خاض قوم في حديثهم

خاض قوم في حديثهم

علماء ضمّهم بلد

علماء ضمّهم بلد

A group delved into their conversation—

People broached in their talk, scholars

Scholars whom a town had brought together,

Whom a country brought together

أهل آداب ومعرفة

أهل آداب ومعرفة

فهماء فيهم جلد

فهماء فيهم جلد

Men of letters and knowledge,

Learned in manners and knowledge

Discerning men endowed with fortitude.

Sages, steadfast among them

وتجاروا في حديثهم

وتجاروا في حديثهم

ما عليه الأهل والولد

ما عليه الأهل والولد

And in their conversation they exchanged views

They trafficked in their discourse

On the state of family and children.

What's incumbent on family and child

وتعادى الناس عن نكد

وتعادى الناس عن نكد

وقديما فيهم النكد

وقديما فيهم النكد

And people became enemies out of misery,

And people shunned vexation

And misery had long been among them.

Though long among them, vexation

ثم قالوا قل فقلت لهم

ثم قالوا قل فقلت لهم

أصل هذا كله الحسد

أصل هذا كله الحسد

Then they said, “Speak,” and I said to them:

Then they said "Speak!" So I told them

“The root of all this is envy.”

The root of all this is envy