1. إِنَّ ابْنَ آدَمَ ذُو طَبَائِعَ أَرْبَعٍ

    مَجْمُوعَةِ الأَجْزَاءِ فِي أَخْلاقِهِ

    Indeed, the son of Adam has four natures,

    Their parts combined within his character.

  2. تَبْدُو فَوَاعِلُهَا عَلَى حَرَكَاتِهِ

    فِي بَطْشِهِ وَسُكُونِهِ وَنِزَاقِهِ

    Their workings show in his movements,

    In his violence, his stillness, and his rashness.

  3. فَإِذَا تَغَلَّبَ وَاحِدٌ مِنْهَا عَلَى

    أَقْرَانِهِ أَدَّى إِلَى إِقْلاقِهِ

    So when one of them prevails over

    Its peers, it brings him unrest.

  4. بَيْنَا تَرَاهُ كَالزُّلالِ لَطَافَةً

    أَلْفَيْتَهُ كَالنَّارِ فِي إِحْرَاقِهِ

    While you see him gentle as clear water,

    You find him like fire in his burning,

  5. أَوْ كَالتُّرَابِ يَهِيلُ مِنْ عَقَدَاتِهِ

    أَوْ كَالْهَوَاءِ يَجُولُ فِي آفَاقِهِ

    Or like earth, crumbling from its clods,

    Or like air, roaming through his horizons.

  6. فَإِذَا تَعَادَلَ جَمْعُهَا وَتَوَازَنَتْ

    حَرَكَاتُهَا كَانَتْ دَلِيلَ وِفَاقِهِ

    So when all are evenly matched, with balance in

    Their movements, these are a sign of his harmony.

  7. وَالْمَرْءُ مَهْمَا كَانَ فِي أَفْعَالِهِ

    لا يَنْتَهِي إِلَّا إِلَى أَعْرَاقِهِ

    And a man, whatever his deeds may be,

    Ends nowhere but at his roots.