1. مضى الصدق واُهل الصدق يا سعد قد مضوا

    فلا تطلبن الصدق من أهل ذا الزمن

    Truthfulness has gone, and its people, O Sa'd, have passed away.

    So do not seek truthfulness from the people of this age.

  2. فليس لهم صدق ولا يعرفونه

    قد ارتكبوا في لجة المين والدرن

    For they have no truthfulness, nor do they know it.

    They have plunged into the deep waters of falsehood and filth.

  3. تملك حب الحظوظ وشهوة الن

    نُفوس فقل يا رب عاف من الفتن

    Love of worldly gains and lust have taken possession of the—

    souls; so say: 'O Lord, grant safety from trials.'

  4. فأين أولوا التقوى وأين أولوا الهدى

    واين أولو الاتقان في العلم والفطن

    Where, then, are the pious, and where are the rightly guided?

    And where are those accomplished in knowledge and discernment?

  5. واين الرجال المقتدى بفعالهم

    وأقوالهم يا سعد في السر والعلن

    And where are the men emulated in their deeds

    and their words, O Sa'd, in private and in public?

  6. أكلهم ماتوا أكلهم فنوا

    أم استتروا لما تعاظمت المحن

    Have they all died? Have they all perished?

    Or did they hide themselves when afflictions grew severe?

  7. ولم يبق خير في الزمان وأهله

    وقد هجروا القرآن والعلم والسنن

    And no goodness remains in the age and its people,

    and they have abandoned the Qur'an, knowledge, and the traditions.

  8. فآه وآه كم بقلبي من أسى

    وكم لي وكم بي من غليل ومن شجن

    Ah, then, and ah—how much sorrow lies in my heart!

    And how much burning anguish and grief are mine, and how much within me!

  9. إلى اللَه أشكو النبي محمد

    وكل عليم الديانة مؤتمن

    To God I complain, [and to] the Prophet Muhammad,

    and to every trusted person learned in religion.