إِنَّ أُولي العِلمِ بِما في الفِتَن

إِنَّ أُولي العِلمِ بِما في الفِتَن

تَهَيَّبوها مِن قَديمِ الزَمَن

تَهَيَّبوها مِن قَديمِ الزَمَن

Those versed in the trials and their ways

Indeed, those who know what trials hold

have feared them since ancient times.

have dreaded them since times of old.

فَاستَعصَموا اللَهَ وَكانَ التُقى

فَاستَعصَموا اللَهَ وَكانَ التُقى

أَوفى لَهُم فيها مِنَ اَوفى الجُنَن

أَوفى لَهُم فيها مِنَ اَوفى الجُنَن

They sought God’s protection, and piety proved

So they sought refuge in God, and piety was

a surer shield for them than the strongest armor.

more protective for them amid those trials than the strongest shields.

وَاِجتَمَعوا في حُسنِ تَوفيقِهِ

وَاِجتَمَعوا في حُسنِ تَوفيقِهِ

وَاِفتَرَقوا في كُلِّ سَعيٍ حَسَن

وَاِفتَرَقوا في كُلِّ سَعيٍ حَسَن

They were united by the grace of His guidance,

And they were united in His gracious guidance,

yet each pursued a different worthy endeavor.

and went their separate ways in every worthy endeavor.

فَعالِمٌ مُستَمجِدٌ عامِلٌ

فَعالِمٌ مُستَمجِدٌ عامِلٌ

يَسلُكُ بِالناسِ سَواءَ السُنَن

يَسلُكُ بِالناسِ سَواءَ السُنَن

One is a learned man, aspiring to honor and acting on his knowledge,

Thus one is a scholar, seeking honor and putting learning into practice,

who leads the people along the straight paths of the Prophetic way.

who leads people along the straight paths.

يَنثُرُ مِن فيهِ لَهُم جَوهَراً

يَنثُرُ مِن فيهِ لَهُم جَوهَراً

مِن عِلمِهِ لَيسَ لَهُ مِن ثَمَن

مِن عِلمِهِ لَيسَ لَهُ مِن ثَمَن

From his mouth he scatters jewels for them—

He scatters jewels from his mouth for them,

priceless treasures from his knowledge.

from his knowledge, beyond all price.

يَقسِمُهُ طُلّابُهُ بَينَهُم

يَقسِمُهُ طُلّابُهُ بَينَهُم

قِسمَةَ تَعديلٍ بِقَدرِ الفِطَن

قِسمَةَ تَعديلٍ بِقَدرِ الفِطَن

His students divide them among themselves

His students divide it among themselves,

in an equitable share, each according to his understanding.

in equitable shares, according to their powers of understanding.

وَبُهمَةٌ مُختَرِطٌ سَيفَهُ

وَبُهمَةٌ مُختَرِطٌ سَيفَهُ

يَغمِدُهُ في هامِ أَهلِ الوَثَن

يَغمِدُهُ في هامِ أَهلِ الوَثَن

Another is a fearless warrior, his sword drawn,

And a dauntless warrior, with his sword drawn,

sheathing it in the heads of the idolaters.

sheathes it in the heads of idol-worshippers.

يَلبَسُ مِن إيمانِهِ لَأمَةً

يَلبَسُ مِن إيمانِهِ لَأمَةً

فَضفاضَةً يَغنى بِها عَن مِجَن

فَضفاضَةً يَغنى بِها عَن مِجَن

He wears a coat of mail fashioned from his faith,

He wears a coat of armor made of his faith,

so ample that he needs no shield.

so ample that he has no need of a shield.

وَحابِسٌ في بَيتِهِ نَفسَهُ

وَحابِسٌ في بَيتِهِ نَفسَهُ

مُعتَزِلٌ مُستَمسِكٌ بِالسُنَن

مُعتَزِلٌ مُستَمسِكٌ بِالسُنَن

Another confines himself within his home,

And one confines himself within his house,

living apart and holding fast to the Prophetic way.

withdrawn, holding fast to the traditions.

