1. نَعَتِ الدُنيا إِلَينا نَفسَها

    وَأَرَتنا عِبَراً لَم نَنسَها

    The world has described itself to us,

    and shown us lessons we have not forgotten.

  2. كُلَّما قامَت لِقَومٍ دَولَةٌ

    عَجَّلَ الحَينُ عَلَيهِم نَكسَها

    Whenever a people rose to power,

    doom hastened its overthrow upon them.

  3. تَطلُبُ التَجديدَ مِن دارِ البِلى

    أَسَسَ اللَهُ عَلَيها أُسَّها

    You seek renewal from the abode of decay,

    upon which God has laid the world's foundation.

  4. كَم لَها مِن لُقَمٍ مَسمومَةٍ

    يَستَبينُ القَلبُ مِنها لَمسَها

    How many poisoned morsels it has!

    The heart clearly discerns their touch.

  5. حابِسُ الدُنيا لَها مِن حَبسِهِ

    فَلَتاتٍ لَم يُمَلَّك حَبسَها

    From the grasp of whoever holds the world, it has

    escapes he has been given no power to prevent.

  6. يا لَها مَحروسَةً لَم يَستَطِع

    أَحَدٌ دونَ المَنايا حَرسَها

    Ah, how guarded it is! Yet never could

    anyone guard it against death.