الناسُ إِن لَم تُنَبِّهُّم قِيامَتُهُم

أَو نُبِّهوا فَتُرابٌ ما لَهُم قِيَمُ

If people are not awakened by their demise,

Or if they're awakened, they're just dust without worth.

يُؤَمَّلُ القَومُ عِندي شيمَةً حَسُنَت

وَشيمَةُ الدَهرِ أَن لا تَحسُنَ الشِيَمُ

I hope for the best in people, though time's way

Is that manners stay poor and don't improve.

مازالَ يَبخَلُ حَتّى ما يَصوبَ حَياً

فَهَل تَعَلَّمُ بُخلَ العالَمِ الدِيَمُ

Stinginess persists till no life remains correct.

Does the world's stingy, vile nature ever learn?