يَأخُذُ مِن دُنياهُ قوتاً لَهُ

يَأخُذُ مِن دُنياهُ قوتاً لَهُ

مُقتَنِعاً مِثلَ عِذارِ الرَسَن

مُقتَنِعاً مِثلَ عِذارِ الرَسَن

He takes from his worldly life only enough sustenance,

He takes from his worldly life sustenance for himself,

content with a portion as slight as a halter’s cheek-strap.

content with as little as a halter's cheek-strap.

قَد جَعَلَ البَيتَ كَقَبرٍ لَهُ

قَد جَعَلَ البَيتَ كَقَبرٍ لَهُ

وَبُردُهُ فيهِ لَهُ كَالكَفَن

وَبُردُهُ فيهِ لَهُ كَالكَفَن

He has made his house a grave for himself,

He has made his house like a grave for himself,

and the cloak he wears there is like his shroud.

and his cloak there is to him like a shroud.

فَهوَ خَفيفُ الظَهرِ لَكِنَّهُ

فَهوَ خَفيفُ الظَهرِ لَكِنَّهُ

أَثقَلُ في ميزانِهِ مِن حَضَن

أَثقَلُ في ميزانِهِ مِن حَضَن

Thus his back is lightly burdened, yet

Thus his back is lightly burdened, yet he is

in his scale he weighs more heavily than Mount Ḥaḍan.

heavier in his scales than Mount Ḥaḍan.

وَهارِبٌ شُحّاً عَلى دينِهِ

وَهارِبٌ شُحّاً عَلى دينِهِ

إِلى البَراري وَرُؤوسِ القُنَن

إِلى البَراري وَرُؤوسِ القُنَن

Another flees, jealously guarding his faith,

And one flees, out of jealous concern for his faith,

to the wilderness and the highest mountain peaks.

to the wilderness and the tops of mountain peaks.

يَأنَسُ بِالوِحدَةِ في بيدِها

يَأنَسُ بِالوِحدَةِ في بيدِها

أَكثَرَ مِن تَأنيسِهِ بِالسَكَن

أَكثَرَ مِن تَأنيسِهِ بِالسَكَن

He finds more companionship in solitude amid its deserts

He finds comfort in solitude amid their desert wastes,

than he finds in the company of settled homes.

more than he finds in human company.

لا يَرهَبُ الأُسدَ وَمَن لَم يَخُن

لا يَرهَبُ الأُسدَ وَمَن لَم يَخُن

سَيِّدَهُ في عَهدِهِ لَم يُخَن

سَيِّدَهُ في عَهدِهِ لَم يُخَن

He does not fear lions; whoever does not betray

He fears no lions; and whoever has not betrayed

his Master’s covenant will not himself be betrayed.

his master in his covenant is not betrayed.

وَتائِبٌ مِن ذَنبِهِ مُشفِقٌ

وَتائِبٌ مِن ذَنبِهِ مُشفِقٌ

يَبكي بُكاءَ الواكِفاتِ الهُتُن

يَبكي بُكاءَ الواكِفاتِ الهُتُن

Another, repentant of his sin and fearful,

And one, repentant of his sin and fearful,

weeps as streaming, torrential clouds pour rain.

weeps like dripping clouds pouring ceaseless rain.

تَخالُهُ بَينَ يَدَي رَبِّهِ

تَخالُهُ بَينَ يَدَي رَبِّهِ

في ظُلَمِ اللَيلِ كَمِثلِ الغُصُن

في ظُلَمِ اللَيلِ كَمِثلِ الغُصُن

You would think him standing before his Lord

You would think him, before his Lord,

in the night’s darkness, like a swaying branch.

in the darkness of night, like a branch.

