إِذا مَدَحوا آدَمِيّاً مَدَح

تُ مَولى المَوالي وَرَبَّ الأُمَم

When they praise a human being, they praise

The Master of masters and Lord of nations

وَذاكَ الغَنِيُّ عَنِ المادِحينَ

وَلَكِن لِنَفسي عَقَدتُ الذِمَم

While He is self-sufficient, without need for praise

Yet I blame myself

لَهُ سَجَدَ الشامِخُ المُشمَخِرُّ

علَى ما بِعرينِهِ مِن شَمَم

To Him bowed the towering, perfumed one

Despite what his den contained of stench

وَمَغفِرَةُ اللَهِ مَرجُوَّةٌ

إِذا حُبِسَت أَعظُمي في الرِمَم

And God's forgiveness is hoped for

When my bones are buried in the sand

مُجاوِرَ قَومٍ تَمَشّى الفَنا

ءُ ما بَينَ أَقدامِهِم وَالقِمَم

Associating with a people whom death walked among

Between their feet and graves

فَيا لَيتَني هامِدٌ لا أَقومُ

إِذا نَهَضوا يَنفُضونَ اللِمَم

Oh, if only I were laid down, unable to rise

When they rise, shaking off the burdens

وَنادى المُنادي عَلى غَفلَةٍ

فَلَم يَبقَ في أُذُنٍ مِن صَمَم

And the caller called out in heedlessness

So no ear retained deafness

وَجاءَت صَحائِفُ قَد ضُمِّنَت

كَبائِرَ آثامِهِم وَاللِمَم

And the pages came inscribed

With their major sins and faults

فَلَيتَ العُقوبَةَ تَحريقَةٌ

فَصاروا رَماداً بِها أَو حُمَم

If only the punishment were a burning

So they would become ashes or charred embers through it

رَأَيتُ بَني الدَهرِ في غَفلَةٍ

وَلَيسَت جَهالَتُهُم بِالأُمَم

I saw the people of life in heedlessness

Their ignorance is not that of nations

فَنُسكُ أُناسٍ لِضَعفِ العُقولِ

وَنُسكُ أُناسٍ لِبُعدِ الهِمَم

Some people's devotion is due to weak minds

Some people's devotion is due to lofty aspirations