تَرومُyou seek بِجَهلِكَin your ignorance لُقياmeeting الكِرامِthe noble
تَرومُ بِجَهلِكَ لُقيا الكِرامِ
وَلَستُand I am not لِذيfor one possessing كَرَمٍnobility واجِداfinding
وَلَستُ لِذي كَرَمٍ واجِدا
In your ignorance, you seek to meet the noble,
and I find no one of noble character.
وَتَحسَبُand you think أَنَّthat التَقِيَّthe pious person الَّذيthe one whom
وَتَحسَبُ أَنَّ التَقِيَّ الَّذي
تُشاهِدُهُyou see him راكِعاًbowing ساجِداprostrating
تُشاهِدُهُ راكِعاً ساجِدا
And you think that the pious person is the one
you see bowing and prostrating.
تَنَبَّهawake فَأَنتَfor you عَلىin غِرَّةٍheedlessness
تَنَبَّه فَأَنتَ عَلى غِرَّةٍ
إِخالُكَI reckon you مُستَيقِظاًawake هاجِداasleep
إِخالُكَ مُستَيقِظاً هاجِدا
Awake, for you are heedless;
I reckon you asleep, though awake.