سَبيلُ الحبِّ أوَّلُهُ اغْترارُ

وآخِرُهُ هُمومٌ وَادِّكارُ

The path of love, its beginning is infatuation

And its end is worries and reminders

وَتَلْقى العَاشِقينَ لَهُمْ جُسومٌ

بَراها الشَّوقُ لو نُفِخُوا لطاروا

You find lovers, their bodies

So emaciated by passion, if blown they would fly

يا عاجزاً ليسَ يَعْفُو حِينَ يَقْتدِرُ

ولا يُقضَّى له مِن عَيشِهِ وَطَرُ

Oh you powerless, who shows no mercy when able

And none of his life's joys are fulfilled

عايِنْ بِقَلْبِكَ إِنَّ العَين غافِلَةٌ

عَنِ الحقيقَةِ وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّها سَقَرُ

Look with your heart, for the eye is heedless

Of the truth, and know that it is hell

سَوداءُ تَزْفرُ مِنْ غَيْظٍ إِذا سُعِرَتْ

للظالمينَ فما تُبقي ولا تَذَرُ

Pitch black, snarling with rage when kindled

For the unjust, it spares none and leaves none

إنَّ الَّذينَ اشْتَرَوا دُنْيا بِآخِرةٍ

وَشِقْوَةً بِنَعيمٍ ساءَ ما تَجَروا

Those who traded the Hereafter for worldly life

And misery for bliss, evil is what they purchased

يا مَنْ تَلَهَّى وشَيْبُ الرأسِ يَنْدُبُهُ

ماذا الَّذي بَعْدَ شَيْبِ الرأسِ تَنْتَظرُ

Oh you distracted, though age reproaches you

What after the graying of hair do you still expect?

لو لم يَكُنْ لكَ غيرَ المَوتِ مَوْعِظةٌ

لكانَ فيهِ عَنِ اللَّذَّاتِ مُزْدَجَرُ

If death itself were not admonishment enough

It would deter you from all pleasures

أنتَ المَقُولُ لَهُ ما قُلْتُ مُبْتَدِئاً

هَلَّا ابَتكَرْتَ لِبَينٍ أَنْتَ مُبتْكِرُ

You who are told what I say in initiation

Why not reject outright what you yourself initiated?