إِن رازَ عاذِلُكَ الرازِيَّ مُختَبِراً

إِن رازَ عاذِلُكَ الرازِيَّ مُختَبِراً

أَوِ الحِجازِيِّ لَم يُعجِبهُ ما رازا

أَوِ الحِجازِيِّ لَم يُعجِبهُ ما رازا

If your reprover examined al-Razi, putting him to the test,

If your confidant from Râz or Hijâz tries out

or al-Hijazi, what he tested would not please him.

Or he from Râz does not like what you confide

وَالخَلقُ شَتّى وَلَكِن ضَمَّهُم خُلُقٌ

وَالخَلقُ شَتّى وَلَكِن ضَمَّهُم خُلُقٌ

لِلشَرِّ لَم يُلقِ بَينَ الناسِ إِفرازا

لِلشَرِّ لَم يُلقِ بَينَ الناسِ إِفرازا

And people are diverse, yet one disposition unites them:

People are different but good manners unite them

a bent toward evil that makes no distinction among people.

Evil was not sent among people to separate

وَالمُلكُ لِلَّهِ ما الأَجرازُ مُمرِعَةٌ

وَالمُلكُ لِلَّهِ ما الأَجرازُ مُمرِعَةٌ

بِحَملِ قَومِكَ أَسيافاً وَأَجرازا

بِحَملِ قَومِكَ أَسيافاً وَأَجرازا

And sovereignty belongs to God; barren lands do not grow lush

The kingdom belongs to God, why are tombs bustling

through your people carrying swords and maces.

With your people carrying swords and tombs

مالي أَرى شُرُكَ الساعاتِ قَد وُصِلَت

مالي أَرى شُرُكَ الساعاتِ قَد وُصِلَت

وَصلَ الأَديمِ فَما يَحتَجنَ خَرّازا

وَصلَ الأَديمِ فَما يَحتَجنَ خَرّازا

Why do I see the snares of the hours already joined,

I wonder why the association of hours has been connected

as leather is stitched, needing no leather-stitcher?

And the skin of the tent connected without a tailor's thread

وَخانَ خاناً زَمانٌ ما وَفى لِفَتاً

وَخانَ خاناً زَمانٌ ما وَفى لِفَتاً

وَلَيسَ يَغفُلُ عَن قيلٍ بِشيرازا

وَلَيسَ يَغفُلُ عَن قيلٍ بِشيرازا

And time betrayed a khan—it has kept faith with no young man—

A time betrayed many covenants it did not keep

and it does not overlook a ruler in Shiraz.

And does not forget what is said in Shiraz

لا تُصغِيَنَّ إِلى حازٍ لِتَسمَعُهُ

لا تُصغِيَنَّ إِلى حازٍ لِتَسمَعُهُ

فَما يُطيقُ لِما أَخفَيتَ إِبرازا

فَما يُطيقُ لِما أَخفَيتَ إِبرازا

Never lend an ear to a diviner to hear him,

Do not listen to the talk of the envious to hear him

for he cannot reveal what you have concealed.

He cannot tolerate revealing what you hid

أَرادَ إِحرازَ قَوتٍ كَيفَ أَمكَنَهُ

أَرادَ إِحرازَ قَوتٍ كَيفَ أَمكَنَهُ

فَظَلَّ يَكتُبُ لِلنِسوانِ أَحرازا

فَظَلَّ يَكتُبُ لِلنِسوانِ أَحرازا

He sought to secure sustenance however he could,

He wanted to earn a living, how did he manage

so he kept writing amulets for women.

He remained writing talismans for women