قالَ الغُراب وَقَد رَأى كَلَفَ الوَرى

قالَ الغُراب وَقَد رَأى كَلَفَ الوَرى

وَهَيامَهُم بِالبُلبُلِ الصَدّاحِ

وَهَيامَهُم بِالبُلبُلِ الصَدّاحِ

The crow said, having seen people's infatuation

The raven said, when he saw people's toil

The crow spoke, having seen the people’s infatuation,

And their passion for the singing nightingale:

And their frenzy for the chatty nightingale:

And their desperate passion for the chanting nightingale:

لِمَ لا تَهيمُ بِيَ المَسامِعُ مِثلَهُ

لِمَ لا تَهيمُ بِيَ المَسامِعُ مِثلَهُ

ما الفَرقُ بَينَ جَناحِه وَجَناحي

ما الفَرقُ بَينَ جَناحِه وَجَناحي

Why are ears not enamored of me as they are of him?

"Why do not ears crave my voice like his?

"Why do hearing ears not adore me as they do him?

What is the difference between his wing and mine?

What's the difference between his wing and mine?

What difference lies between his wing and mine?

إِنّي أَشَدُّ قِوى وَأَمضى مِخلَباً

إِنّي أَشَدُّ قِوى وَأَمضى مِخلَباً

فَعَلامَ نامَ الناسُ عَنِ اِمتِداحي

فَعَلامَ نامَ الناسُ عَنِ اِمتِداحي

I am stronger in might and sharper of claw;

I am stronger, my talons sharper by far,

I am mightier in strength and sharper of claw,

So why have people slumbered, heedless of praising me?

Why do people sleep through my eulogies?

So why have people neglected to sing my praise?"

أَمُفَرِّقَ الأَحبابِ عَن أَحبابِهِم

أَمُفَرِّقَ الأَحبابِ عَن أَحبابِهِم

وَكُكَدِّرَ اللَذات وَالأَفراحِ

وَكُكَدِّرَ اللَذات وَالأَفراحِ

O you who part loved ones from their loved ones,

Do friends split lovers from their loves

O scatterer of lovers from their beloveds,

And spoil pleasures and joys,

And poison joy and all delight?

O disturber of pleasures and of joys,

كَم في السَوائِلِ مِن شَبيهٍ بِالطَلا

كَم في السَوائِلِ مِن شَبيهٍ بِالطَلا

فَعَلامَ لَيسَ لَها مُقامُ الراحِ

فَعَلامَ لَيسَ لَها مُقامُ الراحِ

How many liquids resemble wine,

How many clear waters resemble poison -

How many liquids bear likeness to golden wine,

So why do they not have wine's standing?

Why are they not as desired as pleasure?

Yet why do they not hold the station of the vintage?

لَيسَ الحُظوظُ مِنَ الجُسوم وَشَكلِها

لَيسَ الحُظوظُ مِنَ الجُسوم وَشَكلِها

السُرُّ كُلُّ السِرِّ في الأَرواحِ

السُرُّ كُلُّ السِرِّ في الأَرواحِ

Good fortune does not come from bodies or their shape;

Luck depends not on bodies and their shapes;

Fortunes arise not from bodies nor their forms;

The secret, the whole secret, lies in souls.

The essence of all secrets dwells in the soul.

The secret—the entire secret—resides in the souls.

وَالصَوتُ مِن نِعَمِ السَماء وَلَم تَكُن

وَالصَوتُ مِن نِعَمِ السَماء وَلَم تَكُن

تَرضى السَما عَنِ الصَدّاحِ

تَرضى السَما عَنِ الصَدّاحِ

And the voice is one of heaven's blessings; nor was

And song is a gift of heaven, though heaven

The voice is a blessing from Heaven, yet Heaven

Heaven pleased with the songster.

Was never pleased by the raven's caw."

Was not pleased with the clamorous crier.

حَكَمَ القَضاءُ فَإِن نَقِمتَ عَلى القَضا

حَكَمَ القَضاءُ فَإِن نَقِمتَ عَلى القَضا

فَاِضرِب بِعُنقِكَ مُديَةَ الجَرّاحِ

فَاِضرِب بِعُنقِكَ مُديَةَ الجَرّاحِ

Fate has ruled; so if you resent fate,

Fate's judgement cannot be revoked - lament

Fate has issued its ruling; so if you resent the decree,

Then strike the surgeon's knife with your neck.

And strike your neck as the victim of fate.

Then strike your neck against the surgeon’s blade.