الدَهرُ يوعِدُ فُرقَةً وَزَوالا

الدَهرُ يوعِدُ فُرقَةً وَزَوالا

وَخُطوبُهُ لَكَ تَضرِبُ الأَمثالا

وَخُطوبُهُ لَكَ تَضرِبُ الأَمثالا

Time threatens separation and passing away,

Time promises separation and decline

and its calamities offer you examples.

And its tribulations set examples

يا رُبَّ عَيشٍ كانَ يُغبَطُ أَهلُهُ

يا رُبَّ عَيشٍ كانَ يُغبَطُ أَهلُهُ

بِنَعيمِهِ قَد قيلَ كانَ فَزالا

بِنَعيمِهِ قَد قيلَ كانَ فَزالا

Ah, how many a life whose people were envied

O Lord of a life that brought bliss to its people

for its bliss has been spoken of: 'It was, then vanished!'

With its bounty, but it is said that bliss is fleeting

يا طالِبَ الدُنيا لِيُثقِلَ نَفسَهُ

يا طالِبَ الدُنيا لِيُثقِلَ نَفسَهُ

إِنَّ المُخِفَّ غَداً لَأَحسَنُ حالا

إِنَّ المُخِفَّ غَداً لَأَحسَنُ حالا

O you who seek this world to burden yourself,

O you who seek the world to burden yourself

the lightly laden will surely fare better tomorrow.

Surely traveling light tomorrow will be the better state

إِنّا لَفي دارٍ نَرى الإِكثارَ لا

إِنّا لَفي دارٍ نَرى الإِكثارَ لا

يَبقى لِصاحِبِهِ وَلا الإِقلالا

يَبقى لِصاحِبِهِ وَلا الإِقلالا

We are indeed in an abode where we see that abundance does not

We are in an abode where we see amassing wealth

last for its possessor, nor does scarcity.

That remains not for its owner, nor meagre wealth either

أَأُخَيَّ إِنَّ المالَ إِن قَدَّمتَهُ

أَأُخَيَّ إِنَّ المالَ إِن قَدَّمتَهُ

لَكَ لَيسَ إِن خَلَّفتَهُ لَكَ مالا

لَكَ لَيسَ إِن خَلَّفتَهُ لَكَ مالا

O my dear brother, wealth, if you send it ahead,

My brother, wealth, if you send it forth

is yours; if you leave it behind, it is no wealth of yours.

Is not yours, and if you keep it back, it is not wealth to you

أَأُخَيَّ كُلٌّ لا مَحالَةَ زائِلٌ

أَأُخَيَّ كُلٌّ لا مَحالَةَ زائِلٌ

فَلِمَن أَراكَ تُثَمِّرُ الأَموالا

فَلِمَن أَراكَ تُثَمِّرُ الأَموالا

O my dear brother, all things inevitably pass away;

My brother, all things will inevitably fade

for whom, then, do I see you making your riches grow?

So for whom do I see you amass riches?

أَأُخَيَّ شَأنَكَ بِالكَفافِ وَخَلَّ مَن

أَأُخَيَّ شَأنَكَ بِالكَفافِ وَخَلَّ مَن

أَثرى وَنافَسَ في الحُطامِ وَغالى

أَثرى وَنافَسَ في الحُطامِ وَغالى

O my dear brother, be content with enough, and leave whoever

My brother, be content with sufficiency and shun

grows rich, vies for worldly chaff, and goes to excess.

Those who vie in vain things and overreach

كَم مِن مُلوكٍ زالَ عَنهُم مُلكُهُم

كَم مِن مُلوكٍ زالَ عَنهُم مُلكُهُم

فَكَأَنَّ ذاكَ المُلكَ كانَ خَيالا

فَكَأَنَّ ذاكَ المُلكَ كانَ خَيالا

How many kings have had their dominion pass from them,

How many kings lost their kingdoms

as though that dominion had been an illusion!

