ما أحسن البر بلا شيلم

ما أحسن البر بلا شيلم

وأجمل الدنيا بلا ديلم

وأجمل الدنيا بلا ديلم

How fine is wheat without darnel!

How good is kindness without conceit,

And how beautiful the world without the Daylamites!

And how beautiful is life without troubles.

وأقبح الحرّ إذا ما يلي

وأقبح الحرّ إذا ما يلي

في أمره بالجاهل الضيغم

في أمره بالجاهل الضيغم

And how wretched the free man whenever he manages

How ugly is the free man when

his affairs with the ignorant lion.

He is led by an ignorant brute.

يذوب ممّا يشتكي لبّه

يذوب ممّا يشتكي لبّه

وجسمه بالغيظ مستسقم

وجسمه بالغيظ مستسقم

His mind melts from what he suffers,

He melts from the complaints of his heart,

and his body sickens with rage.

And his body stiffens with rage.

فخيرُ أحوال له موته

فخيرُ أحوال له موته

ولا يقاسي سفلة بحرم

ولا يقاسي سفلة بحرم

So the best condition for him is his death,

The best state for him is death,

rather than endure lowlifes in a sanctuary.

Without suffering the lowest of disgraces.

ويدّعي العلم على جهله

ويدّعي العلم على جهله

ويقرأ القرآن يستعجم

ويقرأ القرآن يستعجم

And he claims knowledge despite his ignorance,

He claims knowledge over his ignorance,

and recites the Qur'an unintelligibly.

And recites the Quran without understanding.

يظنّ في ذاك ثوابا له

يظنّ في ذاك ثوابا له

وحقّه في ذالكم يشتم

وحقّه في ذالكم يشتم

He thinks there is a reward for him in that,

He thinks he will be rewarded for that,

yet his due for that is to be reviled.

While he actually deserves condemnation for it.

يكفر بالله وآياته

يكفر بالله وآياته

ويحفظ الكتاب ما يرحم

ويحفظ الكتاب ما يرحم

He disbelieves in God and His signs,

He blasphemes God and His signs,

and memorizes the Book, yet shows no mercy.

And memorizes the Book without mercy.

وكاتباه ماقتان له

وكاتباه ماقتان له

إن نام قالا نم فلا تسلم

إن نام قالا نم فلا تسلم

And his two scribes loathe him;

His two shoulders hate him.

if he sleeps, they both say, 'Sleep, and may you never be safe!'

If he sleeps they say: may you not wake up safely.

لا وقيت نفسك شرّ الردى

لا وقيت نفسك شرّ الردى

ولا لقيت الخير والمغنم

ولا لقيت الخير والمغنم

May you never protect yourself from death's evil,

You did not protect yourself from the worst transgression,

nor find goodness or gain.

Nor did you encounter good and gain.

ما سرّ أخا لك مسخوطه

ما سرّ أخا لك مسخوطه

تريد أن تؤجر بالماثم

تريد أن تؤجر بالماثم

What he abhors has not gladdened a brother of yours.

You revealed your brother's secret

You wish to be rewarded for sins.

Seeking reward through betrayal.

وار شوقي في الأسى كامن

وار شوقي في الأسى كامن

وحرّها من بين ذا العالم

وحرّها من بين ذا العالم

Conceal my longing, lying hidden in sorrow,

Passion lies dormant in sorrow,

and its heat from the people of this world.

And its heat is concealed from this world.

لكنّني في القلب أخفيتها

لكنّني في القلب أخفيتها

وأنت طول الدهر مستخصم

وأنت طول الدهر مستخصم

But I have hidden it in my heart,

But I have hidden it in my heart,

and you remain forever quarrelsome.

While you opposed me all this time.