زَلَّت بِأَفهامِ الثِقاتِ قَضِيَّةٌ

زَلَّت بِأَفهامِ الثِقاتِ قَضِيَّةٌ

الحُكمُ فيها حائِرٌ مَذعورُ

الحُكمُ فيها حائِرٌ مَذعورُ

A question has confounded the minds of the trustworthy;

With decisive minds, a question has stumbled,

Judgment on it is bewildered and terrified.

Its judgment bewildered and terrified.

آناً يَميلُ إِلى اليَمينِ وَتارَةً

آناً يَميلُ إِلى اليَمينِ وَتارَةً

يَلوي العِنانَ إِلى الشَمالِ يَسيرُ

يَلوي العِنانَ إِلى الشَمالِ يَسيرُ

At one time it inclines to the right, and at another

At times it leans towards the right, and at others,

It turns the reins and travels to the left.

It pulls the reins to the left and proceeds.

تِلكَ الحَياةُ إِذا المَمالِكُ أَفلَحَت

تِلكَ الحَياةُ إِذا المَمالِكُ أَفلَحَت

وَإِذا أَصابَ كِيانَها المَقدورُ

وَإِذا أَصابَ كِيانَها المَقدورُ

Such is life when kingdoms prosper,

Such is life when kingdoms thrive,

And when fate strikes their very being.

And when its structure meets what is ordained.

فَفَتىً يَقولُ عَلى الشُعوبِ مَدارُها

فَفَتىً يَقولُ عَلى الشُعوبِ مَدارُها

وَفَتىً يَقولُ عَلى المُلوكِ تَدورُ

وَفَتىً يَقولُ عَلى المُلوكِ تَدورُ

Then one young man says its course depends on the peoples,

So one says people are its orbit,

And another says it revolves around kings.

And another says it revolves around kings.

هُم يَشرَعونَ لَها المَذاهِبَ تَهتَدي

هُم يَشرَعونَ لَها المَذاهِبَ تَهتَدي

لِلصالِحاتِ إِذا اِهتَدوا وَتَجورُ

لِلصالِحاتِ إِذا اِهتَدوا وَتَجورُ

They prescribe paths for it; it is guided

They legislate schools of thought to guide it

Toward good deeds when they are rightly guided, and it strays.

To virtues if they are rightly guided, and go astray if misguided.

هُم كَالكَواكِبِ في سَماءِ حَياتِها

هُم كَالكَواكِبِ في سَماءِ حَياتِها

مِنها الظَلامُ لَها وَمِنها النورُ

مِنها الظَلامُ لَها وَمِنها النورُ

They are like stars in the sky of its life:

Like stars in the sky of its life,

From them comes darkness for it, and from them light.

Among them is its darkness and its light.

وَلَرُبَّما أَحيا أَميرٌ أُمَّةً

وَلَرُبَّما أَحيا أَميرٌ أُمَّةً

وَرَمى بِأُخرى في اللُحودِ أَميرُ

وَرَمى بِأُخرى في اللُحودِ أَميرُ

And many a time a prince has revived a nation,

And perhaps a prince revives a nation,

And a prince has cast another into the graves.

While another casts another into ruin, O prince!

عَدلُ المُلوكِ إِذا اِستَعانَ بِهِمَّةٍ

عَدلُ المُلوكِ إِذا اِستَعانَ بِهِمَّةٍ

مُلكٌ تَصولُ بِهِ الشُعوبُ كَبيرُ

مُلكٌ تَصولُ بِهِ الشُعوبُ كَبيرُ

The justice of kings, when it draws on resolve,

The justice of kings, when supported by determination,

Is a great dominion through which peoples wield their might.

Is a great kingdom in which people rage.

وَإِذا أَقاموا لِلمَعارِفِ رُكنَها

وَإِذا أَقاموا لِلمَعارِفِ رُكنَها

تَمَّ البِناءُ بِها وَقامَ السورُ

تَمَّ البِناءُ بِها وَقامَ السورُ

And when they raise the pillar of learning,

And when they establish pillars of knowledge,

The edifice is completed through it, and the wall rises.

The building is complete, and the fence stands tall.

