لا يَغبَطَن ماشٍ فَوارِسَ شُزَّبٍ

لا يَغبَطَن ماشٍ فَوارِسَ شُزَّبٍ

ما فارِسٌ إِلّا كَآخَرَ راجِلِ

ما فارِسٌ إِلّا كَآخَرَ راجِلِ

Let no man on foot envy riders of lean steeds;

Let no walker envy horse riders in flurry

a horseman is no different from another man on foot.

Every horseman is just like another walker

وَيَدايَ في دُنيايَ وَهِيَ حَبيبَةٌ

وَيَدايَ في دُنيايَ وَهِيَ حَبيبَةٌ

كَيَدَي أَبي لَهبٍ غَداً في الآجِلِ

كَيَدَي أَبي لَهبٍ غَداً في الآجِلِ

And my two hands in this world of mine, dear though it is,

And my hands in my life and she is my beloved

are like Abu Lahab's two hands tomorrow in the hereafter.

Like the hands of Abi Lahab tomorrow in fate

وَإِذا اِفتَكَرتَ فَما يَهيجُ تَفَكُّري

وَإِذا اِفتَكَرتَ فَما يَهيجُ تَفَكُّري

فيما أُكابِدُ غَيرَ لَومِ الناجِلِ

فيما أُكابِدُ غَيرَ لَومِ الناجِلِ

And when you reflect, nothing stirs my thoughts

And if I contemplate, nothing stirs my thinking

about what I endure but blame for the begetter.

Except what I endure other than the blame of time

وَأَرَحتُ أَولادي فَهُم في نِعمَةِ ال

وَأَرَحتُ أَولادي فَهُم في نِعمَةِ ال

عَدَمِ الَّتي فَضَلَت نَعيمَ العاجِلِ

عَدَمِ الَّتي فَضَلَت نَعيمَ العاجِلِ

And I have spared my children: they enjoy the blessing of

And I have spared my children, so they are in the blessing of

nonexistence, which surpasses the pleasures of this present life.

Nonexistence, which is better than the joy of now

وَلَو أَنَّهُم ظَهَروا لَعانوا شِدَّةً

وَلَو أَنَّهُم ظَهَروا لَعانوا شِدَّةً

تَرميهُمُ في مُتلِفاتِ هَواجِلِ

تَرميهُمُ في مُتلِفاتِ هَواجِلِ

And had they come into being, they would have suffered hardship

And if they appeared, they would suffer hardship

that would hurl them into deadly, trackless deserts.

That casts them into the turbulence of events

أَسوِئ بِحالِ الظَبيِ وَهوَ مُرَبَّبٌ

أَسوِئ بِحالِ الظَبيِ وَهوَ مُرَبَّبٌ

في الإِنسِ يَمرَحُ في حُلىً وَجَلاجِلِ

في الإِنسِ يَمرَحُ في حُلىً وَجَلاجِلِ

How wretched the gazelle's lot, though it is pampered

I am worse off than a gazelle that is leashed

among humans, frolicking in ornaments and bells!

Among humans frolicking in trinkets and anklets

أُطلُب لِنَفسِكَ يا أَغَنُّ مَحَلَّةً

أُطلُب لِنَفسِكَ يا أَغَنُّ مَحَلَّةً

في حَيثُ لا تُدميكَ زَجلَةُ زاجِلِ

في حَيثُ لا تُدميكَ زَجلَةُ زاجِلِ

Seek a dwelling for yourself, O nasal-voiced one,

Seek for yourself, O richest asylum

where no thrower's missile can draw your blood.

Where the neighing of a neighing horse does not hurt you

لَولا نَوافِرُ في القَديمِ تَناسَلَت

لَولا نَوافِرُ في القَديمِ تَناسَلَت

ما أَنضَجَ الظَبِيّاتِ غَليُ مَراجِلِ

ما أَنضَجَ الظَبِيّاتِ غَليُ مَراجِلِ

Had skittish creatures not bred in days of old,

If it were not for the abundant rains of old

boiling cauldrons would never have cooked the does.

The gazelles would not have ripened in the pans of homes

وَسَوالِفُ القُمرِ السَواكِنُ بِالفَلا

وَسَوالِفُ القُمرِ السَواكِنُ بِالفَلا

غُذّينَ أَيدِيَ أَيِّدٍ بِمَناجِلِ

غُذّينَ أَيدِيَ أَيِّدٍ بِمَناجِلِ

And the necks of turtledoves dwelling in the wilderness

And the tales of the crescent moons residing in the upper rooms

were made food for a strong man's hands wielding sickles.

Were fed by supportive hands with scythes

لا تَأسَفَنَّ حَواجِلُ الغِربانِ وَال

لا تَأسَفَنَّ حَواجِلُ الغِربانِ وَال

فِتيانُ كُلُّهُمُ بِقَيدٍ حاجِلِ

فِتيانُ كُلُّهُمُ بِقَيدٍ حاجِلِ

Let the hopping ravens not grieve, for the

Do not grieve over the misfortunes of ravens and

young men are all held in a hobbling fetter.

All the youths, all bound in shackles

وَسِجِلُّ مَوتٍ راحَ يَكتُبُهُ الرَدى

وَسِجِلُّ مَوتٍ راحَ يَكتُبُهُ الرَدى

لِمُساجِلٍ مِنّا وَغَيرِ مُساجِلِ

لِمُساجِلٍ مِنّا وَغَيرِ مُساجِلِ

And Doom has set about writing a register of death

And the register of death went on to write it

for those among us who vie, and those who do not.

For one of us disputing or not disputing