As if those kingdoms were but phantoms

وَالدَهرُ أَلطَفُ خاتِلٍ لَكَ خَتلُهُ

وَالدَهرُ أَلطَفُ خاتِلٍ لَكَ خَتلُهُ

وَالدَهرُ أَحكَمُ مَن رَماكَ نِبالا

وَالدَهرُ أَحكَمُ مَن رَماكَ نِبالا

And time is the subtlest deceiver in its deceit of you,

Time is the gentlest vanquisher, its gentleness undoes you

and time is the most skillful of those who shoot arrows at you.

And time is the most cunning of archers aiming arrows at you

حَتّى مَتى تُمسي وَتُصبِحُ لاعِباً

حَتّى مَتى تُمسي وَتُصبِحُ لاعِباً

تَبغي البَقاءَ وَتَأمُلُ الآمالا

تَبغي البَقاءَ وَتَأمُلُ الآمالا

How long will you pass your evenings and mornings at play,

For how long will you rise morn and eve playing

seeking lasting life and cherishing hopes?

Seeking permanence and aspiring to hopes

وَلَقَد رَأَيتُ الحادِثاتِ مُلِحَّةً

وَلَقَد رَأَيتُ الحادِثاتِ مُلِحَّةً

تَنعى المُنى وَتُقَرِّبُ الآجالا

تَنعى المُنى وَتُقَرِّبُ الآجالا

And I have indeed seen calamities pressing relentlessly,

Indeed I have seen disasters hastening

announcing the death of hopes and bringing life's appointed ends nearer.

Announcing fate and drawing near the appointed time

وَلَقَد رَأَيتُ مَساكِناً مَسلوبَةً

وَلَقَد رَأَيتُ مَساكِناً مَسلوبَةً

سُكّانُها وَمَصانِعاً وَظِلالا

سُكّانُها وَمَصانِعاً وَظِلالا

And I have indeed seen dwellings stripped

I have seen dwellings stripped of their dwellers

of their inhabitants, and edifices and shaded places.

And buildings and shades emptied

وَلَقَد رَأَيتَ مَنِ اِستَطاعَ بجَمعِهِ

وَلَقَد رَأَيتَ مَنِ اِستَطاعَ بجَمعِهِ

وَبَنى فَشَيَّدَ قَصرَهُ وَأَطالا

وَبَنى فَشَيَّدَ قَصرَهُ وَأَطالا

And you have indeed seen one whose amassed wealth gave him the means,

I have seen one who had the means to build

who built, then erected his palace and raised it high.

Erect his palace and heighten it

وَلَقَد رَأَيتُ مُسَلَّطاً وَمُمَلَّكاً

وَلَقَد رَأَيتُ مُسَلَّطاً وَمُمَلَّكاً

وَمُفَوَّهاً قَد قيلَ قالَ وَقالا

وَمُفَوَّهاً قَد قيلَ قالَ وَقالا

And I have indeed seen one invested with power, and one made king,

I have seen the empowered and the enthroned

and an eloquent speaker of whom it was said, 'He spoke, and spoke.'

And the glib of speech, saying this and that

وَلَقَد رَأَيتُ الدَهرَ كَيفَ يُبيدُهُم

وَلَقَد رَأَيتُ الدَهرَ كَيفَ يُبيدُهُم

شيباً وَكَيفَ يُبيدُهُم أَطفالا

شيباً وَكَيفَ يُبيدُهُم أَطفالا

And I have indeed seen how time destroys them

I have seen time annihilate them in old age

as gray-haired elders, and how it destroys them as children.

And annihilate them in their youth

وَلَقَد رَأَيتُ المَوتَ يُسرِعُ فيهِمُ

وَلَقَد رَأَيتُ المَوتَ يُسرِعُ فيهِمُ

حَقّاً يَميناً مَرَّةً وَشِمالا

حَقّاً يَميناً مَرَّةً وَشِمالا

And I have indeed seen death hasten among them,

I have seen death hasten among them

truly—now to the right, now to the left.

