إذا رمت أن تحظى وتستقرب المدا

وتستنزل الأعلى وتصطحب العنقا

If you seek to gain favor and draw near the great,

And attain the highest ranks and keep lofty company,

تحامق من الدنيا فإن أولي النهى

غنيهم أكدى وأسعدهم أشقى

Renounce this world, for the most wretched of men

Are the richest, and the most prosperous, the most miserable.

وما الدهر إلا ناظر ضد ما نرى

يرى حمقنا عقلا وأعقلنا حمقا

And Time is but an onlooker, contrary to what we see,

It sees our foolishness as wisdom and our wisdom as folly.