نِعمَ الوِسادُ يَميني ما بَقيتُ لَها

وَإِن أُغَيَّب أُوَسِّدها فَأَتَّسِدِ

How pleasant is my right hand pillow when I rest upon her

And if I am absent from her, I long for her as my pillow

التُربُ جَدّي وَساعاتي رَكائِبُ لي

وَالعَيشُ سَيري وَمَوتي راحَةُ الجَسَدِ

The soil is my ancestor and my hours are burdens upon me

And living is my journey and death is rest for my body

العَينُ مِن أَرَقٍ وَالشَخصُ مِن قَلَقٍ

وَالقَلبُ مِن أَمَلٍ وَالنَفسُ مِن حَسَدِ

The eye suffers from lack of sleep and the person from anxiety

The heart from hope and the self from envy

إِنبَه وَسُد فَهُما هَمٌّ تُكابِدُهُ

وَاِخمُل إِذا شِئتَ أَن تَحظى وَلا تَسدِ

Be awake and block them - they are concerns that you endure

And be heedless if you want to be fortunate and not envious

وَاِجبُن أَو اِشجَع فَطُرُقُ المَوتِ واحِدَةٌ

وَالظَبيُّ فيهِنَّ مِثلُ السَيِّدِ وَالأَسَدِ

Be steadfast or brave for the paths of death are one

The prey in them is like the master and the lion

وَذاتُ عِقدٍ تُلاقي مِن أَذاً وَقَذاً

كَما تُلاقيهِ ذاتُ الحَطبِ وَالمَسَدِ

A being meets harm and offence

Just as one made of wood and flint meets them