Now to the right, now to the left

فَسَلِ الحَوادِثَ لا أَبا لَكَ عَنهُمُ

فَسَلِ الحَوادِثَ لا أَبا لَكَ عَنهُمُ

وَسَلِ القُبورَ وَأَحفِهِنَّ سُؤالا

وَسَلِ القُبورَ وَأَحفِهِنَّ سُؤالا

So ask the calamities—may you have no father—about them,

So ask the events, they will not hide the truth from you

and ask the graves; press them with questions.

And ask the graves, question them closely

فَلتُخبِرَنَّكَ أَنَّهُم خُلِقوا لِما

فَلتُخبِرَنَّكَ أَنَّهُم خُلِقوا لِما

خُلِقوا لَهُ فَمَضَوا لَهُ أَرسالا

خُلِقوا لَهُ فَمَضَوا لَهُ أَرسالا

Then they will surely tell you that those people were created for what

They will inform you that they were created for that

they were created for, and passed on to it in successive bands.

Which they were created, so they went forth for it as messengers

وَلَقَلَّ ما تَصفو الحَياةُ لِأَهلِها

وَلَقَلَّ ما تَصفو الحَياةُ لِأَهلِها

حَتّى تُبَدَّلَ مِنُهُم أَبدالا

حَتّى تُبَدَّلَ مِنُهُم أَبدالا

And rarely indeed does life become serene for its people

Seldom does life stay pure for its people

before others are substituted for them.

Until they are replaced one after another

وَلَقَلَّ ما دامَ السُرورُ لِمَعشِرٍ

وَلَقَلَّ ما دامَ السُرورُ لِمَعشِرٍ

وَلَطالَما خانَ الزَمانُ وَغالا

وَلَطالَما خانَ الزَمانُ وَغالا

And rarely indeed has joy endured for a people;

Seldom is cheer sustained for a group

and how often time has betrayed and dealt death!

And time has often betrayed and been unjust

وَلَقَلَّ ما تَرضى خِصالاً مِن أَخٍ

وَلَقَلَّ ما تَرضى خِصالاً مِن أَخٍ

آخَيتَهُ إِلّا سَخِطتَ خِصالا

آخَيتَهُ إِلّا سَخِطتَ خِصالا

And rarely indeed do you approve of traits in a brother

Seldom are you pleased with all the traits of a brother

you have befriended without disliking other traits.

You have befriended, except you come to hate some traits

وَلَقَلَّ ما تَسخو بِخَيرٍ نَفسُهُ

وَلَقَلَّ ما تَسخو بِخَيرٍ نَفسُهُ

حَتّى يُقاتِلَها عَلَيهِ قِتالا

حَتّى يُقاتِلَها عَلَيهِ قِتالا

And rarely indeed does his soul give generously of good

Seldom does the soul freely give of goodness

until he battles it in earnest to that end.

Until it battles against that giving

أَأُخَيَّ إِنَّ المَرءَ حَيثُ فِعالُهِ

أَأُخَيَّ إِنَّ المَرءَ حَيثُ فِعالُهِ

فَتَوَلَّ أَحسَنَ ما يَكونُ فِعالا

فَتَوَلَّ أَحسَنَ ما يَكونُ فِعالا

O my dear brother, a man stands where his deeds place him;

My brother, man in his deeds

so undertake the finest deeds that can be done.

Should take on the best of deeds

فَإِذا تَحامى الناسُ أَن يَتَحَمَّلوا

فَإِذا تَحامى الناسُ أَن يَتَحَمَّلوا

لِلعارِفاتِ فَكُن لَها حَمّالا

لِلعارِفاتِ فَكُن لَها حَمّالا

So when people shrink from taking on burdens

So when people refrain from shouldering

for deeds of kindness, be one who bears them fully.

