ما لِلأَنامِ وَجَدتُهُم مِن جَهلِهِم

ما لِلأَنامِ وَجَدتُهُم مِن جَهلِهِم

بِالدينِ أَشباهَ النَعامِ أَوِ النَعَم

بِالدينِ أَشباهَ النَعامِ أَوِ النَعَم

What is wrong with humankind? I have found them, in their ignorance

What ails humankind? I found them, through their ignorance

of religion, like ostriches—or cattle.

of religion, like ostriches or livestock.

فَمُجادِلٌ وَصَلَ الجِدالَ وَقَد دَرى

فَمُجادِلٌ وَصَلَ الجِدالَ وَقَد دَرى

أَنَّ الحَقيقَةَ فيهِ لَيسَ كَما زَعَم

أَنَّ الحَقيقَةَ فيهِ لَيسَ كَما زَعَم

For a disputant presses on with the dispute, though he knows

So a disputant kept the argument going, though he knew

that the truth of it is not as he has claimed.

that the truth therein was not as he claimed.

عَلِمَ الفَتى النَظّارُ أَنَّ بَصائِراً

عَلِمَ الفَتى النَظّارُ أَنَّ بَصائِراً

عَمِيَت فَكَم يَخفى اليَقينُ وَكَم يُعَم

عَمِيَت فَكَم يَخفى اليَقينُ وَكَم يُعَم

The discerning young man has learned that eyes of insight

The reflective youth knew that eyes of the mind

have gone blind: how often certainty is hidden, and how often made widespread.

had gone blind—how often certainty is hidden, and how often obscured!

لَو قالَ سيدُ غَضاً بُعِثتُ بِمِلَّةٍ

لَو قالَ سيدُ غَضاً بُعِثتُ بِمِلَّةٍ

مِن عِندِ رَبّي قالَ بَعضُهُم نَعَم

مِن عِندِ رَبّي قالَ بَعضُهُم نَعَم

If the lord of Ghaḍā were to say, “I have been sent with a creed

If a wolf of the ghada trees said, “I have been sent with a creed

from my Lord,” some of them would say, “Yes.”

from my Lord,” some of them would say, “Yes.”