جَرى الناسُ مَجرىً واحِداً في طِباعِهِم

جَرى الناسُ مَجرىً واحِداً في طِباعِهِم

فَلَم يُرزَق أُنثى وَلا فَحلُ

فَلَم يُرزَق أُنثى وَلا فَحلُ

People have followed a single course in their dispositions,

People flow in one way, in their natures

so neither female nor male has been blessed.

Yet no gender was blessed, neither stallion or mare

أَرى الأَريَ تَغشاهُ الخُطوبُ فَيَنثَني

أَرى الأَريَ تَغشاهُ الخُطوبُ فَيَنثَني

مُمِرّاً فَهَل شاهَدتَ مِن مَقِرٍ يَحلو

مُمِرّاً فَهَل شاهَدتَ مِن مَقِرٍ يَحلو

I see honey beset by calamities, so it turns

I see the honorable weighed down by sorrows, yet he perseveres

bitter; have you ever seen bitter aloe grow sweet?

Passing by, did you ever see an abode that was sweet?

وَبَينَ بَني حَوّاءَ وَالخَلقِ كُلِّهُ

وَبَينَ بَني حَوّاءَ وَالخَلقِ كُلِّهُ

شُرورٌ فَما هَذي العَداوَةُ وَالذَحلُ

شُرورٌ فَما هَذي العَداوَةُ وَالذَحلُ

And between the children of Eve and all creation

Between the sons of Eve and all creation

lie evils; what is this enmity and vengeance?

Are evils, so what is this enmity and hostility?

تَقِ اللَهَ حَتّى في جِنى النَحلِ شُرتَهُ

تَقِ اللَهَ حَتّى في جِنى النَحلِ شُرتَهُ

فَما جَمَعَت إِلّا لِأَنفُسِها النَحلُ

فَما جَمَعَت إِلّا لِأَنفُسِها النَحلُ

Fear God even over the bees’ harvest you have taken;

Fear God, even concerning the evils of bees

for the bees gathered it only for themselves.

For the bees only gather for themselves, not for others

وَإِن خِفتَ مِن رَبٍّ فَلا تَرجُ عارِضاً

وَإِن خِفتَ مِن رَبٍّ فَلا تَرجُ عارِضاً

مِنَ المُزنِ تَهوى أَن يَزولَ بِهِ المَحلُ

مِنَ المُزنِ تَهوى أَن يَزولَ بِهِ المَحلُ

And if you fear a Lord, do not hope for a cloudbank

And if you fear your Lord, do not turn away in disgust

of rain clouds, longing for it to end the drought.

From sorrows you wish would carry away the abode

فَهَل عَلِمَت وَجناءُ وَالبَرُّ يُبتَغى

فَهَل عَلِمَت وَجناءُ وَالبَرُّ يُبتَغى

عَلَيها فَتُزهى أَن يُشَدَّ بِها الرَحلُ

عَلَيها فَتُزهى أَن يُشَدَّ بِها الرَحلُ

Has a sturdy she-camel understood, while open country is sought

So did you know sanctity and righteousness are sought

on her back, and so grown proud that the saddle is strapped to her?

To adorn oneself, so the saddlebags are tied tight?