1. وَجَدتُ سَجايا الفَضلِ في الناسِ غُربَةً

    وَأَعدَمَ هَذا الدَهرُ مُغتَرِبيهِ

    I found the traits of virtue alien among people,

    and this age has impoverished its exiles.

  2. وَإِنَّ الفَتى فيما أَرى بِزَمانِهِ

    لَأَشبَهُ مِنهُ شَيمَةً بِأَبيهِ

    And indeed, a young man, as I see it, resembles his times

    more in character than he resembles his father.

  3. وَوالِدُنا هَذا التُرابُ وَلَم يَزَل

    أَبَرَّ يَداً مِن كُلِّ مُنتَسَبيهِ

    And our father is this dust, which has always been

    more generous of hand than all its descendants.

  4. يُؤَدّي إِلى مَن فَوقَهُ رِزقَ رَبِّهِ

    أَميناً وَيُعطي الصَونَ مُحتَجِبيهِ

    It delivers its Lord’s sustenance to those above it,

    faithfully, and grants protection to those hidden within it.

  5. وَلا شَيءَ مِثلُ الخَيرِ يُزمَعُ تَركُهُ

    وَيُصبِحُ مَبذولاً لِمُكتَسِبيهِ

    And nothing is like goodness: people resolve to forsake it,

    yet it is freely offered to those who would earn it.

  6. وَيُقسَمُ حَظُّ النَفسِ شَرقاً وَمَغرِباً

    عَلى قَدَرٍ مِن خامِلٍ وَنَبيهِ

    And the soul’s share is apportioned, east and west,

    by destiny, among the obscure and the eminent.

  7. تَشابَهَتِ الأَشياءُ طَبعاً وَصورَةً

    وَرَبُّكَ لَم يُسمَع لَهُ بِشَبيهِ

    Things resemble one another in nature and form,

    yet none like your Lord has ever been heard of.