فيمَwhy الرُكونُreliance إِلىon دارٍan abode حَقيقَتُهاits true nature
فيمَ الرُكونُ إِلى دارٍ حَقيقَتُها
كَالطَيفِlike a phantom فيin سَنَةٍa doze وَالطَلِّand dew مِنfrom مُزنِrainclouds
كَالطَيفِ في سَنَةٍ وَالطَلِّ مِن مُزنِ
Why place trust in an abode whose true nature
Why settle in a house whose reality
Is like a phantom in a doze and dew from rainclouds?
Is like a mirage in a year and dew from spindles?
دارُan abode الغُرورِdelusion وَمَأوىand a refuge كُلِّevery مُزرِيَةٍdisgrace
دارُ الغُرورِ وَمَأوى كُلِّ مُزرِيَةٍ
وَمَعدِنُand a mine البُؤسِmisery وَاللأَواءِand hardship وَالمِحَنِand trials
وَمَعدِنُ البُؤسِ وَاللأَواءِ وَالمِحَنِ
An abode of delusion, a refuge for every disgrace,
The abode of delusion, the shelter of every disappointed one,
And a mine of misery, hardship, and trials.
The mine of misery, hardship and affliction.
الزَورِfalsehood ظاهِرُهاits outward face وَالغَدرِand treachery حاضِرُهاits present state
الزَورِ ظاهِرُها وَالغَدرِ حاضِرُها
وَالمَوتُand death آخِرُهاits end وَالكَونُand existence فيin الشَطنِestrangement
وَالمَوتُ آخِرُها وَالكَونُ في الشَطنِ
Falsehood is its outward face, and treachery ever present within it;
Deceit is its façade, treachery its company,
And death is its end, and existence lies in estrangement.
Death its end, and existence its torment.
تُبيدُit destroys ماwhat جَمَعتَyou gathered تُهينُit abases مِنfrom رِفعَتٍhigh rank
تُبيدُ ما جَمَعتَ تُهينُ مِن رِفعَتٍ
تَضُرُّit harms مَنthose whom نَفَعتَyou benefited فيin سالِفِbygone الزَمَنِtime
تَضُرُّ مَن نَفَعتَ في سالِفِ الزَمَنِ
It destroys what you gathered; it brings you down from high rank.
It destroys what you have gathered, disgraces whom it has elevated,
It harms those you benefited in times gone by.
And harms those it once benefited in days gone by.
النَفسُthe soul تَعشَقُهاadores it وَالعَينُand the eye تَرمُقُهاgazes at it
النَفسُ تَعشَقُها وَالعَينُ تَرمُقُها
لِكَونٍbecause of being ظاهِرهاits outward appearance فيin صورَةِthe form الحُسنِbeauty
لِكَونٍ ظاهِرها في صورَةِ الحُسنِ
The soul adores it, and the eye gazes upon it,
The soul desires it, the eye gazes upon it,
Because its outward appearance takes the form of beauty.
For the beauty of its outward form and charm.
سَحارَةًa sorceress تَحكُمُmasters التَخييلَillusion حينَwhen يَرىone sees
سَحارَةً تَحكُمُ التَخييلَ حينَ يَرى
كَأَنَّهُas though it were الحَقُّthe truth إِذاwhen كانَتshe is مِنَamong الفِتَنِtemptations
كَأَنَّهُ الحَقُّ إِذا كانَت مِنَ الفِتَنِ
A sorceress, she masters illusion when one sees it
Bewitching, it rules the imagination when one sees it,
As though it were truth, when she is among temptations.
As if it were the truth though it springs from trials.
فَذوso one possessing الحَماقَةِfoolishness مَنone who قَدalready ظَلَّkept يَجمَعُهاamassing it
فَذو الحَماقَةِ مَن قَد ظَلَّ يَجمَعُها
يُعانيendures السَعيَthe striving مِنfrom شامٍSham إشلىto (likely intended) يَمَنِYemen
يُعاني السَعيَ مِن شامٍ إشلى يَمَنِ
So the fool is one who keeps amassing it,
A fool is one who continues to amass it,
Enduring the toil of pursuit from Sham to Yemen,
Enduring fruitless toil from Syria to Yemen.