إِن مَهَّدَ الناسُ لِدُنياهُمُ

إِن مَهَّدَ الناسُ لِدُنياهُمُ

شَمَّرَ في تَمهيدِهِ لِلجَنَن

شَمَّرَ في تَمهيدِهِ لِلجَنَن

When people prepare the way for their worldly lives,

If people make ready for their worldly life,

he girds himself to prepare for the Gardens of Paradise.

he girds himself to make ready for the gardens of Paradise.

كَأَنَّما الأَرضُ لَهُ أَيكَةٌ

كَأَنَّما الأَرضُ لَهُ أَيكَةٌ

وَهوَ بِها قُمرِيَّةٌ في فَنَن

وَهوَ بِها قُمرِيَّةٌ في فَنَن

It is as though the whole earth were a grove for him,

As though the earth were a grove for him,

and he within it a turtledove perched upon a bough.

and he within it a turtledove on a bough.

وَصامِتٌ في قَلبِهِ مِقوَلٌ

وَصامِتٌ في قَلبِهِ مِقوَلٌ

بِالذِكرِ لِلَّهِ طَويلٌ لَسِن

بِالذِكرِ لِلَّهِ طَويلٌ لَسِن

Another is silent, though within his heart is an eloquent voice,

And one is silent, with a tongue within his heart,

long-tongued in the remembrance of God.

long and eloquent in the remembrance of God.

قَد نَوَّرَ اللَهُ لَهُ قَلبَهُ

قَد نَوَّرَ اللَهُ لَهُ قَلبَهُ

بِالذِكرِ في السِرِّ لَهُ وَالعَلَن

بِالذِكرِ في السِرِّ لَهُ وَالعَلَن

God has illuminated his heart

God has indeed illumined his heart for him,

through remembrance, in private and in public.

through remembrance of Him, in secret and in public.

فَإِن يَبِن بِالفِكرِ عَن صَحبِهِ

فَإِن يَبِن بِالفِكرِ عَن صَحبِهِ

فَجِسمُهُ بَينَهُمُ لَم يَبِن

فَجِسمُهُ بَينَهُمُ لَم يَبِن

Though his thoughts may set him apart from his companions,

So if in thought he withdraws from his companions,

his body among them never departs.

his body is among them and has not departed.

وَإِن لَغَوا جَليسٌ لَهُم

وَإِن لَغَوا جَليسٌ لَهُم

لَم يَلِجِ اللَغوُ لَهُ في أُذُن

لَم يَلِجِ اللَغوُ لَهُ في أُذُن

When they indulge in idle talk, he sits among them,

And if they chatter idly while he sits with them,

yet none of their chatter enters his ear.

no idle talk enters his ear.

في مَلَكوتِ اللَهِ سُبحانَهُ

في مَلَكوتِ اللَهِ سُبحانَهُ

تَجولُ أَلبابُ لُبابِ الفِطَن

تَجولُ أَلبابُ لُبابِ الفِطَن

Through the dominion of God—glory be to Him—

In the dominion of God—glory be to Him—

range the minds of those endowed with the finest understanding.

roam the minds of the finest in discernment.

فَهُم خُصوصُ اللَهِ في أَرضِهِ

فَهُم خُصوصُ اللَهِ في أَرضِهِ

حَقّاً بِهِم تُدرَأُ عَنّا المِحَن

حَقّاً بِهِم تُدرَأُ عَنّا المِحَن

They are God’s chosen ones upon His earth;

Thus they are God's chosen ones on His earth;

truly, through them afflictions are repelled from us.

truly, through them, afflictions are warded off from us.

سَمَوا بِفَضلِ اللَهِ نَحوَ الَّتي

سَمَوا بِفَضلِ اللَهِ نَحوَ الَّتي

مَن حَلَّ في جيرَتِها قَد أَمِن

مَن حَلَّ في جيرَتِها قَد أَمِن

By God’s grace they rose toward that abode

They rose by God's grace toward that abode

whose neighborhood grants safety to all who dwell there.

in whose neighborhood whoever settles is secure.

