إِدفَعِrepel الشَرَّevil إِذاwhen جاءَit comes بِشَرِّwith evil
إِدفَعِ الشَرَّ إِذا جاءَ بِشَرِّ
وَتَواضَعand be humble إِنَّماonly أَنتَyou بَشَرhuman
وَتَواضَع إِنَّما أَنتَ بَشَر
Repel evil with evil when it comes,
Repel evil when it comes with evil
and be humble: you are only human.
And be humble, for you are but a mortal
ياO غُراباًa raven هَمُّهُhis concern فيin غارَةٍa raid
يا غُراباً هَمُّهُ في غارَةٍ
يَتَمَنّىhe longs for أَقِطاًdried curds فَوقَupon مَشَرa curd-drying mat
يَتَمَنّى أَقِطاً فَوقَ مَشَر
O raven whose concern is a raid,
O crow whose concern is to steal
longing for dried curds on a drying mat.
Coveting a partridge above the field
نَحنُwe فيin لَيلٍa night عَلَيناover us دامِسٍpitch-dark
نَحنُ في لَيلٍ عَلَينا دامِسٍ
كَيفَhow لِلمُدلَجِfor the night traveler بِالصُبحِat dawn جَشَرdaylight
كَيفَ لِلمُدلَجِ بِالصُبحِ جَشَر
We are in a night that lies pitch-dark upon us;
We are in a night that covers us in darkness
how can the night traveler find the light of dawn?
How can the shrouded see the dawn uncovered
هَذِهِthese الأَجسامُthe bodies تُربٌdust هامِدٌlifeless
هَذِهِ الأَجسامُ تُربٌ هامِدٌ
فَمِنَso from الجَهلِignorance اِفتِخارٌboasting وَأَشَرand insolent pride
فَمِنَ الجَهلِ اِفتِخارٌ وَأَشَر
These bodies are lifeless dust,
These bodies are but lifeless dust
so boasting and insolent pride spring from ignorance.
So it is ignorance to boast and strut
جَسَدٌa body مِنfrom أَربَعٍfour تَلحَظُهاwatch them
جَسَدٌ مِن أَربَعٍ تَلحَظُها
سَبعَةٌseven راتِبَةٌstationed فيin اِثنَيtwo عَشَرten
سَبعَةٌ راتِبَةٌ في اِثنَي عَشَر
A body made of four, watched over
A body of four elements you behold
by seven stationed within twelve.
Governed by the cycles of twelve-fold
وَعَجيبٌand strange فَرَحُthe joy النَفسِthe soul إِذاwhen
وَعَجيبٌ فَرَحُ النَفسِ إِذا
شاعَbecame widespread فيon الأَرضِthe earth ثَناهاits praise وَاِنتَشَرand spread
شاعَ في الأَرضِ ثَناها وَاِنتَشَر
And strange is the soul's joy when
And strange is the soul’s joy when
its praise circulates across the earth and spreads.
Its fame spreads over the earth unfurled
شَجَرٌtrees أَفضَلُهُthe best of them مُثمِرُهُtheir fruit-bearing ones
شَجَرٌ أَفضَلُهُ مُثمِرُهُ
وَمِنَand among الناسِpeople نَخيلٌdate palms وَعُشَرand calotropis shrubs
وَمِنَ الناسِ نَخيلٌ وَعُشَر
Of trees, the best are those that bear fruit;
A tree is best for its fruit
and among people are date palms and calotropis shrubs.
And of mankind, some are date-palms, some but shrubs
مُستَشارٌone consulted خائِنٌtreacherous فيin نُصحِهِhis counsel
مُستَشارٌ خائِنٌ في نُصحِهِ
وَأَمينٌand a trustworthy person ناصِحٌa sincere adviser لَمnot يُستَشَرwas consulted
وَأَمينٌ ناصِحٌ لَم يُستَشَر
One sought for counsel is treacherous in his advice,
An advisor who betrays his counsel
while a trustworthy, sincere adviser goes unconsulted.
While a trusted advisor was not consulted
وَمَتّىand whenever شاءَwilled الَّذيthe One who صَوَّرَناfashioned us
وَمَتّى شاءَ الَّذي صَوَّرَنا
أَشعَرَmade aware المَيتَthe dead نُشوراًresurrection فَنَشَرso he rose again
أَشعَرَ المَيتَ نُشوراً فَنَشَر
And whenever He who fashioned us wills,
And when He who shaped us wills
He makes the dead aware of resurrection, and they rise.
The dead will be roused from their burial
فَاِفعَلِso do الخَيرَgood وَأَمَّلand hope for غِبَّهُits outcome
فَاِفعَلِ الخَيرَ وَأَمَّل غِبَّهُ
فَهُوَfor it is الذَخرُthe stored treasure إِذاwhen اللَهُGod حَشَرgathered
فَهُوَ الذَخرُ إِذا اللَهُ حَشَر
So do good, and hope for its outcome;
So do good and hope for its reward
for it is the treasure when God gathers all.
For it is your treasure when God summons all
Sol 6.1