَةٍ مِنَ الحُبِّ لِلـ

ـدُنيا وَأَهلُ التُقى كَواكِبُها

We are lost in the dark love of this life

While the righteous shine like its stars

مَن لَم تَسَعهُ الدُنيا لِبُلغَتِهِ

ضاقَت عَلى نَفسِهِ مَذاهِبُها

One who finds the world too confining

Is constrained by his own ambitions

مَن سامَحَ الحادِثاتِ ذَلَّت لَهُ الـ

ـأَرضُ وَلانَت لَهُ مَناكِبُها

One who accepts what comes to pass

Sees the earth bow down before him

وَالمَرءُ ما دامَ في الحَياةِ فَلا

يَنفَكُّ مِن حاجَةٍ يُطالِبُها

A man, as long as he lives, will always

Have needs he strives to satisfy

يا عَجَباً لِلدُنيا كَذا خُلِقَت

مادِحُها صادِقٌ وَعائِبُها

How strange is this world, formed as it is

Praised by the truthful, blamed by its critics