يا صاحِ ما أَلِفَ الإِعجابَ مِن نَفَرٍ

يا صاحِ ما أَلِفَ الإِعجابَ مِن نَفَرٍ

إِلّا وَهُم لِرُؤوسِ القَومِ أَعجابُ

إِلّا وَهُم لِرُؤوسِ القَومِ أَعجابُ

O friend, no group of men has grown accustomed to conceit

O friend, none have become accustomed to praise

without being tailbones to the heads of the people.

Except for leaders of the people, who are amazing

ما لي أَرى المَلِكَ المَحبوبَ يَمنَعُهُ

ما لي أَرى المَلِكَ المَحبوبَ يَمنَعُهُ

أَن يَفعَلَ الخَيرَ مُنّاعٌ وَحُجّابُ

أَن يَفعَلَ الخَيرَ مُنّاعٌ وَحُجّابُ

Why do I see the beloved king prevented

Why do I see the beloved king prevented

from doing good by obstructors and chamberlains?

From doing good by one who refuses and hides away

قَد يَنجُبُ الوَلَدُ النامي وَوالِدُهُ

قَد يَنجُبُ الوَلَدُ النامي وَوالِدُهُ

فَسلٌ وَيَفسِلُ وَالآباءُ أَنجابُ

فَسلٌ وَيَفسِلُ وَالآباءُ أَنجابُ

A growing child may prove noble, though his father

A young son may excel while his father

is base; and he may prove base, though his forebears are noble.

Fails and the fathers were once excellent sons

فَرَجِّبِ اللَهَ صِفراً مِن مَحارِمِهِ

فَرَجِّبِ اللَهَ صِفراً مِن مَحارِمِهِ

فَكَم مَضَت بِكَ أَصفارٌ وَأَرجابُ

فَكَم مَضَت بِكَ أَصفارٌ وَأَرجابُ

So revere God, free of what He forbids;

So abstain from God’s prohibitions, even slightly

for how many Safars and Rajabs have passed you by!

For how many yellow moons and white moons have passed you by

وَيَعتَري النَفسُ إِنكارٌ وَمَعرِفَةٌ

وَيَعتَري النَفسُ إِنكارٌ وَمَعرِفَةٌ

وَكُلُّ مَعنىً لَهُ نَفيٌ وَإيجابُ

وَكُلُّ مَعنىً لَهُ نَفيٌ وَإيجابُ

And the soul is visited by denial and recognition,

The soul is seized by denial and recognition

and every notion has its negation and affirmation.

And every meaning has its negation and affirmation

وَالمَوتُ نَومٌ طَويلٌ مالَهُ أَمَدٌ

وَالمَوتُ نَومٌ طَويلٌ مالَهُ أَمَدٌ

وَالنَومُ مَوتٌ قَصيرٌ فَهو مُنجابُ

وَالنَومُ مَوتٌ قَصيرٌ فَهو مُنجابُ

And death is a long sleep that has no end,

Death is a long sleep that has no limit

and sleep is a brief death, so it is dispelled.

And sleep is a short death, so it brings relief