Enlightened principles, be their bearer

أَقصِر خُطاكَ عَنِ المَطامِعِ عِفَّةً

أَقصِر خُطاكَ عَنِ المَطامِعِ عِفَّةً

عَنها فَإِنَّ لَها صَفاً زَلّالا

عَنها فَإِنَّ لَها صَفاً زَلّالا

Hold back your steps from greedy desires, in self-restraint

Shorten your pace from greedy desires in chastity

from them, for their rock is smooth and slippery.

From them, for they have a slippery ground

وَالمالُ أَولى بِاِكتِسابِكَ مُنفِقاً

وَالمالُ أَولى بِاِكتِسابِكَ مُنفِقاً

أَو مُمسِكاً إِن كانَ ذاكَ حَلالا

أَو مُمسِكاً إِن كانَ ذاكَ حَلالا

And wealth is more fitting for you to earn, whether you spend

Wealth is more worthy for you to earn in spending

or keep it, provided that is lawful.

Or withholding if that is lawful

وَإِذا الحُقوقُ تَواتَرَت فَاِصبِر لَها

وَإِذا الحُقوقُ تَواتَرَت فَاِصبِر لَها

أَبَداً وَإِن كانَت عَلَيكَ ثِقالا

أَبَداً وَإِن كانَت عَلَيكَ ثِقالا

And when obligations come one after another, bear them patiently

And if rights come in succession, be patient with them

always, even if they weigh heavily upon you.

Forever, even if they weigh heavily upon you

فَكَفى بِمُلتَمِسِ التَواضُعِ رِفعَةً

فَكَفى بِمُلتَمِسِ التَواضُعِ رِفعَةً

وَكَفى بِمُلتَمِسِ العُلُوِّ سِفالا

وَكَفى بِمُلتَمِسِ العُلُوِّ سِفالا

So seeking humility is elevation enough;

It suffices the seeker of humility to be exalted

and seeking exaltation is abasement enough.

And it suffices the seeker of loftiness to be debased

أَأُخَيَّ مَن عَشِقَ الرِئاسَةَ خِفتُ أَن

أَأُخَيَّ مَن عَشِقَ الرِئاسَةَ خِفتُ أَن

يَطغى وَيُحدِثَ بِدعَةً وَضَلالا

يَطغى وَيُحدِثَ بِدعَةً وَضَلالا

O my dear brother, whoever loves leadership—I fear he may

My brother, whoever loves supremacy, I fear

become tyrannical and introduce innovation and misguidance.

Lest he become tyrannous and innovate misguidance and error

أَأُخَيَّ إِنَّ أَمامَنا كُرَباً لَها

أَأُخَيَّ إِنَّ أَمامَنا كُرَباً لَها

شَغبٌ وَإِنَّ أَمامَنا أَهوالا

شَغبٌ وَإِنَّ أَمامَنا أَهوالا

O my dear brother, ahead of us lie afflictions full of

My brother, ahead of us are grave tribulations

turmoil, and ahead of us lie terrors.

With turmoil, and ahead of us are terrors

أَأُخَيَّ إِنَّ الدارَ مُدبِرَةٌ وَإِن

أَأُخَيَّ إِنَّ الدارَ مُدبِرَةٌ وَإِن

كُنّا نَرى إِدبارَها إِقبالا

كُنّا نَرى إِدبارَها إِقبالا

O my dear brother, this abode is retreating, even though

My brother, the times are in decline, though

we regard its retreat as an advance.

We see its decline as ascent

أَأُخَيَّ لا تَجعَل عَلَيكَ لِطالِبٍ

أَأُخَيَّ لا تَجعَل عَلَيكَ لِطالِبٍ

يَتَتَبَّعُ العَثَراتِ مِنكَ مَقالا

يَتَتَبَّعُ العَثَراتِ مِنكَ مَقالا

O my dear brother, give no fault-seeker

My brother, do not allow those who watch

who tracks your stumbles anything to say against you.

