إِذا صَفَتِ النَفسُ اللَجوجُ فَإِنَّما

تُعاني مِنَ الجُثمانِ شَرَّ المَحابِسِ

When the stubborn soul is purified, it only

Suffers from the body the worst of prisons.

وَما لَبِسَ الإِنسانُ أَبهى مِنَ التُقى

وَإِن هُوَ غالى في حِسانِ المَلابِسِ

And man wears nothing finer than piety—

Though he is lavish on the finest clothing.

وَيُبدي لِدُنياهُ الفَتى وَجهَ ضاحِكٍ

وَما فَتِئَت تُبدي لَهُ وَجهَ عابِسِ

The young man shows the world a smiling face

While it still shows only a frowning face to him.

سَرى مَلَكُ الأَوّابِ يَحمِلُ رَوحَهُ

تُنيرُ كَما تَجلو الدُجى نارُ قابِسِ

The angel of death takes his soul

To illuminate like a flaming torch dispels the gloom.

شَبابٌ وَشَيبٌ كَالنَباتِ كَثيرَةٌ

فَمِن بَينِ رِطبٍ يُستَباحُ وَيابِسِ

Youth and old age are plentiful vegetation—

Among the juicy plants some dry out and wither.

وَخَيرُ بِلادِ اللَهِ ما كانَ خالِياً

مِنَ الإِنسِ فَاِسكُن في القِفارِ البَسابِسِ

The best of God's lands are those unpopulated

By people, so live in the expansive deserts.