تِلكَ القَضِيَّةُ هَل تَبَيَّنَ حُكمُها

تِلكَ القَضِيَّةُ هَل تَبَيَّنَ حُكمُها

وَبَدا لِعَينِكَ سِرُّها المَستورُ

وَبَدا لِعَينِكَ سِرُّها المَستورُ

That question—has its verdict become clear,

Has the essence of this issue become clear?

And has its hidden secret appeared before your eyes?

And has its hidden secret been revealed to your eye?

حَجَبَت غَواشي الجَهلِ بَعضَ قُضاتِها

حَجَبَت غَواشي الجَهلِ بَعضَ قُضاتِها

وَالناسُ مِنهُم جاهِلٌ وَخَبيرُ

وَالناسُ مِنهُم جاهِلٌ وَخَبيرُ

Veils of ignorance have blinded some of its judges;

The veils of ignorance have obscured some of its judges,

And among people are the ignorant and the knowledgeable.

While people among them are ignorant and learned.

انظُر إِلى أُمَمِ الدُنى وَمُلوكِها

انظُر إِلى أُمَمِ الدُنى وَمُلوكِها

وَاِحكُم فَإِنَّكَ بِالأُمورِ بَصيرُ

وَاِحكُم فَإِنَّكَ بِالأُمورِ بَصيرُ

Look at the nations of the world and their kings,

Look to the nations of the world and their kings,

And judge, for you understand these matters well.

And judge, for you are insightful of matters.

مَعنى الحَياةِ لِكُلِّ شَعبٍ ناهِضٍ

مَعنى الحَياةِ لِكُلِّ شَعبٍ ناهِضٍ

تاجٌ يُضيءُ سَبيلَهُ وَسَريرُ

تاجٌ يُضيءُ سَبيلَهُ وَسَريرُ

The meaning of life for every rising nation

The meaning of life for every thriving nation

Is a crown that lights its path, and a throne.

Is a crown that illuminates its path and throne.

الأَرضُ فَوضى وَالمَمالِكُ فَوقَها

الأَرضُ فَوضى وَالمَمالِكُ فَوقَها

شَتّى فَمِنها جَنَّةٌ وَسَعيرُ

شَتّى فَمِنها جَنَّةٌ وَسَعيرُ

The earth is in chaos, and the kingdoms upon it

The earth is chaos, and the kingdoms above it

Are diverse: some are paradise, and some an inferno.

Are diverse – among them is paradise and hellfire.

وَالأَمرُ مُختَلِفٌ فَشَعبٌ مُطلَقٌ

وَالأَمرُ مُختَلِفٌ فَشَعبٌ مُطلَقٌ

فيها وَشَعبٌ في القُيودِ أَسيرُ

فيها وَشَعبٌ في القُيودِ أَسيرُ

And conditions differ: one people is free

The matter is different – one nation is free,

There, while another is captive in chains.

While another is chained in shackles, captive.

وَإِذا الشُعوبُ عَلى الجَهالَةِ قُيِّدَت

وَإِذا الشُعوبُ عَلى الجَهالَةِ قُيِّدَت

فَمَدى الأَرائِكِ وَالعُروشِ قَصيرُ

فَمَدى الأَرائِكِ وَالعُروشِ قَصيرُ

And when peoples are fettered in ignorance,

And when nations are bound in ignorance,

Then the span of couches and thrones is short.

The scope of thrones and crowns is short.

العِلمُ إِن خَذَلَ الجُنودَ سِلاحُها

العِلمُ إِن خَذَلَ الجُنودَ سِلاحُها

فَتَحَ المَمالِكَ جُندُهُ المَنصورُ

فَتَحَ المَمالِكَ جُندُهُ المَنصورُ

Knowledge: if the troops' weapons fail them,

If knowledge fails the soldiers of its weapons,

Its victorious army conquers kingdoms.

Its victorious armies will open kingdoms.

لا يُفلِحُ الأَقوامُ ما جَهِلوا وَلا

لا يُفلِحُ الأَقوامُ ما جَهِلوا وَلا

يُرجى لَهُم في الهالِكينَ نُشورُ

يُرجى لَهُم في الهالِكينَ نُشورُ

Peoples do not prosper while they remain ignorant, nor

Nations do not succeed in what they are ignorant of,

Is there hope of resurrection for them among the dead.

And no resurrection is hoped for them among the doomed.