تقدَّم هوى أو تأخَّر نُهى

تقدَّم هوى أو تأخَّر نُهى

فإنّ إلى رَبِك المنتَهى

فإنّ إلى رَبِك المنتَهى

Desire may advance, or reason fall behind,

Whether desire comes early or late,

for to your Lord is the final return.

Indeed, to your Lord is the final destination.

وقد حُفَّ بالشَّهوات الجَحيمُ

وقد حُفَّ بالشَّهوات الجَحيمُ

فَخُذ أَو فَذَر كلَّ ما يُشتهى

فَخُذ أَو فَذَر كلَّ ما يُشتهى

And Hell has been surrounded by desires,

And Hellfire has been surrounded by desires,

so take, or else leave, all that is desired.

So take or leave whatever is craved.

وأجرَأُ من كُلِّ ذِي لِبدَةٍ

وأجرَأُ من كُلِّ ذِي لِبدَةٍ

جَرِيءٌ عَلى اللَهِ فيما نَهى

جَرِيءٌ عَلى اللَهِ فيما نَهى

And bolder than every maned lion

And more daring than any daring one,

is one who dares defy God in what He forbids.

Is one who dares God in what He forbade.

يَرى الأَمرَ جدَّاً ولا يَمتَرِي

يَرى الأَمرَ جدَّاً ولا يَمتَرِي

ويَلهو على العلم فيمن لَها

ويَلهو على العلم فيمن لَها

He sees the matter as serious and has no doubt,

He sees the matter as serious but does not hesitate,

yet knowingly he plays among those who play.

And plays around in knowledge among the confused.

ولو صَدَقَت عَينُه قلبَهُ

ولو صَدَقَت عَينُه قلبَهُ

لَما تَيَّمَتهُ عُيونُ المهى

لَما تَيَّمَتهُ عُيونُ المهى

And had his eye told his heart the truth,

And if his eyes were truthful to his heart,

the eyes of the oryx would not have enslaved him.

Eyes of desire would not have blinded him.

ولَو كان ذا مِرَّةٍ داهياً

ولَو كان ذا مِرَّةٍ داهياً

لدافع عن نفسِه ما دَهى

لدافع عن نفسِه ما دَهى

And had he been strong and shrewd,

And if he had been a bit wise,

he would have warded off the calamity that struck him.

He would have defended himself from what allured him.

وقد يُذهِبُ الحِرصُ عقلَ اللّبي

وقد يُذهِبُ الحِرصُ عقلَ اللّبي

ب حتّى يبيعَ النُّهى باللُّهى

ب حتّى يبيعَ النُّهى باللُّهى

And greed may rob the wise man of his reason,

And greed may take away the mind of an admirer,

until he sells reason for gifts.

To the point that he sells prohibition for pleasure.

ويَعيي عَنِ البَدرِ في تمِّهِ

ويَعيي عَنِ البَدرِ في تمِّهِ

ويُتعِبُ ألحاظَهُ في السُّهى

ويُتعِبُ ألحاظَهُ في السُّهى

And he cannot make out the moon at its full,

And it prevents him from the full moon in his blindness,

and strains his eyes gazing at Suhā.

And tires his glances in amusement.