وَنَزَّهوا الأَنفُسَ عَن مَنزِلٍ

وَنَزَّهوا الأَنفُسَ عَن مَنزِلٍ

نازِلُهُ مُستَوفِزٌ لِلظَعَن

نازِلُهُ مُستَوفِزٌ لِلظَعَن

They kept their souls above an abode

And they kept their souls aloof from an abode

whose inhabitant stands ever poised to depart.

whose occupant is poised to depart.

وَضَمَّروا الخَيلَ لِيَومٍ بِهِ

وَضَمَّروا الخَيلَ لِيَومٍ بِهِ

يُنكَبَ مَن يَركَبُ فَوقَ الهُجُن

يُنكَبَ مَن يَركَبُ فَوقَ الهُجُن

They trained their steeds for a day on which

And they conditioned their horses for a day on which

the rider of feeble, crossbred mounts will be thrown down.

whoever rides crossbred horses will come to grief.

فَلَيتَني كُنتُ لَهُم خادِماً

فَلَيتَني كُنتُ لَهُم خادِماً

وَلَيتَني إِذ لَم أَكُن لَم أَكُن

وَلَيتَني إِذ لَم أَكُن لَم أَكُن

Would that I had been a servant to them!

If only I had been a servant to them!

And since I was not, would that I had never been.

And, since I was not, if only I had never existed!

وَمَن سِواهُم فَرِجالٌ رَجَوا

وَمَن سِواهُم فَرِجالٌ رَجَوا

أَن يَعبُروا البَحرَ بِغَيرِ السُفُن

أَن يَعبُروا البَحرَ بِغَيرِ السُفُن

All others are merely men who hope

And those other than them are men who hoped

to cross the sea without ships.

to cross the sea without ships.

وَإِنَّما قَصَّرَ بي عَنهُمُ

وَإِنَّما قَصَّرَ بي عَنهُمُ

حُبّي لِدارٍ مُلِئَت بِالفِتَن

حُبّي لِدارٍ مُلِئَت بِالفِتَن

Nothing held me back from them except

And what made me fall short of them was only

my love for a dwelling filled with trials.

my love for an abode filled with temptations.

لا غارَتِ الدُنيا وَلا أَنجَدَت

لا غارَتِ الدُنيا وَلا أَنجَدَت

فَالعاقِلُ الحُرُّ بِها مُمتَحَن

فَالعاقِلُ الحُرُّ بِها مُمتَحَن

May this world prosper neither in lowland nor highland—

May the world neither descend to lowlands nor ascend to highlands!

the free and rational man is sorely tried by it.

For the wise, free person is tried by it.

تَميلُ لِلأَحمَقِ مِن أَهلِها

تَميلُ لِلأَحمَقِ مِن أَهلِها

وَهيَ عَلى عاقِلِهِم تَضطَغِن

وَهيَ عَلى عاقِلِهِم تَضطَغِن

It favors the fool among its people,

It inclines toward the fool among its people,

while harboring spite against their wise.

yet harbors a grudge against their wise one.

يا عَجَباً مِن غَفلَتي بَعدَ أَن

يا عَجَباً مِن غَفلَتي بَعدَ أَن

نادانِيَ الشَيبُ أَلا فَارحَلَن

نادانِيَ الشَيبُ أَلا فَارحَلَن

How astonishing my heedlessness, even after

Oh, how astonishing my heedlessness, after

gray hair called to me: “Up—depart!”

gray hair called to me: “Take heed—depart,

وَأَدرِكِ الفائِتَ مِن قَبلِ أَن

وَأَدرِكِ الفائِتَ مِن قَبلِ أَن

يَفجَأَكَ المَوتُ فَلا تُنظَرَن

يَفجَأَكَ المَوتُ فَلا تُنظَرَن

Recover what has passed you by before

and make up what you have missed, before

death surprises you and you are granted no reprieve.

death takes you unawares and you are granted no respite!”

