Your Lifetime, This World is Not a Permanent Abode
Your lifetime, indeed, this world is not a residence of permanence.
What better dwelling can you have than the abode of death, an abode of perishing?
Do not fall in love with this world, dear brother, for truly,
The lover of this world is seen striving in torment.
Its sweetness is mixed with bitterness,
And its comfort is intertwined with toil.
Do not walk one day in the garments of illusion,
For you were created from clay and water.
It is rare to find a person sincerely grateful to God;
Also, it’s uncommon for anyone to be content with God’s decree.
Indeed, God has bestowed upon us mighty blessings,
And with God, there exists benevolence and favors galore.
And this world, for a single day in its changeability,
Is not like every day of a youth in its equality.
It comprises days of hardship and bitterness,
And days of joy, sometimes, and ease.
Not everything that I do not hope to attain is deprived of benefit;
And not everything I long for is solely reserved for hopeful individuals.
Oh, the world’s surprising nature and indeed its uncertainties,
The whispers of the world ruin every companionship.
And the doubts of the world disturb every clarity.
If my companion settles in the separation of decay,
Then I consider it sufficient to be distanced from the meeting.
When I visit the graves of the affluent, I see no grandeur,
Though they were formerly people of splendor.
Every time period connects with its own strangeness,
And every time is softened by its own harshness.
The defense against death is rare for any stratagem,
And every remedy grows weary against the onslaught of death.
And the soul of a young man feels elated by its growth,
Yet every being grows towards its diminishing.
How many are the noble who died without seeing their families,
Who loved them, yet did not grant themselves ransom.
Before you lies the abode of happiness,
Where permanence prevails, and the dwelling of despair.
You were created for one of two ends, so do not fall asleep,
And remain caught between fear of them both and hope.
Amongst people, there is evil; if it were to show, they would not interact,
But God has clothed it with a garment of concealment.
O Seeker of Wisdom from Its People
O seeker of wisdom from its possessors,
Light reveals the color of its darkness.
The origin feeds its branches eternally,
And the buds flourish from its waters.
He who envies others for their wealth,
Bears the burden of worries that accompany it.
And time is elusive with its offspring,
Deceiving them with its sweets.
It connects fathers with their children,
And connects the child with the ancestors.
Actions are attributed to their doers,
As is the case with anything that is called by its names.
Man’s Affliction is the Attachment to This World
Man’s affliction is his attachment to this world,
And man becomes arrogant whenever he becomes affluent.
Truly, I have seen the consequences of this world,
So I left behind what I desire for what I fear.
I pondered upon this world and its realities,
And found that all things new inevitably decay.
And I found that all of its affairs have consequences,
Amongst mankind, rarely does anything remain.
I have tested the majority of its people, and found that
Every individual is preoccupied with his own affairs.
And I have sought but found no reason more precious
Than contentment, nor anything higher.
And I passed by the graves, unable to distinguish
Between the servant and the master.
This world remains filled with distress,
Its companions never free from trials.
An abode of calamities, pains, and complaints,
While a young man in it finds himself in a position,
Where he becomes buried beneath its soil.
He follows the shortcomings of their virtues,
Nothing remains between the grief and the good tidings.
How often does a day dawn only to report a demise?
You will invariably hear of someone perishing.
Do not blame time, for to time,
There is no consolation for the reproacher.
And even if you were to blame time for its actions,
It is rare that it would satisfy you.
Man is certain of fate and thus while,
He becomes occupied with what suffices him.
For every person, there is sustenance that does not perish, even if
All creation strives to make it expire.
O you who are building your abode for the other world,
What have you prepared for your eternal home?
And you who are arranging the soft cushions, do not overlook
The resting place of the great sleep.
When you are called, will you respond? So examine what you are called for.
Do you reckon the living you have seen among the dead,
Then you find them all passed away.
Surely you will reach the field of the dead,
And you will inevitably dwell among the doomed.
Whoever makes this world their final destination,
When will they attain the highest goal?
In the hand of mortality, are all souls bound,
And in the hand of decay is that which is built.
Do not be deceived by fleeting events; indeed,
For fleeting events afford none a remnant.
Do not envy a brother for his sin,
Only envy the brother of piety.
Glory be to Him who is unequaled,
How many a seer has a heart that is blind?
Glory be to Him who has given you abundant provisions,
Glory be to Him who has provided you with that which He has provided.
Indeed, if you comprehend, you will express gratitude, and if
You are grateful, He will bestow upon you abundance.
And if you weep for an abrupt departure,
Headed towards the graves, then indeed, similar endings provoke tears.
And if you are content, you will surely achieve that which
Brings you wealth and great comfort.
And if you are pleased with time, then indeed it brings satisfaction, though it irked previous fools.
Little are those whose character is pure,
And little are those for whom the soul is at ease.
There are often sincere mockeries that surface,
In the guise of words, as if they are snakes.
The truth is clear; there is no obscurity in it,
Since the blind has always perceived its light.
And man is entrusted with his responsibility,
So let him uphold it with the best of what can be upheld.
And sustenance is decreed by God for us,
From which we are preoccupied by gathering.
How astonishing it is for one seeking gold,
To perish while rejecting all that endures!
Indeed, one who is content shall not find sorrow in their lot.
The Oddity of This World; A Stunned Eye
Oh, the wonder of this world that leaves an eye in astonishment,
And how the days flower, constantly changing.
The days spin me around with beginnings and endings,
They rise to me as dawn breaks and fall as dusk settles.
I have reproached my days for the incessant terror they bring,
Yet I have not seen my days without the stains of dread.
I will lament to the people about the youth that has slipped away,
For the world has ripped apart the youth and age has come.
And I have a goal towards which my breath hastens,
When it has passed, it draws near to its end.
And there are examples made for me in every sight,
And events have entrapped me and tested my patience.
My soul is enchanted by the lure of a lowly world,
To which my spirit longs, where its lovers congregate.
And as hearts grow callous, they reject generosity,
Indeed, when one seeks graciousness, they evade it.
For how many centuries the world has deceived,
Only to tire and vex others endlessly.
This abode calls forth death as a guide for its people,
When the sun rises and sets each day.
Worn by the world’s colorfully masked trials,
With temptations that I have cast aside and left behind.
And how curious the spans of life within its deceptions,
And how strange are the sustenances that emerge unexpectedly!
I have experienced the hate of those who do not wish well,
Only to find an endearing soul who wins the love of others.
How Many Wise Men Seek Wisdom
How many wise men aspire to gain wisdom,
Yet receive compliments before they are granted blessings.
This is not the wisdom possessed by the Most Merciful,
In his justice and mercy.
We seek refuge in God, the Majestic and the Honorable,
From His wrath and His retribution.
What is a man but guided by his good works,
In their visible manifestations and wholesome sustenance?
What is a man if not judged by his honorable approach,
In secrecy, out loud, and in fair distributions?