مُشَمِّراًgirding himself بِرَكبِwith a cavalcade الأَخطارِdangers مُجتَهِداًstriving
مُشَمِّراً بِرَكبِ الأَخطارِ مُجتَهِداً
لِأَجلِهاfor its sake يَستَلينُdeems smooth المَركَبُthe ride الخَشِنِrough
لِأَجلِها يَستَلينُ المَركَبُ الخَشِنِ
Girding himself, with a cavalcade of dangers, striving,
Girding himself for dangers, striving diligently
For its sake, deeming the rough ride smooth.
So that the rugged ship may be softened for its sake.
وَذوand one possessing الحَجاunderstanding يُقِلُّهاesteems it little زُهداًin renunciation وَيَنبِذُهاand casts it away
وَذو الحَجا يُقِلُّها زُهداً وَيَنبِذُها
وَراءَهُbehind him نَبذَةَa casting away الأَقذارِfilth فيin الدِمَنِdung heaps
وَراءَهُ نَبذَةَ الأَقذارِ في الدِمَنِ
But the discerning man esteems it little, renouncing it and casting it
While the wise belittle it in asceticism, rejecting it
Behind him, as refuse is thrown onto dung heaps.
As one discards filth into the dunghill.
رَمىhe cast بِقَلبٍwith a heart مُنيرٍluminous فيinto مَصايدِهاits snares
رَمى بِقَلبٍ مُنيرٍ في مَصايدِها
فَلاso not يُصادِفُhe encounters غَيرَother than الهَمِّworry وَالحَزَنِand sorrow
فَلا يُصادِفُ غَيرَ الهَمِّ وَالحَزَنِ
He cast a luminous heart into its snares,
He casts his enlightened heart into its traps,
So he encounters nothing but worry and sorrow.
So he meets with nothing but worry and sorrow.
يَجولُhe roams بِالفِكرِin thought فيin تَذكارِremembrance مَنthose whom صَرَعَتit struck down
يَجولُ بِالفِكرِ في تَذكارِ مَن صَرَعَت
مِنamong مثؤثِريهاthose favoring it (likely intended) بِسَعيِthrough striving القَلبِthe heart وَالبَدَنِand the body
مِن مثؤثِريها بِسَعيِ القَلبِ وَالبَدَنِ
His thoughts wander in remembrance of those it struck down,
He reflects with his thoughts on those it destroyed,
Among those who favored it, striving with heart and body,
Of its devoted followers in body and soul.
مِمَّنamong those who أَشادَraised مَبانيهاits buildings وَأَحكَمَهاand strengthened them
مِمَّن أَشادَ مَبانيها وَأَحكَمَها
لِيَستَجِنَّto seek shelter مِنَfrom الأَقدارِfate بِالجَنَنِwith shields
لِيَستَجِنَّ مِنَ الأَقدارِ بِالجَنَنِ
Those who raised its buildings and made them secure,
Those who built its edifices and strengthened them
To shelter from fate behind shields.
To find safety from fate in madness.
نالواthey gained مَكارِمَهاits honors اَحيواthey revived مَعالِمَهاits landmarks
نالوا مَكارِمَها اَحيوا مَعالِمَها
سَلواthey unsheathed صَوارِمَهاits sharp swords لِلبَغيِfor tyranny وَالضَغَنِand rancor
سَلوا صَوارِمَها لِلبَغيِ وَالضَغَنِ
They won its honors and revived its landmarks,
They attained its glories, revived its beacons,
Drew its sharp swords for tyranny and rancor,
Unsheathed its swords against evil and rancor.
رَقّواthey mounted مَنابِرَهاits pulpits قادواthey led عَساكِرَهاits armies
رَقّوا مَنابِرَها قادوا عَساكِرَها
بِقُوٍّwith strength وَاِبتَنواand they built الأَمصارَtowns وَالمُدُنِand cities
بِقُوٍّ وَاِبتَنوا الأَمصارَ وَالمُدُنِ
Mounted its pulpits and led its armies
They held its pulpits, led its armies,
With strength, and founded towns and cities.
With strength, conquering cities and towns.
