أَخبَرتَ عَن كُتبِكَ أُعجوبَةً

أَخبَرتَ عَن كُتبِكَ أُعجوبَةً

وَرُبَّ مَينٍ ضُمِّنَتهُ الكُتُب

وَرُبَّ مَينٍ ضُمِّنَتهُ الكُتُب

You reported a marvel about your books,

You told of the wonders contained in your books,

and many a falsehood has been put into books.

Yet many a hypocrite's soul conceals misdeeds.

تُواصِلُ الغَيَّ وَلَو لَم يَكُن

تُواصِلُ الغَيَّ وَلَو لَم يَكُن

فيكَ حِجىً ما عَتَبَتكَ العُتُب

فيكَ حِجىً ما عَتَبَتكَ العُتُب

You persist in error; and if there were no

You persist in wrongdoing, even lacking

reason in you, the reproachers would not reproach you.

Excuse—no reproach makes you repent.

وَطَبعُكَ الشَرُّ فَإِن أَمكَنَت

وَطَبعُكَ الشَرُّ فَإِن أَمكَنَت

تَوبَةُ لَيلٍ مِن سَوادٍ فَتُب

تَوبَةُ لَيلٍ مِن سَوادٍ فَتُب

And your nature is evil; if it is possible

Your nature is for evil, so if you can

for night to repent of its blackness, then repent.

Repent a night's wrongs, then turn from sin.

وَيَطلُبُ النِقلَةَ عَن خيمِهِم

وَيَطلُبُ النِقلَةَ عَن خيمِهِم

ناسٌ عَلى كُلِّ قَبيحٍ رُتُب

ناسٌ عَلى كُلِّ قَبيحٍ رُتُب

And a change from their disposition is sought

Some men seeking to move camp and tribe

by people firmly rooted in every vile deed.

Have grown used to all manner of ugly deeds.