1. رب شخص تقوده الأقدارُ

    للمعالي وما لذاك اختيارُ

    Many a person is led by the decrees of fate

    to lofty heights, though he has no choice.

  2. غافل والسعادة احتضنته

    وهو منها مستوحش نفّار

    Heedless, yet felicity has embraced him,

    while he is estranged from it and quick to flee.

  3. يتعاطى القبيح عمداً فيلقا

    ه جميلاً وفلسه دينار

    He deliberately does what is ugly, yet finds

    it beautiful, and his copper coin is a dinar.

  4. كلما قارف الذنوب أتته

    توبة طهرته واستغفار

    Whenever he commits sins, there comes to him

    repentance that purifies him, and a plea for forgiveness.

  5. وعليه إن زل عين من ال

    له تقيه ويستر الستار

    And if he slips, over him is an eye from

    God, guarding him, while the Veiler veils him.

  6. فهو بالله دائما يترقى

    لا به حيث تشرق الأنوار

    Thus through God he continually ascends,

    not through himself, to where the lights shine forth.

  7. وفتى كابد العبادة حتى

    منه قد مل ليله الأنوار

    And a young man toiled in worship until

    the lights grew weary of him during his night.

  8. يتسامى بالذكر والفكر قصداً

    وهو ناء وعنه شط المزار

    He deliberately seeks to rise through remembrance and reflection,

    yet he is far away, and the place he seeks lies far from him.

  9. يفعل الخير ثم يلقاه شراً

    وإذا رام جنة فهي نار

    He does good, then finds it evil,

    and when he seeks a garden, it is fire.

  10. حكم حارت البرية فيها

    وحقيق بأنها تحتار

    Wisdoms over which creation stands bewildered,

    and it is fitting that it should be bewildered.

  11. وعطايا من المهيمن دلت

    أنه الله فاعل مختار

    And gifts from the Guardian that have shown

    that He is God, who acts by His own choice.