إِدفَعِ الشَرَّ إِذا جاءَ بِشَرِّ

وَتَواضَع إِنَّما أَنتَ بَشَر

Repel evil when it comes with evil

And be humble, for you are but a mortal

يا غُراباً هَمُّهُ في غارَةٍ

يَتَمَنّى أَقِطاً فَوقَ مَشَر

O crow whose concern is to steal

Coveting a partridge above the field

نَحنُ في لَيلٍ عَلَينا دامِسٍ

كَيفَ لِلمُدلَجِ بِالصُبحِ جَشَر

We are in a night that covers us in darkness

How can the shrouded see the dawn uncovered

هَذِهِ الأَجسامُ تُربٌ هامِدٌ

فَمِنَ الجَهلِ اِفتِخارٌ وَأَشَر

These bodies are but lifeless dust

So it is ignorance to boast and strut

جَسَدٌ مِن أَربَعٍ تَلحَظُها

سَبعَةٌ راتِبَةٌ في اِثنَي عَشَر

A body of four elements you behold

Governed by the cycles of twelve-fold

وَعَجيبٌ فَرَحُ النَفسِ إِذا

شاعَ في الأَرضِ ثَناها وَاِنتَشَر

And strange is the soul’s joy when

Its fame spreads over the earth unfurled

شَجَرٌ أَفضَلُهُ مُثمِرُهُ

وَمِنَ الناسِ نَخيلٌ وَعُشَر

A tree is best for its fruit

And of mankind, some are date-palms, some but shrubs

مُستَشارٌ خائِنٌ في نُصحِهِ

وَأَمينٌ ناصِحٌ لَم يُستَشَر

An advisor who betrays his counsel

While a trusted advisor was not consulted

وَمَتّى شاءَ الَّذي صَوَّرَنا

أَشعَرَ المَيتَ نُشوراً فَنَشَر

And when He who shaped us wills

The dead will be roused from their burial

فَاِفعَلِ الخَيرَ وَأَمَّل غِبَّهُ

فَهُوَ الذَخرُ إِذا اللَهُ حَشَر

So do good and hope for its reward

For it is your treasure when God summons all