إِذا الإِنسانُ خانَ النَفسَ مِنهُ

إِذا الإِنسانُ خانَ النَفسَ مِنهُ

فَما يَرجوهُ راجٍ لِلحِفاظِ

فَما يَرجوهُ راجٍ لِلحِفاظِ

If a human being betrays his own soul,

When a man betrays his soul

Then no one seeking loyalty places hope in him.

What can he expect from one who strives to preserve?

وَلا وَرَعٌ لَدَيهِ وَلا وَفاءٌ

وَلا وَرَعٌ لَدَيهِ وَلا وَفاءٌ

وَلا الإِصغاءُ نَحوَ الإِتِّعاظِ

وَلا الإِصغاءُ نَحوَ الإِتِّعاظِ

And he has neither piety nor faithfulness,

No piety in him, nor loyalty

Nor does he listen in order to take heed.

Nor heeding admonition

وَما زُهدُ الفَتى بِحَلقِ رَأسٍ

وَما زُهدُ الفَتى بِحَلقِ رَأسٍ

وَلا بِلِباسِ أَثوابٍ غِلاظِ

وَلا بِلِباسِ أَثوابٍ غِلاظِ

And a young man's asceticism is not in shaving his head,

A young man's asceticism is not from shaving his head

Nor in wearing coarse garments,

Nor from wearing coarse garments

وَلَكِن بِالهُدى قَولاً وَفِعلاً

وَلَكِن بِالهُدى قَولاً وَفِعلاً

وَإِدمان التَجَشُّعِ في اللِحاظِ

وَإِدمان التَجَشُّعِ في اللِحاظِ

But in right guidance, in word and deed,

But in guidance, in word and deed

And persistent covetousness in one's glances,

And persisting to lower his gaze

وَإِعمالِ الَّذي يُنجي وَيُنمي

وَإِعمالِ الَّذي يُنجي وَيُنمي

بِوُسعٍ وَالفِرارُ مِنَ الشواظِ

بِوُسعٍ وَالفِرارُ مِنَ الشواظِ

And practicing what saves and fosters growth,

And doing what saves and enriches

As far as one is able, and fleeing the smokeless flame.

With moderation, and fleeing from excesses