ذَهَبتُ مُسائِلاً عَن خَيرِ شَيءٍ

ذَهَبتُ مُسائِلاً عَن خَيرِ شَيءٍ

لِأَعرِفَ كُنهَ أَخلاقِ البَرِيَّه

لِأَعرِفَ كُنهَ أَخلاقِ البَرِيَّه

I went, inquiring about the best thing,

I went around asking what is the best thing

I went inquiring about the finest thing,

To learn the true nature of human character.

To know the nature of mankind's morals

To understand the true essence of creation's character.

فَقالَت لِيَ الكَنيسَةُ خَيرُ شَيءٍ

فَقالَت لِيَ الكَنيسَةُ خَيرُ شَيءٍ

هُوَ الزُهدُ الَّذي يَمحو الخَطِيَّه

هُوَ الزُهدُ الَّذي يَمحو الخَطِيَّه

Then the church told me: the best thing

The church told me the best thing

The Church said to me: "The finest thing

Is asceticism, which erases sin.

Is asceticism that blots out sins

Is the asceticism that obliterates sin."

وَقالَت لِيَ الشَريعَةُ خَيرُ شَيءٍ

وَقالَت لِيَ الشَريعَةُ خَيرُ شَيءٍ

شُمولُ العَدلِ أَبناءَ الرَعِيَّه

شُمولُ العَدلِ أَبناءَ الرَعِيَّه

And the law told me: the best thing

The law told me the best thing

The Law said to me: "The finest thing

Is justice embracing every member of the populace.

Is justice encompassing the commoners

Is justice encompassing all children of the realm."

وَقالَ الشُهرَةُ الجُندِيُّ خَيرٌ

وَقالَ الشُهرَةُ الجُندِيُّ خَيرٌ

وَإِن كانَت تَقودُ إِلا المَنِيَّه

وَإِن كانَت تَقودُ إِلا المَنِيَّه

And the soldier said: fame is best,

The famous soldier said the best

The Soldier said: "Renown is best,

Even if it leads to death.

Even if it leads only to perdition

Even if it leads to nothing but death."

وَقالَ أَخو الحَصافَةِ خَيرُ شَيءٍ

وَقالَ أَخو الحَصافَةِ خَيرُ شَيءٍ

هُوَ الحَقُّ المُبينُ بِلا مَرِيَّه

هُوَ الحَقُّ المُبينُ بِلا مَرِيَّه

And the man of discernment said: the best thing

The brother of wisdom said the best thing

The man of prudence said: "The finest thing

Is the clear truth, without doubt.

Is the clear truth without doubt

Is the manifest truth, devoid of doubt."

وَقالَ أَخو الجَهالَةِ خَيرُ شَيءٍ

وَقالَ أَخو الجَهالَةِ خَيرُ شَيءٍ

سُرورُ النَفسِ في الدُنيا الدَنِيَِه

سُرورُ النَفسِ في الدُنيا الدَنِيَِه

And the man of ignorance said: the best thing

The brother of ignorance said the best thing

The man of ignorance said: "The finest thing

Is the soul's delight in this base world.

Is the pleasure of the soul in this lowly world

Is the pleasure of the self in this base world."

وَقالَ لِيَ الفَتى وَصلُ الصَبايا

وَقالَ لِيَ الفَتى وَصلُ الصَبايا

وَقالَت لِيَ الهَوى البِنتُ الصَبِيَّه

وَقالَت لِيَ الهَوى البِنتُ الصَبِيَّه

And the young man told me: union with maidens.

The youth told me intimacy with maidens

The youth said to me: "It is the union with maidens,"

And the young girl told me: love.

And passion told me the young girl

And the young girl said to me: "It is love."

وَلَمّا أَن خَلَوتُ سَأَلتُ نَفسي

وَلَمّا أَن خَلَوتُ سَأَلتُ نَفسي

لِأَعرِفَ رَأيَها في ذي القَضِيَّه

لِأَعرِفَ رَأيَها في ذي القَضِيَّه

And when I was alone, I asked myself,

When I was alone I asked myself

But when I was alone, I asked my own soul,

To learn its opinion on this matter.

To know its opinion on this issue

To know its opinion on this matter.

فَقالَت لا أَرى خَيراً وَأَبقى

فَقالَت لا أَرى خَيراً وَأَبقى

مِنَ الإِحسانِ لِلنَفسِ الشَقِيَّه

مِنَ الإِحسانِ لِلنَفسِ الشَقِيَّه

Then it said: I see nothing better and more lasting

It said I see no better and more lasting

It replied: "I see nothing better nor more enduring

Than kindness to the suffering soul.

Than being kind to the wretched soul

Than showing kindness to a wretched soul."