اللُبُّ قُطبٌ وَالأُمورُ لَهُ رَحىً

اللُبُّ قُطبٌ وَالأُمورُ لَهُ رَحىً

فَبِهِ تُدَبَّرُ كُلُّها وَتُدارُ

فَبِهِ تُدَبَّرُ كُلُّها وَتُدارُ

The intellect is a pivot, and affairs its millstone;

The pole star is fixed, and the stars revolve around it.

through it they are all governed and set in motion.

By it all matters are deliberated and rotated.

وَالبَدرُ يَكمُلُ وَالمَحاقُ مَآلُهُ

وَالبَدرُ يَكمُلُ وَالمَحاقُ مَآلُهُ

وَكَذا الأَهِلَّةُ عُقبُها الإِبدارُ

وَكَذا الأَهِلَّةُ عُقبُها الإِبدارُ

The full moon reaches perfection, and its end is moonless darkness;

The full moon wanes, and so it is destined.

and likewise, crescent moons are followed by fullness.

And likewise the crescent, its fate is to disappear.

إِلزَم ذَراكَ وَإِن لَقيتَ خَصاصَةً

إِلزَم ذَراكَ وَإِن لَقيتَ خَصاصَةً

فَاللَيثُ يَستُرُ حالَهُ الإِخدارُ

فَاللَيثُ يَستُرُ حالَهُ الإِخدارُ

Keep to your shelter, even if you face poverty;

Adhere to your path, even if you meet with adversity.

for staying in its lair conceals the lion's condition.

For the lion hides his state with patience.

لَم تَدرِ ناقَةُ صالِحٍ لَمّا غَدَت

لَم تَدرِ ناقَةُ صالِحٍ لَمّا غَدَت

أَنَّ الرَواحَ يُحَمُّ فيهِ قُدارُ

أَنَّ الرَواحَ يُحَمُّ فيهِ قُدارُ

Salih's she-camel did not know, when she went out in the morning,

The she-camel of Salih did not know, when she rose early,

that Qudar was destined for the evening.

That her journey would end in embers.

هَذي الشُخوصُ مِنَ التُرابِ كَوائِنٌ

هَذي الشُخوصُ مِنَ التُرابِ كَوائِنٌ

فَالمَرءُ لَولا أَن يُحِسُّ جِدارُ

فَالمَرءُ لَولا أَن يُحِسُّ جِدارُ

These figures are creatures of dust;

These figures made of dust are like artifacts.

for a man would be a wall, were he not able to feel.

A person feels nothing were it not for his walls.

وَتَضِنُّ بِالشَيءِ القَليلِ وَكُلُّ ما

وَتَضِنُّ بِالشَيءِ القَليلِ وَكُلُّ ما

تُعطي وَتَملِكُ ما لَهُ مِقدارُ

تُعطي وَتَملِكُ ما لَهُ مِقدارُ

And you are stingy with a trifling thing, though all that

Be content with little, and all that

you give and possess is of no account.

you give and possess has its measure.

وَيَقولُ داري مَن يَقولُ وَأَعبُدي

وَيَقولُ داري مَن يَقولُ وَأَعبُدي

مَه فَالعَبيدُ لِرَبِّنا وَالدارُ

مَه فَالعَبيدُ لِرَبِّنا وَالدارُ

And one who speaks says, 'My house, and my slaves!'

"My house!" says he who says, while I worship

Stop! For the slaves and the house belong to our Lord.

One for whom slaves and houses belong.

يا إِنسَ كَم يَرِدُ الحَياةَ مَعاشِرٌ

يا إِنسَ كَم يَرِدُ الحَياةَ مَعاشِرٌ

وَيَكونُ مِن تَلَفٍ لَهُم إِصدارُ

وَيَكونُ مِن تَلَفٍ لَهُم إِصدارُ

O humankind, how many throngs enter life,

O people! How many who crave livelihood

and are sent away by death!

meet their fate in the end!

أَتَرومُ مِن زَمَنٍ وَفاءً مُرضِياً

أَتَرومُ مِن زَمَنٍ وَفاءً مُرضِياً

إِنَّ الزَمانَ كَأَهلِهِ غَدّارُ

إِنَّ الزَمانَ كَأَهلِهِ غَدّارُ

Do you seek satisfying loyalty from time?

Do you expect loyalty from the age?

Indeed, time, like its people, is treacherous.

Verily the age is deceitful like its people.

تَقِفونَ وَالفُلكُ المُسَخَّرُ دائِرٌ

تَقِفونَ وَالفُلكُ المُسَخَّرُ دائِرٌ

وَتُقَدِّرونَ فَتَضحَكُ الأَقدارُ

وَتُقَدِّرونَ فَتَضحَكُ الأَقدارُ

You stand still, while the celestial sphere, under command, revolves;

You stand still while the ships sail on ceaselessly,

and you make plans, so the fates laugh.

And you scheme while the fates mock.