أَقبَحُ مَن تَرمُقُهُ مُقلَةٌ

أَقبَحُ مَن تَرمُقُهُ مُقلَةٌ

مُبصِرَةٌ شَيخٌ خَليعُ الرَسَن

مُبصِرَةٌ شَيخٌ خَليعُ الرَسَن

The ugliest person any seeing eye can behold

The ugliest person an eye can behold—

is an old man who has cast off his reins.

a seeing eye—is an old man with his halter cast off.

تَقتادُهُ الدَهرَ دَواعي الهَوى

تَقتادُهُ الدَهرَ دَواعي الهَوى

إِلى الصِبا مِثلَ اِقتِيادِ البُدُن

إِلى الصِبا مِثلَ اِقتِيادِ البُدُن

Throughout his life, the promptings of desire lead him

The impulses of desire lead him all his life

back toward youth as sacrificial camels are led.

to the ways of youth, as sacrificial camels are led.

يَأمُلُ آمالَ فَتىً يافِعٍ

يَأمُلُ آمالَ فَتىً يافِعٍ

كَأَنَّهُ لَيسَ بِشَيخٍ يَفَن

كَأَنَّهُ لَيسَ بِشَيخٍ يَفَن

He cherishes the hopes of a tender youth,

He cherishes the hopes of a youth coming of age,

as though he were not a decrepit old man.

as though he were not a decrepit old man.

لَيسَ جَمالُ الشَيخِ إِلّا التُقى

لَيسَ جَمالُ الشَيخِ إِلّا التُقى

وَالمَحوُ لِلسوءِ بِفِعلٍ حَسَن

وَالمَحوُ لِلسوءِ بِفِعلٍ حَسَن

An old man’s only beauty is piety,

An old man's beauty is nothing but piety

and erasing evil through a good deed.

and erasing evil through a good deed.

شُغِلتُ بِالوَصفِ وَلَو أَنَّني

شُغِلتُ بِالوَصفِ وَلَو أَنَّني

أُشغَلُ بِالمَوصوفِ كُنتُ الفَطِن

أُشغَلُ بِالمَوصوفِ كُنتُ الفَطِن

I have been occupied with describing; had I instead

I have been occupied with description; had I

been occupied with the One described, I would have been discerning.

been occupied with what is described, I would have been discerning.

وَلَم أَبِع رُشداً بِغَيٍّ وَلَم

وَلَم أَبِع رُشداً بِغَيٍّ وَلَم

أَرضَ بِعَقلي مِثلَ هَذا الغَبَن

أَرضَ بِعَقلي مِثلَ هَذا الغَبَن

I would not have sold right guidance for error, nor

Nor would I have sold right guidance for error, nor

accepted such a fraud against my own reason.

accepted such a ruinous bargain for my reason.

إِنّا إِلى اللَهِ لَقَد حاقَ بي

إِنّا إِلى اللَهِ لَقَد حاقَ بي

ما يُورِثُ الخِزيَ غَداً وَالحَزَن

ما يُورِثُ الخِزيَ غَداً وَالحَزَن

Indeed, to God we belong! There has beset me

We are bound for God; indeed, I have been beset

that which bequeaths shame tomorrow and sorrow.

by what will bring disgrace and grief tomorrow.

وَالحَمدُ لِلَّهِ فَفي كَفِّهِ

وَالحَمدُ لِلَّهِ فَفي كَفِّهِ

مَنحٌ لِمَن شاءَ وَفيها المِنَن

مَنحٌ لِمَن شاءَ وَفيها المِنَن

Yet praise be to God, for in His hand are

And praise be to God, for in His hand

gifts for whomever He wills, and therein are favors.

are gifts for whomever He wills, and in it are blessings.

وَهوَ الَّذي أَرجو فَإِن لَم يَكُن

وَهوَ الَّذي أَرجو فَإِن لَم يَكُن

عِندَ رَجائي فيهِ طَولاً فَمَن

عِندَ رَجائي فيهِ طَولاً فَمَن

He is the One in whom I place my hope; if there is no

And He is the One in whom I hope; if He is not

abundant grace with Him to meet my hope—then with whom?

bountiful when I place my hope in Him, then who is?