مَن نافَسَ الناسَ لَم يَسلَم مِنَ الناسِ

حَتّى يُعَضَّ بِأَنيابٍ وَأَضراسِ

Whoever competes with people will not be safe from people

Until he is bitten by fangs and molars

لا بَأسَ بِالمَرءِ ما صَحَّت سَريرَتُهُ

ما الناسُ إِلّا بِأَهلِ العِلمِ وَالناسِ

No harm in a man whose inner self is sound

People are but the people of knowledge and commoners

كاسَ الأُلى أَخَذوا لِلمَوتِ عُدَّتَهُ

وَما المُعِدّونَ لِلدُنيا بِأَكياسِ

The resolute took cups of death as their provision

While the heedless were not prepared with any provisions

حَتّى مَتى وَالمَنايا لي مُخاتِلَةٌ

يَغتَرُّني في صُروفِ الدَهرِ وَسواسي

How long will death cozen me with its wiles

Deluding me amidst the turns of fate and worries

أَينَ المُلوكُ الَّتي حُفَّت مَدائِنُها

دونَ المَنايا بِحُجّابٍ وَحُرّاسِ

Where are the kings whose cities were surrounded

By death’s guards and chambers besides

لَقَد نَسيتُ وَكَأسُ المَوتِ دائِرَةٌ

في كَفِّ لا غافِلٍ عَنها وَلا ناسِ

I forgot while the cup of death rotates

In a hand that is oblivious of it and of people

لَأَشرَبَنَّ بِكَأسِ المَوتِ مُنجَدِلاً

يَوماً كَما شَرِبَ الماضونَ بِالكاسِ

I will one day drink from the cup of death bending over

As those past drank from the cup

أَصبَحتُ أَلعَبُ وَالساعاتُ مُسرِعَةٌ

يَنقُصنَ رِزقي وَيَستَقصينَ أَنفاسي

I fool around while the hours hasten

Lessening my sustenance and counting my breaths

إِنّي لَأَغتَرُّ بِالدُنيا وَأَرفَعُها

مِن تَحتِ رِجلِيَ أَحياناً عَلى راسي

I really am fooled by the world and elevate it

From under my feet to over my head at times

ما اِستَعبَدَ المَرءَ كَاِستِعبادِ مَطمَعِهِ

وَلا تَسَلّى بِمِثلِ الصَبرِ وَالياسِ

Nothing enslaves a man like his greed enslaves him

And nothing consoles like patience and despair