مَنْ ملَكَ الدنيا ودانَتْ لهُ

فالجهلُ كلُّ الجهلِ أنْ يُحسدا

Whoever possesses the world and it submits to him

The epitome of ignorance is to envy him

بقدْرِ ما ترفعُ أصحابَها

تَحُطُّهُمْ فالرأيُ قربُ المدى

In proportion to how they raise their people

It debases them, for judgement is near at hand

ويلي على المغرى بعليائِها

سيضحكُ اليومَ ويبكي غدا

Woe unto him deluded by its arrogance

Today it laughs, tomorrow it cries

تعطيهِ كالمشفقِ لكنَّها

تبطشُ في الأخذِ كبطشِ العدى

It gives like a tender mother, but

Seizes back with the grasp of an enemy

مبتدأٌ حلوٌ لمَنْ ذاقَهُ

ولكنِ انظرْ خبرَ المبتدا

A sweet beginning for one who tastes it

But look to the end of the affair

غدارةٌ خوّانةٌ أهلُها

ما زهدَ الزهادُ فيها سدى

Deceitful, treacherous are its people

Not in vain have ascetics renounced it