ما لي بِما بَعدَ الرَدى مَخبَرَه

ما لي بِما بَعدَ الرَدى مَخبَرَه

قَد أَدمَتِ الآنُفَ هَذي البُرَه

قَد أَدمَتِ الآنُفَ هَذي البُرَه

I have no knowledge of what lies beyond death.

What benefit beyond decay do I draw from what's left of life?

These nose-rings have made noses bleed:

Long have I tasted now life's bitterness.

اللَيلُ وَالإِصباحُ وَالقَيظُ وَال

اللَيلُ وَالإِصباحُ وَالقَيظُ وَال

إِبرادُ وَالَمَنزِلُ وَالمَقبَرَه

إِبرادُ وَالَمَنزِلُ وَالمَقبَرَه

night and daybreak, summer heat and

Night and day ahd heat, travel and lodging and the grave -

coolness, the dwelling and the graveyard.

How many sought to probe life's secrets ere we came?

كَم رامَ سَبرَ الأَمرِ مَن قَبلَنا

كَم رامَ سَبرَ الأَمرِ مَن قَبلَنا

فَنادَتِ القُدرَةُ لَن تَسبُرَه

فَنادَتِ القُدرَةُ لَن تَسبُرَه

How many before us sought to fathom the matter!

But Destiny proclaimed: "You shall not pierce them."

Then Power cried: “You will never fathom it.”

So succour one in poverty with a gift, if you are able,

فَاِجبُر فَقيراً بِعَطاءٍ لَهُ

فَاِجبُر فَقيراً بِعَطاءٍ لَهُ

إِن كانَ في طَولِكَ أَن تَجبُرَه

إِن كانَ في طَولِكَ أَن تَجبُرَه

So relieve a poor man with a gift to him,

To mend his state, for that is within your power.

if it is within your means to relieve him.

Glorified be He who fashioned us,

سُبحانَ مَولانا الَّذي صاغَنا

سُبحانَ مَولانا الَّذي صاغَنا

ما ظَهَرَت في عِضَّةٍ عُكبُرَه

ما ظَهَرَت في عِضَّةٍ عُكبُرَه

Glory to our Lord, who fashioned us,

Though no complexity appears in our design.

as long as a female rat appears in a thorn tree.

We live while death stands before us,

عِشنا وَجِسرُ المَوتِ قُدّامَنا

عِشنا وَجِسرُ المَوتِ قُدّامَنا

فَشَمِّرِ الآنَ لِكَي تَعبُرَه

فَشَمِّرِ الآنَ لِكَي تَعبُرَه

We have lived with death’s bridge before us;

So gird yourself to cross over.

so gird yourself now to cross it.

True wealth lies in contentment, life in humility,

وَالعِزُّ في الثَروَةِ وَالعَيشُ في ال

وَالعِزُّ في الثَروَةِ وَالعَيشُ في ال

حَبرَةِ وَالحِرفَةُ في المِحبَرَه

حَبرَةِ وَالحِرفَةُ في المِحبَرَه

And honor lies in wealth, and life in

Craft in deliberation.

comfort, and poverty in the inkwell.