لِفَعالِكَ المَذمومُ ريحُ حَوابِسٍ

لِفَعالِكَ المَذمومُ ريحُ حَوابِسٍ

وَلِفِعلِكَ المَحمودِ رَيّا تَفَغَمُ

وَلِفِعلِكَ المَحمودِ رَيّا تَفَغَمُ

Your blameworthy conduct has the stench of cesspits;

The stench of your wrongdoing is a harsh wind,

And your praiseworthy deed has a fragrance that fills the nostrils.

While the fragrance of your good deed is a gentle breeze.

وَالطَبعُ أَحكَمَهُ المَليكُ فَلَن تَرى

وَالطَبعُ أَحكَمَهُ المَليكُ فَلَن تَرى

حَجَراً يَقولُ وَلا هِزبَراً يَبغُمُ

حَجَراً يَقولُ وَلا هِزبَراً يَبغُمُ

The Sovereign has firmly fixed nature: never will you see

Nature has set this as the rule, so you'll never see

A stone speak, nor a lion bleat.

A rock speak out, nor a lizard grumble.

وَإِذا غَدَوتَ عَلى القَضاءِ مُغالِباً

وَإِذا غَدَوتَ عَلى القَضاءِ مُغالِباً

فَأَذاكَ تَستَمري وَأَنفُكَ تَرغَمُ

فَأَذاكَ تَستَمري وَأَنفُكَ تَرغَمُ

And if you set out to struggle against fate,

And if you rise up against fate as a rebel,

You milk your own suffering and rub your nose in the dust.

You may persist, but you will only choke.

أَيَكونُ رَفعٌ لِلشُرورِ فَيَنتَهي

أَيَكونُ رَفعٌ لِلشُرورِ فَيَنتَهي

غاوٍ وَيَقنَعُ بِالنَباتِ الضَيغَمِ

غاوٍ وَيَقنَعُ بِالنَباتِ الضَيغَمِ

Can evils be abolished, so that

Can lifting up evil bring about its end?

One gone astray desists, and the lion is content with plants?

A straying one might be content with a meagertuft.

وَالمَوتُ أَصدَقُ حادِثٍ وَأَصَحُّهُ

وَالمَوتُ أَصدَقُ حادِثٍ وَأَصَحُّهُ

وَكَأَنَّهُ كَذِبٌ يُسَرُّ فَيَنغُمُ

وَكَأَنَّهُ كَذِبٌ يُسَرُّ فَيَنغُمُ

And death is the truest event, and the surest,

Death is the truest and most certain event,

Yet it is as though it were a lie, confided and whispered.

Yet it seems a sweet lie that brings joy.