أرى الناس في الدنيا سكارى بأربع

أرى الناس في الدنيا سكارى بأربع

يشاهدها معقولهم ونشاهده

يشاهدها معقولهم ونشاهده

I see people in this world drunk on four things;

I see people in this world intoxicated by four things:

Their reason observes them, and we observe it:

Their intellect sees them, and we see them too.

هوى غالبٌ للعقل يقتاده السهى

هوى غالبٌ للعقل يقتاده السهى

ويقتادها مستحسن هو رائده

ويقتادها مستحسن هو رائده

A passion overpowering reason, led by heedlessness,

Passion overwhelms the intellect, leading it astray,

And something admired leads it, serving as its guide;

While the alluring guides it as its leader.

وحاجة مضطر وإقدام ظالم

وحاجة مضطر وإقدام ظالم

يقود بخير أو بسوء عوائده

يقود بخير أو بسوء عوائده

And a desperate person's need, and a wrongdoer's boldness,

A needy person in distress, an oppressor's aggression -

That directs his customary ways, for good or ill.

Each leads its good or evil consequences.

وخامسة خطب الحياة ومركز

وخامسة خطب الحياة ومركز

عليه اصطلاح الخلق خير وفاسده

عليه اصطلاح الخلق خير وفاسده

And a fifth: life's great concern, and a pivot

And the fifth thing which is the pivot

On which people agree, the good and the corrupt alike:

Upon which the temperament of people revolves, for better or worse,

هي الفضّة البيضاء والذهب الذي

هي الفضّة البيضاء والذهب الذي

يعمّ ويحيى بالكرامة ناقده

يعمّ ويحيى بالكرامة ناقده

It is white silver and gold, which

Is the white silver and the gold that

Spreads far and wide, and its spender is greeted with honor.

Spreads life and vitality through the generosity of its giver.

إذا حصلا للمرء طابت حياته

إذا حصلا للمرء طابت حياته

وإن عدما سدّت عليه موارده

وإن عدما سدّت عليه موارده

When a person obtains both, his life grows pleasant;

When a person acquires them, his life is pleasant,

And if both are lacking, his sources of livelihood are shut to him.

And if he lacks them, his resources are blocked.

فمن ذا الذي عنها يعفّ وهذه

فمن ذا الذي عنها يعفّ وهذه

منافعها إن أمكنته مصائده

منافعها إن أمكنته مصائده

Who, then, would abstain from it, when these are

So who can do without them, when their benefits avail,

Its benefits, if his snares let him obtain it?

If strategies entrap him?

وأيّ مكان للأمانة والتقى

وأيّ مكان للأمانة والتقى

إذا لم يكن للمرء حظّ يساعده

إذا لم يكن للمرء حظّ يساعده

And what room is there for honesty and piety

Where can probity and piety be,

If a person has no good fortune to aid him?

If a person has no luck to assist him?

وما أنا إلا ظالم وابن ظالم

وما أنا إلا ظالم وابن ظالم

إذا هجمت يوما عليه شدائده

إذا هجمت يوما عليه شدائده

And I am but a wrongdoer and a wrongdoer's son,

I am nothing but an oppressor, son of an oppressor,

When, one day, his hardships assail him.

If one day calamities assault him.