أَفٍّ عَلى الدُنيا وَأَسبابِها

فَإِنَّها لِلحُزنِ مَخلوقَة

I grieve for this world and its trappings,

Fie upon the world and its causes,

For it was created for sorrow.

For truly, it was created for sorrow.

هُمومُها ما تَنقَضي ساعَةً

عَن مَلِكٍ فيها وَعِن سُوَقه

Its worries do not cease for an instant

Its cares do not cease for a single moment,

From a king or a commoner alike.

From a king therein, nor from a common subject.