أَلا مَن لِنَفسٍ في الهَوى قَد تَمادَتِ
إِذا قُلتُ قَد مالَت عَنِ الجَهلِ عادَتِ
Alas! Who is there whose soul hath not been led astray by passion?
When I say it has turned from ignorance, that is it wont.
وَحَسبُ امرِئٍ شَرّاً بِإِهمالِ نَفسِهِ
وَإِمكانِها مِن كُلِّ شَيءٍ أَرادَتِ
It suffices a man for evil that he neglects his soul,
While it has the power to attain all it desires.
تَزاهَدتُ في الدُنيا وَإِنّي لَراغِبٌ
أَرى رَغبَتي مَمزوجَةً بِزَهادَتي
I renounced the world, yet still I yearn for it.
Ardently do I see that yearning mingled with my renunciation.
وَعَوَّدتُ نَفسي عادَةً فَلَزِمتُها
أَراهُ عَظيماً أَن أُفارِقَ عادَتي
And I accustomed my soul to a practice and persisted in it.
I see it difficult indeed that I should abandon my practice.
إِرادَةُ مَدخولٍ وَعَقلُ مُقَصِّرٍ
وَلَو صَحَّ لي عَقلي لَصَحَّت إِرادَتي
A will to enter in and a deficient reason
And were my reason sound my will too would be sound.
وَلَو طابَ لي غَرسي لَطابَت ثِمارُهُ
وَلَو صَحَّ لي غَيبي لَسَحَّت شَهادَتي
And were my stock good its fruit too would be good.
And were my inward part revealed my outward would be sound.
أَيا نَفسُ ما الدُنيا بِأَهلٍ لِحَيِّها
دَعيها لِأَقوامٍ عَلَيها تَعادَتِ
O soul, the world is no abode for those who love it.
Leave it for folk to whom is its return.
أَلا قَلَّما تَبقى نُفوسٌ لِأَهلِها
إِذا راوَحَتهُنَّ المَنايا وَغادَتِ
Alas! Seldom do souls cleave to their people
When the fates visit them and depart.
أَلا كُلُّ نَفسٍ طالَ في الغَيِّ عُمرُها
تَموتُ وَإِن كانَت عَنِ المَوتِ حادَتِ
Alas! Every soul whose life is prolonged in delusion
Dies, though it be averse from death. Alas! Whither is he whom sport and youth have left
أَلا أَينَ مَن وَلّى بِهِ اللَهوُ وَالصِبا
وَأَينَ قُرونٌ قَبلُ كانَت فَبادَتِ
And the generations that flourished before and are dead?
It is as though I had never been when I am in the tomb,
كَأَن لَم أَكُن شَيئاً إِذا صِرتُ في الثَرى
وَصارَ مِهادي رَضرَضاً وَوِسادَتي
And my pillow is crumbling bones and skull.
And I have none to shelter with save Him whose thrall I am,
وَما مَلجَأٌ لي غَيرَ مَن أَنا عَبدُهُ
إِلى اللَهِ رَبّي شِقوَتي وَسَعادَتي
In Allah my Lord is my misery and my happiness.
