إِحذَرbeware مِنَof الدُنياthis world مَغَبَّتَهاits dire consequences
إِحذَر مِنَ الدُنيا مَغَبَّتَها
كَمhow many a صالِحٍrighteous man عَبَثَتit toyed بِهِwith him فَفَسَدand so he became corrupt
كَم صالِحٍ عَبَثَت بِهِ فَفَسَد
Beware the dire consequences of this world.
Beware the world and its deceit,
How many a righteous man it has toyed with, and so he became corrupt!
How many righteous it made stray and ruined.
ماnot بَينَbetween فَرحَتِهاits joy وَتَرحَتِهاand its sorrow
ما بَينَ فَرحَتِها وَتَرحَتِها
إِلّاexcept كَماas قامَstood up اِمرُؤٌa man وَقَعَدand sat down
إِلّا كَما قامَ اِمرُؤٌ وَقَعَد
The interval between its joy and its sorrow
Between its joy and misery
Is but the time it takes a man to stand up and sit down.
Is but like a man standing then sitting.