كانَ فيما مَضى مِنَ الدَهرِ بَيتٌ

كانَ فيما مَضى مِنَ الدَهرِ بَيتٌ

مِن بُيوتِ الكِرامِ فيهِ غَزالُ

مِن بُيوتِ الكِرامِ فيهِ غَزالُ

In days long past there was a house,

In days gone by there was a house

one of the homes of the generous, with a gazelle within.

Of honorable men, wherein lived a gazelle

يَطعَمُ اللَوزَ وَالفَطيرَ وَيُسقى

يَطعَمُ اللَوزَ وَالفَطيرَ وَيُسقى

عَسَلاً لَم يَشُبهُ إِلّا الزُلالُ

عَسَلاً لَم يَشُبهُ إِلّا الزُلالُ

It ate almonds and unleavened bread, and was given to drink

Who ate almonds and honey cakes and drank

honey mixed with nothing but pure water.

Pure honey that resembled limpid water

فَأَتى الكَلبَ ذاتَ يَومٍ يُناجيـ

فَأَتى الكَلبَ ذاتَ يَومٍ يُناجيـ

ـهِ وَفي النَفسِ تَرحَةٌ وَمَلالُ

ـهِ وَفي النَفسِ تَرحَةٌ وَمَلالُ

Then one day it came to the dog, confiding

One day the dog came to confide

in him, with sorrow and boredom in its soul.

In him, in his heart sadness and weariness

قالَ يا صاحِبَ الأَمانَةِ قُل لي

قالَ يا صاحِبَ الأَمانَةِ قُل لي

كَيفَ حالُ الوَرى وَكَيفَ الرِجالُ

كَيفَ حالُ الوَرى وَكَيفَ الرِجالُ

It said: O faithful friend, tell me:

He said: “O keeper of the covenant, tell me

How fares humankind, and what are men like?

How are the people of the world and the men?”

فَأَجابَ الأَمينُ وَهوَ القَئولُ الصا

فَأَجابَ الأَمينُ وَهوَ القَئولُ الصا

دِقُ الكامِلُ النُهى المِفضالُ

دِقُ الكامِلُ النُهى المِفضالُ

Then the faithful one replied, ever a speaker of

The trustee, the truthful and perfect speaker,

truth, sound of mind and most generous:

Of sublime character, answered:

سائِلي عَلى حَقيقَةِ الناسِ عُذراً

سائِلي عَلى حَقيقَةِ الناسِ عُذراً

لَيسَ فيهِم حَقيقَةٌ فَتُقالُ

لَيسَ فيهِم حَقيقَةٌ فَتُقالُ

You who ask me about people's true nature, pardon me:

“Forgive me for telling the truth about people -

There is no truth in them to be told.

There is no truth in them that can be told.

إِنَّما هُم حِقدٌ وَغِشٌّ وَبُغضٌ

إِنَّما هُم حِقدٌ وَغِشٌّ وَبُغضٌ

وَأَذاةٌ وَغَيبَةٌ وَاِنتِحالُ

وَأَذاةٌ وَغَيبَةٌ وَاِنتِحالُ

They are nothing but rancor, deceit, and hatred,

They are but malice, deceit, hatred,

and harm, backbiting, and false pretension.

Harm, slander, and plagiarism.

لَيتَ شِعري هَل يَستَريحُ فُؤادي

لَيتَ شِعري هَل يَستَريحُ فُؤادي

كَم أُداريهِم وَكَم أَحتالُ

كَم أُداريهِم وَكَم أَحتالُ

If only I knew whether my heart would find rest!

I wonder, will my heart find rest?

How often I placate them, and how often I devise stratagems!

How much have I tried to beguile them!”

فَرِضا البَعضِ فيهِ لِلبَعضِ سُخطٌ

فَرِضا البَعضِ فيهِ لِلبَعضِ سُخطٌ

وَرِضا الكُلِّ مَطلَبٌ لا يُنالُ

وَرِضا الكُلِّ مَطلَبٌ لا يُنالُ

For some people's approval brings others' displeasure,

Some are displeased with others,

and everyone's approval is a goal beyond reach.

Pleasing all is unattainable.

وَرِضا اللَهِ نَرتَجيهِ وَلَكِن

وَرِضا اللَهِ نَرتَجيهِ وَلَكِن

لا يُؤَدّي إِلَيهِ إِلّا الكَمالُ

لا يُؤَدّي إِلَيهِ إِلّا الكَمالُ

And we hope for God's approval, yet

God’s pleasure we hope for, but

nothing leads to it but perfection.

Only perfection leads to it.

لا يَغُرَّنكَ يا أَخا البيدِ مِن مَو

لا يَغُرَّنكَ يا أَخا البيدِ مِن مَو

لاكَ ذاكَ القَبولُ وَالإِقبالُ

لاكَ ذاكَ القَبولُ وَالإِقبالُ

Do not be deceived, O brother of the deserts, by

Let not, my brother, your captors'

that favor and attention from your master.

Favor and attention deceive you.

أَنتَ في الأَسرِ ما سَلِمتَ فَإن تَمـ

أَنتَ في الأَسرِ ما سَلِمتَ فَإن تَمـ

ـرَض تُقَطَّع مِن جِسمِكَ الأَوصالُ

ـرَض تُقَطَّع مِن جِسمِكَ الأَوصالُ

You are captive as long as you are healthy; but if you fall

You are captive as long as you are spared,

ill, your limbs will be severed from your body.

But if you fall ill, your limbs will be severed.

فَاِطلُبِ البيدَ وَاِرضَ بِالعُشبِ قوتاً

فَاِطلُبِ البيدَ وَاِرضَ بِالعُشبِ قوتاً

فَهُناكَ العَيشُ الهَنِيُّ الحَلالُ

فَهُناكَ العَيشُ الهَنِيُّ الحَلالُ

So seek the deserts, and be content with grass as food,

Seek then sustenance from hunting,

for there lies a pleasant, lawful life.

There is honest, lawful living.

أَنا لَولا العِظامُ وَهيَ حَياتي

أَنا لَولا العِظامُ وَهيَ حَياتي

لَم تَطِبْ لي مَعَ اِبنِ آدَمَ حالُ

لَم تَطِبْ لي مَعَ اِبنِ آدَمَ حالُ

I—were it not for bones, which are my life—

If not for my bones, which are my life,

would find no pleasure in life with the son of Adam.

No state with man would have pleased me.