يَغدو إِلى كَسبِ قيراطٍ أَخو عَمَلٍ

لَو يوزَنُ الإِثمُ فيهِ كانَ قِنطارا

He goes to earn a measly carat, a brother of hard work,

If wickedness in it was weighed, it would be a quintal.

يَبغي التَشَبُّثَ بِالأَوقاتِ جائِزُها

هَيهاتَ ما الوَقتُ إِلّا طائِرٌ طارا

He wants to cling to the allowed times,

Alas! Time is nothing but a bird that flew away.

فَاِزجُر خَواطِرَ نَفسٍ غَيرِ مُحسِنَةٍ

فَقَد تُجَشِّمُ في دُنياكَ أَخطارا

So restrain the thoughts of an ungrateful soul,

For you may face dangers in your world.

وَالناسُ يَخزونَ بِالسَوآتِ أَنفُسَهُم

حَتّى يُقَضّوا مِنَ الأَشياءِ أَوطارا

And people debase themselves with faults,

Until they are rid of things bit by bit.

وَهَجرُ لَذَّةٍ حينٍ غَيرِ دائِمَةٍ

يَرُدُّ بِالمَنطِقِ المُتَفالَ مِعطارا

And leaving a transient pleasure,

Returns eloquent mature speech.

وَقَد تَكونُ أَيادي القَومِ باذِلَةً

حَتّى تُعَدُّ مَعَ الأَمطارِ أَمطارا

And people's hands may be generous,

Until they are counted with rains, showers.

إِن صُمتَ عَن مَأكَلِ العادي وَمَشرَبِهِ

فَلا تُحاوِل عَلى الأَعراضِ إِفطارا

If you are silent about the food and drink of the vulgar,

Then do not try to unveil dignities.

وَإِنَّ أَطيَبَ مِن مِسكٍ وَمِن قُطُرٍ

أَن لا تَطورَ لِدارِ السَوءِ أَقطارا

And nicer than musk and droplets,

Is that you do not frequent the house of evil, lands.