For your lapses to have a case against you

فَالمَرءُ مَطلوبٌ بِمُهجَةِ نَفسِهِ

فَالمَرءُ مَطلوبٌ بِمُهجَةِ نَفسِهِ

طَلَباً يُصَرِّفُ حالَهُ أَحوالا

طَلَباً يُصَرِّفُ حالَهُ أَحوالا

For a man is pursued for his very lifeblood,

Man is sought for the mettle of his soul

a pursuit that shifts his condition from state to state.

In a seeking that alters his states evermore

وَالمَرءُ لا يَرضى بِشُغلٍ واحِدٍ

وَالمَرءُ لا يَرضى بِشُغلٍ واحِدٍ

حَتّى يُوَلِّدَ شُغلُهُ أَشغالا

حَتّى يُوَلِّدَ شُغلُهُ أَشغالا

And a man is not content with a single occupation

And man is not content with a single occupation

until his occupation breeds further occupations.

Until his occupation begets more occupations

وَلَرُبَّ ذي عُلَقٍ لَهُنَّ حَلاوَةٌ

وَلَرُبَّ ذي عُلَقٍ لَهُنَّ حَلاوَةٌ

سَيَعُدنَ يَوماً ما عَلَيهِ وَبالا

سَيَعُدنَ يَوماً ما عَلَيهِ وَبالا

And many a man has attachments that are sweet,

How often a lover has sweetness for them

which will someday become a bane to him.

That will one day become trouble upon him

وَأَرى التَواصُلَ في الحَياةِ فَلا تَدَع

وَأَرى التَواصُلَ في الحَياةِ فَلا تَدَع

لِأَخيكَ جُهدَكَ ما حَيِيتَ وِصالا

لِأَخيكَ جُهدَكَ ما حَيِيتَ وِصالا

And I favor fellowship in life; so do not neglect

And I see bonding in life, so leave not

ties with your brother, to your utmost, as long as you live.

Your utmost for your brother as long as you live and are connected

أَأُخَيَّ إِنَّ الخَلقَ في طَبَقاتِهِ

أَأُخَيَّ إِنَّ الخَلقَ في طَبَقاتِهِ

يُمسي وَيُصبِحُ لِلإِلَهِ عِيالا

يُمسي وَيُصبِحُ لِلإِلَهِ عِيالا

O my dear brother, creation in all its ranks

My brother, creation in its strata

passes evening and morning as dependents of God.

Rises morn and eve as God's dependents

وَاللَهُ أَكرَمُ مَن رَجَوتَ نَوالَهُ

وَاللَهُ أَكرَمُ مَن رَجَوتَ نَوالَهُ

وَاللَهُ أَعظَمُ مَن يُنيلُ نَوالا

وَاللَهُ أَعظَمُ مَن يُنيلُ نَوالا

And God is the most generous of those whose bounty you hope for,

God is more generous than any you hope for His gifts

and God is the greatest of those who bestow bounty.

And God is greater than any who attain gifts

مَلِكٌ تَواضَعَتِ المُلوكُ لِعِزِّهِ

مَلِكٌ تَواضَعَتِ المُلوكُ لِعِزِّهِ

وَجَلالِهِ سُبحانَهُ وَتَعالى

وَجَلالِهِ سُبحانَهُ وَتَعالى

A King: kings have humbled themselves before His might

A King before Whose might kings bow

and His majesty—glory be to Him, exalted is He!

In awe and majesty, Glory be to Him and Exalted

لا شَيءَ مِنهُ أَدَقُّ لُطفَ إِحاطَةٍ

لا شَيءَ مِنهُ أَدَقُّ لُطفَ إِحاطَةٍ

بِالعالَمينَ وَلا أَجَلُّ جَلالا

بِالعالَمينَ وَلا أَجَلُّ جَلالا

Nothing is subtler than He in the delicacy of His encompassing

Nothing of His subtle kindness surrounds

of all worlds, nor greater in majesty.

The worlds more closely, nor anything more Majestic His Majesty