إِن جاعَ في شِدَّةٍ قَومٌ شَرِكتَهُمُ

إِن جاعَ في شِدَّةٍ قَومٌ شَرِكتَهُمُ

في الجوعِ أَو تَنجَلي عَنهُم غَواشيها

في الجوعِ أَو تَنجَلي عَنهُم غَواشيها

If a people went hungry in hardship, you joined them

If a people suffer extreme hunger,

In hunger, until hardship’s veils were lifted from them.

Either share in their hunger, or turn away its pangs from them.

جوعُ الخَليفَةِ وَالدُنيا بِقَبضَتِهِ

جوعُ الخَليفَةِ وَالدُنيا بِقَبضَتِهِ

في الزُهدِ مَنزِلَةٌ سُبحانَ موليها

في الزُهدِ مَنزِلَةٌ سُبحانَ موليها

The caliph’s hunger, with the world in his grasp,

The hunger of the Caliph and the world in his grasp -

Is a station of asceticism—glory to its Bestower!

In asceticism, what an exalted station, glory be to its Master.

فَمَن يُباري أَبا حَفصٍ وَسيرَتَهُ

فَمَن يُباري أَبا حَفصٍ وَسيرَتَهُ

أَو مَن يُحاوِلُ لِلفاروقِ تَشبيها

أَو مَن يُحاوِلُ لِلفاروقِ تَشبيها

Who, then, can rival Abu Hafs and his way of life,

So who can compete with Abu Hafs and his conduct?

Or who would seek a likeness for al-Faruq?

Or who can attempt to match Al-Farooq?

يَومَ اِشتَهَت زَوجُهُ الحَلوى فَقالَ لَها

يَومَ اِشتَهَت زَوجُهُ الحَلوى فَقالَ لَها

مِن أَينَ لي ثَمَنُ الحَلوى فَأَشريها

مِن أَينَ لي ثَمَنُ الحَلوى فَأَشريها

One day his wife craved sweets, and he said to her:

The day his wife craved sweets and said to him,

“Where can I find the price of sweets to buy them?

“Where can I get the price for sweets so I may buy them?”

لا تَمتَطي شَهَواتِ النَفسِ جامِحَةً

لا تَمتَطي شَهَواتِ النَفسِ جامِحَةً

فَكِسرَةُ الخُبزِ عَن حَلواكِ تَجزيها

فَكِسرَةُ الخُبزِ عَن حَلواكِ تَجزيها

Do not mount the soul’s unbridled desires;

“Do not let your soul’s desires run recklessly,

For a morsel of bread will satisfy it instead of your sweets.

For a piece of bread will suffice you instead of your sweets.”

وَهَل يَفي بَيتُ مالِ المُسلِمينَ بِما

وَهَل يَفي بَيتُ مالِ المُسلِمينَ بِما

توحي إِلَيكِ إِذا طاوَعتِ موحيها

توحي إِلَيكِ إِذا طاوَعتِ موحيها

And can the Muslims’ treasury meet what

“Can the Muslim treasury provide for what

It whispers to you, if you obey its inspirer?”

Whispers to you when you heed its whispers?”

قالَت لَكَ اللَهُ إِنّي لَستُ أَرزَؤُهُ

قالَت لَكَ اللَهُ إِنّي لَستُ أَرزَؤُهُ

مالاً لِحاجَةِ نَفسٍ كُنتُ أَبغيها

مالاً لِحاجَةِ نَفسٍ كُنتُ أَبغيها

She said, “God be with you! I am not taking from it

She said, “By God, I do not consider it,

Any money for a personal need I wished to fulfill.

Wealth for the needs of a soul I desired.”

لَكِن أُجَنِّبُ شَيئاً مِن وَظيفَتِنا

لَكِن أُجَنِّبُ شَيئاً مِن وَظيفَتِنا

في كُلِّ يَومٍ عَلى حالٍ أُسَوّيها

في كُلِّ يَومٍ عَلى حالٍ أُسَوّيها

But I will set aside a little from our allowance

“Rather, I set aside something from our allowance

Each day, by adjusting our way of living,

Each day, putting it aside evenly,”

حَتّى إِذا ما مَلَكنا ما يُكافِئُها

حَتّى إِذا ما مَلَكنا ما يُكافِئُها

شَرَيتُها ثُمَّ إِنّي لا أُثَنّيها

شَرَيتُها ثُمَّ إِنّي لا أُثَنّيها

Until, when we have enough to pay for them,

“Until we own enough to equal its price,

I shall buy them; after that, I shall not do it again.”

Then I will buy it, and not repeat it.”

قالَ اِذهَبي وَاِعلَمي إِن كُنتِ جاهِلَةً

قالَ اِذهَبي وَاِعلَمي إِن كُنتِ جاهِلَةً

أَنَّ القَناعَةَ تُغني نَفسَ كاسيها

أَنَّ القَناعَةَ تُغني نَفسَ كاسيها

He said, “Go, and know, if you are unaware,

He said, “Go, and know that if you were ignorant,

That contentment enriches the soul of the one who wears it.”

Contentment enriches the soul of its owner.”

وَأَقبَلَت بَعدَ خَمسٍ وَهيَ حامِلَةٌ

وَأَقبَلَت بَعدَ خَمسٍ وَهيَ حامِلَةٌ

دُرَيهِماتٍ لِتَقضي مِن تَشَهّيها

دُرَيهِماتٍ لِتَقضي مِن تَشَهّيها

She returned after five days, carrying

And she returned after five days, pregnant,

A few little dirhams, to satisfy part of her craving.

With dirhams to fulfill her craving.

فَقالَ نَبَّهتِ مِنّي غافِلاً فَدَعي

فَقالَ نَبَّهتِ مِنّي غافِلاً فَدَعي

هَذي الدَراهِمَ إِذ لا حَقَّ لي فيها

هَذي الدَراهِمَ إِذ لا حَقَّ لي فيها

He said, “You have roused the heedless man in me; so leave

So he said, “You have awakened me from heedlessness, so leave

These dirhams, for I have no right to them.

These dirhams, for I have no right to them.”

وَيلي عَلى عُمَرٍ يَرضى بِموفِيَةٍ

وَيلي عَلى عُمَرٍ يَرضى بِموفِيَةٍ

عَلى الكَفافِ وَيَنهى مُستَزيديها

عَلى الكَفافِ وَيَنهى مُستَزيديها

Woe to me for Umar, who accepts a surplus

“Woe to me for Umar, who is content with sufficiency

Beyond subsistence, yet forbids others to seek more of it!

For subsistence, yet prohibits those who ask for more.”

ما زادَ عَن قوتِنا فَالمُسلِمونَ بِهِ

ما زادَ عَن قوتِنا فَالمُسلِمونَ بِهِ

أَولى فَقومي لِبَيتِ المالِ رُدّيها

أَولى فَقومي لِبَيتِ المالِ رُدّيها

Whatever exceeds our sustenance—the Muslims have

“What exceeds our sustenance, the Muslims

The greater right to it; so rise and return them to the treasury.”

Have more right to it, so go, return it to the treasury.”

كَذاكَ أَخلاقُهُ كانَت وَما عُهِدَت

كَذاكَ أَخلاقُهُ كانَت وَما عُهِدَت

بَعدَ النُبُوَّةِ أَخلاقٌ تُحاكيها

بَعدَ النُبُوَّةِ أَخلاقٌ تُحاكيها

Such were his virtues, and never were known

Thus were his morals, and none since prophethood

After prophethood, virtues that could equal them.

Have matched morals that emulate his.