إن الذي ترك الثراء الأفخرا

إن الذي ترك الثراء الأفخرا

والوالدين وصار حرّاً مُجْهَرا

والوالدين وصار حرّاً مُجْهَرا

Indeed, he who forsook the most splendid wealth

He who abandoned wealth, however grand,

and his parents, and became free and stately,

And parents to live free and poor,

وتلا المسيح بقصده متعمداً

وتلا المسيح بقصده متعمداً

كيما يكون به فقيراً مُقفِرا

كيما يكون به فقيراً مُقفِرا

and deliberately followed Christ by his own resolve,

And followed Christ with intent and purpose

so that through him he might be poor and destitute,

To live in utter poverty and need,

يرضى بفقرٍ إختياريٍّ كما

يرضى بفقرٍ إختياريٍّ كما

يرضى الغنيْ بغنىً يزيد تكبُّرا

يرضى الغنيْ بغنىً يزيد تكبُّرا

is content with voluntary poverty, just as

Is content with voluntary poverty

the rich man is content with riches, growing ever prouder.

As the rich are with wealth that breeds arrogance,

ويقول مع ذاك الرسول وعزمُه

ويقول مع ذاك الرسول وعزمُه

متباعدٌ عما يرى أهل الورى

متباعدٌ عما يرى أهل الورى

And he says with that apostle, while his resolve

And says with that apostle whose resolve

is far removed from what the people of the world believe:

Is far from what people of the world see:

إني خسرت لأجل ربي ثروتي

إني خسرت لأجل ربي ثروتي

وحسبتها كالزِبل من فوق الثرى

وحسبتها كالزِبل من فوق الثرى

Indeed, I lost my wealth for my Lord's sake,

"For my Lord's sake I lost my wealth

and counted it as dung upon the earth,

And deemed it rubbish from atop the soil,

كي أربح المولى المسيح بفاقتي

كي أربح المولى المسيح بفاقتي

إذ كان حبي للإله بلا مِرا

إذ كان حبي للإله بلا مِرا

that I might gain Christ the Lord through my need,

That I may gain the Lord Christ through my poverty

since my love for God was beyond dispute.

Since my love for God was without blemish."

هذا الذي لما افتدى بمسيحه

هذا الذي لما افتدى بمسيحه

ورآه عُرياناً فقيراً مقترا

ورآه عُرياناً فقيراً مقترا

This is he who, when he found redemption through his Christ,

This one who, when ransomed by his Christ

and saw him naked, poor, and destitute,

And saw Him poor, naked and humiliated,

لاقاه عرياناً بمهجته وقد

لاقاه عرياناً بمهجته وقد

نبذ الورى الخدّاع عنه إلى الورا

نبذ الورى الخدّاع عنه إلى الورا

met him, naked in his soul, having already

Met Him naked with his devotion when

cast the deceitful world away behind him,

The deceitful world had cast Him into the wild.

ورأى الهدى أن يقتدي بإلهه

ورأى الهدى أن يقتدي بإلهه

طوباه حين رأى ولمّا أن يرى

طوباه حين رأى ولمّا أن يرى

and saw guidance in following his God.

And he saw it fit to emulate his God.

Blessed is he when he has seen, and when he shall see!

Blessed is he when he saw and before he saw!

فالفقر جوهرةٌ ثمينٌ قدرها

فالفقر جوهرةٌ ثمينٌ قدرها

فاقت بقيمتها الغنى والجوهرا

فاقت بقيمتها الغنى والجوهرا

For poverty is a jewel of precious worth,

For poverty is a gem, its value

surpassing wealth and gems in its value.

Surpassing wealth and jewels however grand.

رضيَ المسيح به لعزة قدره

رضيَ المسيح به لعزة قدره

واختاره ثوباً رفيعاً أفخرا

واختاره ثوباً رفيعاً أفخرا

Christ was content with it for its exalted worth,

Christ was pleased with it for the glory of its merit

and chose it as a noble, most splendid robe.

And chose it as a sublime, proud mantle.

خلع المسيح على بنيه خلعةً

خلع المسيح على بنيه خلعةً

إن قلتَ ما هي قلتُ فقراً أكبرا

إن قلتَ ما هي قلتُ فقراً أكبرا

Christ bestowed a robe of honor upon his sons;

Christ bestowed on His children a mantle—

if you ask what it is, I say: the utmost poverty.

If you ask "What is it?" I say: Utter poverty.

إن كان رب المجد يدعى صادقاً

إن كان رب المجد يدعى صادقاً

لا شك أن الفقر يدعى الأطهرا

لا شك أن الفقر يدعى الأطهرا

If the Lord of glory is called truthful,

If the Lord of Glory is called Truthful,

there is no doubt that poverty is called the purest.

No doubt that poverty is called the Purest.

وكذا الغنى إن كان يدعى كاذباً

وكذا الغنى إن كان يدعى كاذباً

لا شك أن المال يدعى الأكفرا

لا شك أن المال يدعى الأكفرا

Likewise, if wealth is called deceitful,

And if wealth is called False,

there is no doubt that money is called the most godless.

No doubt that money is called the Vilest.

من زاد مالاً زاد همّاً دهرَه

من زاد مالاً زاد همّاً دهرَه

والراهب المسكين سُرَّ وما درى

والراهب المسكين سُرَّ وما درى

Whoever gains more wealth gains more worry throughout his life,

Whoever increased money increased worldly worries,

while the poor monk rejoices, unaware.

While the poor monk lives happily without knowing.

يرضى بكسوته وقوت حياته

يرضى بكسوته وقوت حياته

وتهابه الأعيان مع أُسد الشرى

وتهابه الأعيان مع أُسد الشرى

He is content with his clothing and the food that sustains his life,

Content with his clothing and livelihood,

and the notables stand in awe of him, as do the lions of al-Shara.

Yet feared by lions and noblemen.

طوبى مساكين بروحٍ إذ لهم

طوبى مساكين بروحٍ إذ لهم

ملكوتُ ربٍّ بالزهادة يُشترَى

ملكوتُ ربٍّ بالزهادة يُشترَى

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs

is the Lord's kingdom, purchased through renunciation.

Is the kingdom of the Lord, bought with asceticism!