يا أُذنُ سَوفَ يَظَلُّ السَمعُ مُفتَقَداً

يا أُذنُ سَوفَ يَظَلُّ السَمعُ مُفتَقَداً

وَتَستَريحينَ مِن قالٍ وَمِن قيلِ

وَتَستَريحينَ مِن قالٍ وَمِن قيلِ

O ear, hearing will remain lost,

O ear, hearing will remain lost

and you will rest from talk and hearsay.

And you will rest from saying and telling

وَيُصبِحُ الجِسمُ بَعدَ الروحِ مُنتَبِذاً

وَيُصبِحُ الجِسمُ بَعدَ الروحِ مُنتَبِذاً

صِفراً كَنَبذِكَ مَكسورَ البَواقيلِ

صِفراً كَنَبذِكَ مَكسورَ البَواقيلِ

And the body, after the soul departs, will be cast aside,

And the body will become cast off after the soul

empty, like the broken earthenware jugs you discard.

Empty like your pouring out of the jugs

وَفي المَعاشِرِ مَن لَو حازَ مِن ذَهَبٍ

وَفي المَعاشِرِ مَن لَو حازَ مِن ذَهَبٍ

طَوداً لَضَنَّ بِإِعطاءِ المَثاقيلِ

طَوداً لَضَنَّ بِإِعطاءِ المَثاقيلِ

And among people is one who, if he possessed of gold

And among the people, if one gained a load of gold

a mountain, would begrudge giving away even a few mithqals.

He would be stingy in giving out dirhams

فَاِجعَل يَمينَكَ بِالإِحسانِ مُطلَقَةً

فَاِجعَل يَمينَكَ بِالإِحسانِ مُطلَقَةً

وَخَفِّفِ الوَطءَ لا تَهمُم بِتَثقيلِ

وَخَفِّفِ الوَطءَ لا تَهمُم بِتَثقيلِ

So let your right hand be unrestrained in doing good,

So make your right hand free in doing good

and tread lightly; do not think of making your tread heavy.

And lighten your step, do not worry about burdening

إِن شاءَ رَبُّكَ رَقّاكَ دَرَجاً

إِن شاءَ رَبُّكَ رَقّاكَ دَرَجاً

فَما مَراقيكَ بِالعيسِ المَراقيلِ

فَما مَراقيكَ بِالعيسِ المَراقيلِ

If your Lord wills, He will raise you by degrees;

If your Lord wills, He will raise you in degree

for your ascent is not by pale, swift-trotting camels.

For your rising is not with the unsteady horses

يَقولُ مَلكٌ عَسى قَيلٌ يَدومُ لَنا

يَقولُ مَلكٌ عَسى قَيلٌ يَدومُ لَنا

وَإِنَّما المُلكُ لَهوٌ كَالعَساقيلِ

وَإِنَّما المُلكُ لَهوٌ كَالعَساقيلِ

A king says, 'May noonday rest endure for us,'

A king says maybe our saying will last

yet kingship is only a pastime, like mirages.

But kingship is merely delusion like mirages