أَلَم تَرَ لِلدُنيا وَسوءِ صَنيعِها

وَلَيسَ سِوى وَجهِ المُهَيمِنِ ثابِتُ

Have you not seen the evil ways of this world,

With nothing lasting except the face of the Omnipotent.

تَخالَفَ بِرساها فَبِرسٌ بِهامَةٍ

أُقِرَّ وَبِرسٌ يُذهِبُ القُرَّ نابِتُ

It raises some with splendor then casts them down,

While raising others and removing their distress.

مُصَلٍّ وَدَهرِيٌّ وَغاوٍ وَناسِكٌ

وَأَزهَرُ مَكبوتٌ وَأَسوَدُ كابِتُ

The pious, the secular, the misguided and the ascetic -

A blossoming flower, a pitch-black darkness.

أَيَنَحَلُّ سَبتٌ يَعقِدُ الحَظَّ يَوُمهُ

فَيَنجَحَ ساعٍ أَم هُوَ الدَهرُ سابِتُ

Does fortune take turns binding souls one day,

Then free the striving, or is it just steadfast fate?