إنّ تقوى اللّه نعمَ الملجأ

ورجاءُ الناس بئس النبأ

Indeed, fearing God is the best refuge,

And hope in people is evil news.

قلّما يبرَأ منهوك الحجا

عن هداه بعماه يربَأ

Rarely does one overwhelmed with sorrow

Be cured of it by his blindness and ignorance.

عسكرُ الموت يعي دائبا

وهو من جهل به لا يعبَأ

The army of death is ever wakeful,

And cares not for one's ignorance of it.

طاول التوبة مغرورا بما

يترجّى أتراه يرجأ

He who delays repentance, deluded

By the hope of reprieve—will he be granted it?

عجبا منه تناسى عجبه

وتناهى منتماهُ الحمأ

Wondrous is one who forgets his own wondrousness,

And whom passions have carried to excess.

ثم لا يشغل بالا بالتقى

حيث منقود الردى لا يكلأ

He occupies himself with nothing

But devotion, for calamity admits no jesting.

وكفاه آية موقظة

من سبات هو فيه سبا

And sufficient is a rousing sign

From slumber which immerses him.

ما له واصل حبّا للدّنا

وبها صارمَ قيلاً حبأ

Why does one who loves the world

Become embroiled in it, ensnared?

هازئاً يمسي ويضحي زاهياً

كيف يزهى بائدٌ أو يهزأ

Mockingly he retires at night and rises cheerfully—

How can one fading away jest or mock?

بادر المهلة يا عبد المنى

واحذر الصرعةَ ممّا يفجأ

Seize the respite, O servant of wishes,

And beware of sudden calamity.

وادّكر عقبى أناس درجوا

أنت في أعقابهم لا تنسأ

And recall the fate of past peoples

Whose footsteps you now follow.