بدا علمُ الإنسان في عالم الحسِّ

بدا علمُ الإنسان في عالم الحسِّ

فأحيا فخار العرب والتركِ والفرسِ

فأحيا فخار العرب والتركِ والفرسِ

The banner of Al-Insan appeared in the realm of the senses,

The knowledge of man began in the world of senses

And revived the glory of the Arabs, Turks, and Persians.

So he revived the pottery of Arabs, Turks and Persians

وميز طرْقَ الحق وهي غوامض

وميز طرْقَ الحق وهي غوامض

فأظهر نور الصبح للجنّ والإنسِ

فأظهر نور الصبح للجنّ والإنسِ

It discerned truth's paths, though they were obscure,

And distinguished the path of truth though it was ambiguous

And revealed dawn's light to jinn and humankind.

So he revealed the light of dawn to Jinn and mankind

وأمضي غرار النصح بعد فلوله

وأمضي غرار النصح بعد فلوله

فقام بأمرٍ طالما جال في النفسِ

فقام بأمرٍ طالما جال في النفسِ

It sharpened counsel's edge after its blunting,

And he accomplished the purpose of advice after its remnants

And undertook a task that had long wandered through the soul.

So he did what had long perplexed the soul

وأحكم بالبرهان دعواه واعتلى

وأحكم بالبرهان دعواه واعتلى

مقاماً عن التخمين والقول بالحدسِ

مقاماً عن التخمين والقول بالحدسِ

It established its claim with proof, and ascended

And he proved his claim with evidence and ascended

To a station beyond guesswork and claims based on intuition.

A position above guessing and speaking out of intuition

وأسس بنيان العلوم ولم يكن

وأسس بنيان العلوم ولم يكن

ليرفع مبنىً لم يُثبّت على أسِ

ليرفع مبنىً لم يُثبّت على أسِ

It founded the edifice of the sciences; it would not

And he established the structure of sciences and it was not

Raise a building not secured upon a foundation.

To erect a building that was not founded on a base

فيا أيها الإنسان إنك كادحٌ

فيا أيها الإنسان إنك كادحٌ

لتمييزِ هذا النوعِ من ذلك الجنسِ

لتمييزِ هذا النوعِ من ذلك الجنسِ

So, O Al-Insan, you labor

So O man you are a striver

To distinguish this species from that genus,

To distinguish this kind from that genus

ومُظهرُ آثار الفنون وربما

ومُظهرُ آثار الفنون وربما

معالمها لولاك آلت إلى الطمسِ

معالمها لولاك آلت إلى الطمسِ

And reveal the traces of the arts; perhaps

And a revealer of the traces of arts, and perhaps

Their landmarks, but for you, would have been effaced.

Their features would have vanished without you

بربك أروِ الروح فهي صدّية

بربك أروِ الروح فهي صدّية

لنعرف هذا اليومَ ما كان في أمسِ

لنعرف هذا اليومَ ما كان في أمسِ

By your Lord, quench the soul's thirst, for it is parched,

By your Lord revive the soul for it responds

That today we may know what happened yesterday.

So we know this day what was in the past

وحدِّث بآثار الألي سار ركبهُم

وحدِّث بآثار الألي سار ركبهُم

على أنها الأيام تؤسى بما تُنسِي

على أنها الأيام تؤسى بما تُنسِي

And tell of the deeds of those whose caravan has moved on,

And tell of the traces of forebears whose convoy travelled

Yet the days bring grief through what they make us forget.

As if the days lament what they make one forget

وأحْيِ من الأخلاق ما حم يومهِ

وأحْيِ من الأخلاق ما حم يومهِ

وحلّ بحكم الدور في عالم الرمسِ

وحلّ بحكم الدور في عالم الرمسِ

And revive those virtues whose last day was ordained,

And revive from morals what its day protected

And which, by the law of the cycle, settled in the realm of the grave.

And befell by the rule of eras in the world of sketching

وبيِّن من السير الجميل طرائقاً

وبيِّن من السير الجميل طرائقاً

وأفصح بما تهواه واضرب عن اللبسِ

وأفصح بما تهواه واضرب عن اللبسِ

And make clear paths of noble conduct,

And clarify from the beautiful conduct ways

And speak plainly of what you love, and turn from ambiguity.

And articulate what you desire and refrain from ambiguity

فشرُّ الورى من يكتم الناس نصحَه

فشرُّ الورى من يكتم الناس نصحَه

ويسكت حتى تصدع الفأس في الرأسِ

ويسكت حتى تصدع الفأس في الرأسِ

For the worst of humankind is he who withholds his counsel from people,

For the evil of creation is one who hides his advice from people

And stays silent until the axe splits the head.

And remains silent until the axe splits open the head

وأجرِ يراعاً صِيغ في المسكِ نِقْسُه

وأجرِ يراعاً صِيغ في المسكِ نِقْسُه

فنقط خيلاناً على وجْنةِ الطرسِ

فنقط خيلاناً على وجْنةِ الطرسِ

And set a reed pen running, its ink fashioned in musk,

And reward a shepherd whose form is of musk his weight

So it dotted beauty spots upon the page's cheek.

So he dotted our horses on the cheek of the doe

رأى طاعة الباري عليه فريضة

رأى طاعة الباري عليه فريضة

فعادت قصاراه ملازمة الخمس

فعادت قصاراه ملازمة الخمس

It deemed obedience to the Maker a duty upon it,

He saw obeying the Creator an obligation

So its utmost aim became holding fast to the five.

So his palms adhered to the five daily prayers

وبلغ لمنشيك الثناء وإنّ في

وبلغ لمنشيك الثناء وإنّ في

لقاك وإن طال النوى منتهى أنسي

لقاك وإن طال النوى منتهى أنسي

And convey praise to your founder; indeed, in

And he attained your praise though verily

Meeting you, though separation be long, lies my utmost delight.

In meeting you though the intention is prolonged is the utmost intimacy

وحسبك هذا القدر مولاي من فتىً

وحسبك هذا القدر مولاي من فتىً

قضى أنفس الأيام في عشرة الخرسِ

قضى أنفس الأيام في عشرة الخرسِ

And let this much suffice you, my lord, from a young man

And this measure suffices you my patron from a lad

Who spent his most precious days in the company of the mute.

Who spent the most precious days in the company of the mute