لما رأى العامُ زمان الربيع

لما رأى العامُ زمان الربيع

الطلق قد نشر عرف الكِبا

الطلق قد نشر عرف الكِبا

When the year saw that the season of spring,

When springtime came and meadows bloomed,

bright and balmy, had spread the fragrance of incense,

He hurried to reach his goal, but the more he tried, the more he failed.

أجرى إلى غايته مُجهداً

أجرى إلى غايته مُجهداً

فكلما رام لَحاقاً كَبا

فكلما رام لَحاقاً كَبا

it raced toward its goal, straining;

The light had scattered its gold dinars,

and whenever it sought to catch up, it stumbled.

Gleaming or gilded, whichever you please.

والنور قد بَتَّ دنانيرَه

والنور قد بَتَّ دنانيرَه

مُفضَّضاً إن شئتَ او مذهبا

مُفضَّضاً إن شئتَ او مذهبا

And the bloom had cut out its dinars,

When his efforts proved fruitless,

silvered, if you wish, or gilded.

He found no way to attain his aim.

استعمل الحيلة لما ونى

استعمل الحيلة لما ونى

ولم يجد عن قصده مَذهبا

ولم يجد عن قصده مَذهبا

It resorted to a ruse when it grew weary

So he said, “Lend me a day, just one month,”

and found no way to turn aside from its aim.

But the meadows answered back,

فقال أسلفني يوماً بشَهر

فقال أسلفني يوماً بشَهر

فأجابته رياضُ الرُبا

فأجابته رياضُ الرُبا

So it said, "Lend me a day in exchange for a month."

“That would be usury, which God

Then the meadows of the hills answered it:

Has forbidden in His revelation.”

هذا الرِبا واللَه في وَحيهِ

هذا الرِبا واللَه في وَحيهِ

المُنزلِ قد حَرَّم فِعل الرِبا

المُنزلِ قد حَرَّم فِعل الرِبا

"This is usury, and God, in His revelation

sent down, has forbidden the practice of usury."