أَرى نَفسي أَبَت طَلَب التَمَنّي

وَقَد أَحسَنت بِالرزّاق ظَنّي

I see my soul refuse to seek wishes

And I had good thoughts about the Sustainer

فَقُلت لَها إِلى كَم ذا التَأنّي

ذريني لِلعلى أَسعى فَإِنّي

So I said to it, how long this delay?

Leave me to seek the most high, for I

رَأَيتُ الناس شرّهم الفَقيرُ

أَلا إِنّ التَعفُّفَ في ذَويهِ

I saw people, their worst is the poor

Lo! Abstinence in its people

بِأَهل زَماننا لا خَيرَ فيهِ

بِداعي فقر ذي الشَرَفِ النَبيهِ

Is no good with people of our time

With the call of poverty, dignified lineage

يُباعِدُهُ القَريب وَتَزدَريهِ

حَليلتُهُ وَيَنهره الصَغيرُ

Estranges him the near one and she scorns him

His wares and the little one rebukes him

إِذا ما المَرء قلّ لَديهِ مالٌ

فَما حسنت لَهُ في الناس حالٌ

When a man has little money with him

So his state is not good amongst people

فَكَم يَعرو الفَقيرَ بِهم خبالٌ

وَقَد تَلقى الغَنيّ لَهُ جَلالٌ

So how much are the poor accused by them

While the rich receive majesty for him

يَكادُ فُؤاد صاحبه يَطيرُ

بِحسب أَخِ الحجا كَدَرٌ وَغَمّ

The heart of his companion almost flies

It is unpleasant trouble for brethren of Hajj

إِذا لَم يُغنِهِ شَرفٌ وَعِلمٌ

أَرى السفلَ الغَنيَّ عداهُ ذمٌّ

If no honor nor knowledge makes him rich

I see the lowly rich man, none insults him but damnation

قَليلاً ذَنبُهُ وَالذَنب جمٌّ

وَلَكن للغني رَبٌّ غَفورُ

His sin is little but sin is much

But the rich have a forgiving Lord