الغَيبُ مَجهولٌ يُحارُ دَليلُهُ

الغَيبُ مَجهولٌ يُحارُ دَليلُهُ

وَاللُبُّ يَأمُرُ أَهلَهُ أَن يَتَّقوا

وَاللُبُّ يَأمُرُ أَهلَهُ أَن يَتَّقوا

The unseen is unknown; its guide is left bewildered,

The unseen is unknown; its guide is bewildered.

and reason bids its possessors be wary.

And reason bids those who possess it to be wary.

لا تَظلِموا المَوتى وَإِن طالَ المَدى

لا تَظلِموا المَوتى وَإِن طالَ المَدى

إِنّي أَخافُ عَلَيكُمُ أَن تَلتَقوا

إِنّي أَخافُ عَلَيكُمُ أَن تَلتَقوا

Do not wrong the dead, however long the span of time;

Do not wrong the dead, even if a long time has passed;

I fear for you: you may yet meet them.

Indeed, I fear for you that you may meet them.

هَذي المَهابِطُ وَالمَغابِطُ صُوِّرَت

هَذي المَهابِطُ وَالمَغابِطُ صُوِّرَت

لِلعالَمينَ لِيَهبِطوا أَو يَرتَقوا

لِلعالَمينَ لِيَهبِطوا أَو يَرتَقوا

These places of descent and enviable abodes were fashioned

These places of descent and of bliss were depicted

for all beings, that they might descend or ascend.

For all beings, that they might descend or ascend.

لا تَدَّعوا عِتقاً عَلى مَولاكُمُ

لا تَدَّعوا عِتقاً عَلى مَولاكُمُ

فَالرَأيُ أَوجَبَ أَنَّكُم لَم تُعتَقوا

فَالرَأيُ أَوجَبَ أَنَّكُم لَم تُعتَقوا

Do not claim, against your Master, to have been freed,

Do not claim emancipation from your master;

for reason establishes that you have not been freed.

For reason dictates that you have not been freed.

لَم تَستَطيعوا أَن تَقوا مُهجاتِكُم

لَم تَستَطيعوا أَن تَقوا مُهجاتِكُم

فَتَخَيَّروا قَبلَ النَدامَةِ وَاِنتَقوا

فَتَخَيَّروا قَبلَ النَدامَةِ وَاِنتَقوا

You could not guard your very lives;

You could not protect your lives;

so choose before remorse—and choose with care.

So choose carefully before regret, and be selective.

إِن مَسَّكُم ظَمَأٌ فَقَولُ نَذيرِكُم

إِن مَسَّكُم ظَمَأٌ فَقَولُ نَذيرِكُم

لا ذَنبَ لي قَد قُلتُ لِلقَومِ اِستَقوا

لا ذَنبَ لي قَد قُلتُ لِلقَومِ اِستَقوا

If thirst should touch you, your warner's word will be:

If thirst touches you, then your warner's words are:

“No blame is mine: I told the people, ‘Draw water.’”

"I bear no blame; I already told the people, 'Draw water.'"