إِذاwhen صَفَتِgrows pure النَفسُthe soul اللَجوجُobstinate فَإِنَّماthen only
إِذا صَفَتِ النَفسُ اللَجوجُ فَإِنَّما
تُعانيendures مِنَfrom الجُثمانِthe body شَرَّthe worst of المَحابِسِprisons
تُعاني مِنَ الجُثمانِ شَرَّ المَحابِسِ
When the obstinate soul grows pure, it only
When the stubborn soul is purified, it only
endures, in the body, the worst of prisons.
Suffers from the body the worst of prisons.
وَماand not لَبِسَhas worn الإِنسانُman أَبهىmore splendid مِنَthan التُقىpiety
وَما لَبِسَ الإِنسانُ أَبهى مِنَ التُقى
وَإِنand even if هُوَhe غالىwent to excess فيin حِسانِfine المَلابِسِthe garments
وَإِن هُوَ غالى في حِسانِ المَلابِسِ
And man has worn nothing more splendid than piety,
And man wears nothing finer than piety—
even if he goes to excess in fine garments.
Though he is lavish on the finest clothing.
وَيُبديand shows لِدُنياهُto his world الفَتىthe young man وَجهَa face ضاحِكٍsmiling
وَيُبدي لِدُنياهُ الفَتى وَجهَ ضاحِكٍ
وَماand not فَتِئَتhas ceased تُبديshows لَهُto him وَجهَa face عابِسِfrowning
وَما فَتِئَت تُبدي لَهُ وَجهَ عابِسِ
And the young man shows his world a smiling face,
The young man shows the world a smiling face
yet it never ceases to show him a frowning face.
While it still shows only a frowning face to him.
سَرىjourneyed by night مَلَكُthe angel الأَوّابِthe penitent يَحمِلُcarrying رَوحَهُhis soul
سَرى مَلَكُ الأَوّابِ يَحمِلُ رَوحَهُ
تُنيرُit shines كَماjust as تَجلوdispels الدُجىthe darkness نارُthe fire of قابِسِa fire-seeker
تُنيرُ كَما تَجلو الدُجى نارُ قابِسِ
The penitent's angel journeyed by night, bearing his soul,
The angel of death takes his soul
shining as a fire-seeker's flame dispels the darkness.
To illuminate like a flaming torch dispels the gloom.
شَبابٌyouth وَشَيبٌand gray hair كَالنَباتِlike plants كَثيرَةٌplentiful
شَبابٌ وَشَيبٌ كَالنَباتِ كَثيرَةٌ
فَمِنso from بَينِbetween رِطبٍgreen يُستَباحُis ravaged وَيابِسِand dry
فَمِن بَينِ رِطبٍ يُستَباحُ وَيابِسِ
Youth and gray-haired age abound, like plants:
Youth and old age are plentiful vegetation—
some green and ravaged, and some dry.
Among the juicy plants some dry out and wither.
وَخَيرُand the best of بِلادِlands اللَهِGod ماthat which كانَwas خالِياًempty
وَخَيرُ بِلادِ اللَهِ ما كانَ خالِياً
مِنَof الإِنسِhumankind فَاِسكُنso dwell فيin القِفارِthe barren deserts البَسابِسِthe vast wastelands
مِنَ الإِنسِ فَاِسكُن في القِفارِ البَسابِسِ
And the best of God's lands is that which is empty
The best of God's lands are those unpopulated
of humankind; so dwell in the vast, barren wastes.
By people, so live in the expansive deserts.
Sol 6.1