أَرى جُزءَ شُهدٍ بَينَ أَجزاءِ عَلقَمِ

أَرى جُزءَ شُهدٍ بَينَ أَجزاءِ عَلقَمِ

وَلُبّاً يُنادي بِاللَبيبِ لَتَعقُمِ

وَلُبّاً يُنادي بِاللَبيبِ لَتَعقُمِ

I see a portion of honey amid portions of bitter colocynth,

I see a drop of honey among bitter aloes

And reason calling to the wise man: 'Remain childless!'

And a kernel calling out to the perceptive "Be wise!"

وَأَسقامَ دينٍ إِن يُرَجِّ شِفائَها

وَأَسقامَ دينٍ إِن يُرَجِّ شِفائَها

صَحيحٌ يَطُل مِنهُ العَناءُ وَيَسقُمُ

صَحيحٌ يَطُل مِنهُ العَناءُ وَيَسقُمُ

And ailments of faith: if their cure is hoped for

And cures for religion, if their healing is hoped for

By a healthy man, the suffering it brings drags on, and he falls ill;

A healthy one results whose distress lasts and becomes chronic

وَصُبحاً وَإِظلاماً كَأَنَّ مَداهُما

وَصُبحاً وَإِظلاماً كَأَنَّ مَداهُما

مِنَ السِرِّ في لَونَيهِما بُردُ أَرقَمِ

مِنَ السِرِّ في لَونَيهِما بُردُ أَرقَمِ

And dawn and darkness, as though their expanse,

Morning and nightfall are as though their lengths

In the mystery of their two hues, were a speckled serpent's cloak;

Were, in their two colors, the cold of a spear's blade

وَحُكماً لِهَذا الدَهرِ صاحَ بِقائِمٍ

وَحُكماً لِهَذا الدَهرِ صاحَ بِقائِمٍ

مِنَ العالَمِ اِجلُس أَو دَعا جالِساً قُمِ

مِنَ العالَمِ اِجلُس أَو دَعا جالِساً قُمِ

And a decree of this age that cried to one standing

And a decree for this age cried out to one rising

Among humankind, 'Sit!' or called to one seated, 'Rise!'

From the world "Sit still or get up, seated one, stand!"

كَأَنَّ سُرورَ النَفسِ مِن خَطَأ الفَتى

كَأَنَّ سُرورَ النَفسِ مِن خَطَأ الفَتى

مَتى ما يَكُن يُنكَر عَلَيهِ وَيُنقَمِ

مَتى ما يَكُن يُنكَر عَلَيهِ وَيُنقَمِ

As though the soul's joy were one of a young man's faults:

It's as though the soul's joy from a youth's mistake

Whenever it arises, he is reproached for it, and it is held against him.

Whenever it's blamed on him and avenged