شَرِهتُ فَلَستُ أَرضى بِالقَليلِ

وَما أَنفَكُّ مِن حَدَثٍ جَليلِ

I grew insatiable, no longer content with little;

And I am never free from some grave event,

وَما أَنفَكُّ مِن أَمَلٍ يُعَنّي

وَما أَنفَكُّ مِن قالٍ وَقيلِ

And never free from a hope that torments me,

And never free from all the “said” and “was said.”

أَلا يا عاشِقَ الدُنيا المُعَنّى

كَأَنَّكَ قَد دُعيتَ إِلى الرَحيلِ

O tormented lover of this world,

It is as though you have already been called to depart.

أَما تَنفَكُّ مِن شَهَواتِ نَفسٍ

تَجورُ بِهِنَّ عَن قَصدِ السَبيلِ

Do you never break free of a soul’s desires

That make you stray from the path’s straight course?

لَئِن عوفيتَ مِن شَهَواتِ نَفسٍ

لَقَد عوفيتَ مِن شَرٍّ طَويلِ

If you are spared the soul’s desires,

Then truly you are spared a long-enduring evil.

وَلِلدُنيا دَوائِرُ دائِراتٌ

لِتَذهَبَ بِالعَزيزِ وَبِالذَليلِ

The world has cycles ever circling,

To sweep away the mighty and the lowly.

وَلِلدُنيا يَدٌ تَهَبُ المَنايا

وَتَستَلِبُ الخَليلَ مِنَ الخَليلِ

The world has a hand that bestows death

And tears beloved friend from beloved friend.

وَما لَكَ غَيرُ عَقلِكَ مِن نَصيحٍ

وَما لَكَ غَيرُ عَقلِكَ مِن دَليلِ

You have no counselor but your own reason,

And you have no guide but your own reason.

وَما لَكَ غَيرُ تَقوى اللَهِ مالٌ

وَغَيرُ فِعالِكَ الحَسَنِ الجَميلِ

You have no wealth but reverence for God,

And your deeds—the good and beautiful.

وَقارُ الحِلمِ يَقرَعُ كُلَّ جَهلٍ

وَعَزمُ الصَبرِ يَنهَضُ بِالجَليلِ

The dignity of forbearance strikes down every folly,

And resolute patience rises to the weightiest task.