وَعَبَدواand they enslaved الناسَthe people حَتّىuntil أَصبَحواthey became ذُلَلاًsubmissive
وَعَبَدوا الناسَ حَتّى أَصبَحوا ذُلَلاً
لِأَمرِهِمto their command بَينَbetween مَغلوبٍconquered وَمُمتَهِنِand debased
لِأَمرِهِم بَينَ مَغلوبٍ وَمُمتَهِنِ
And enslaved people until they became submissive
They enslaved people until they became
To their command, some conquered, others debased.
Submissive to their command, vanquished and disgraced.
وَجَمَعواand they amassed المالَwealth وَاِستَصفواand appropriated نَفائِسَهُits treasures
وَجَمَعوا المالَ وَاِستَصفوا نَفائِسَهُ
لِمُتعَةِfor enjoyment النَفسِthe soul فيin مُستَقبَلِthe future الزَمَنِtime
لِمُتعَةِ النَفسِ في مُستَقبَلِ الزَمَنِ
And amassed wealth, claiming its treasures for themselves,
They amassed wealth and chose its finest treasures
For the soul's enjoyment in the time to come.
For the pleasure of the soul in days to come.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen اِمتَلَئواthey were filled بَشَراًwith joy بِماat what ظَفَرواthey won
حَتّى إِذا اِمتَلَئوا بَشَراً بِما ظَفَروا
وَمَكَّنواand they empowered مَنwhoever عَلاهاrose over it أَبلَغَthe utmost المِكَنِpower
وَمَكَّنوا مَن عَلاها أَبلَغَ المِكَنِ
Until, when they were filled with joy at what they had won,
Until, when they were fully sated with the success they had attained,
And gave those who rose over it the fullest power,
And enabled those they had raised to the highest position.
ناداهُمcalled them هاذَمُdestroyer اللَذاتِpleasures فَاِقتَحَمواso they plunged
ناداهُم هاذَمُ اللَذاتِ فَاِقتَحَموا
سُبُلَpaths المَماتِdeath فَأَضحواso they became عَبرَةَa lesson الفِطَنِdiscerning minds
سُبُلَ المَماتِ فَأَضحوا عَبرَةَ الفِطَنِ
The destroyer of pleasures called them, and they plunged
The destroyer of pleasures called them, so they embarked
Into the paths of death, becoming a lesson for discerning minds.
On the paths of death, becoming lessons for the discerning.
تِلكَthose القُبورِgraves وَقَدand already صارَواthey became بِهاin them وَمِمّاand from what (unclear here)
تِلكَ القُبورِ وَقَد صارَوا بِها وَمِمّا
بَعدَafter الضَخامَةِbulk فيin الأَبدانِbodies وَالسَمَنِand fatness
بَعدَ الضَخامَةِ في الأَبدانِ وَالسَمَنِ
Those graves—there they have become [final word unclear],
Those graves, though after corpulence
After bodily bulk and fatness.
And fatness of body they lie in dust and clay.
بَعدَafter التَشَهّيindulging desires وَأَكلِand eating الطَيِّباتِdelicacies غَداbecame
بَعدَ التَشَهّي وَأَكلِ الطَيِّباتِ غَدا
يَأكُلُهُمeat them الدودُworms تَحتَbeneath التُرَبِthe soil وَاللَبَنِand mud bricks
يَأكُلُهُم الدودُ تَحتَ التُرَبِ وَاللَبَنِ
After indulging desire and eating delicacies, now
After indulgence and eating delicacies, they became
Worms devour them beneath the soil and mud bricks.
Food for worms beneath the soil and dirt.
تَغَيَّرَتchanged مِنهُمُof theirs الأَلوانُcolors وَاِنمَحَقَتand were effaced
تَغَيَّرَت مِنهُمُ الأَلوانُ وَاِنمَحَقَت
مَحاسِنُbeauties الوَجهِthe face وَالعَينَينِand the two eyes وَالوَجَنِand cheeks
مَحاسِنُ الوَجهِ وَالعَينَينِ وَالوَجَنِ
Their colors changed, and effaced were
Their complexions changed, the beauty of their faces vanished,
The beauties of face, eyes, and cheeks.
Along with their eyes and cheeks.
خَلَّتstood empty مَساكِنَهُمtheir dwellings عَنهُمof them وَأَسلَمَهُمand abandoned them
خَلَّت مَساكِنَهُم عَنهُم وَأَسلَمَهُم
مَنthose who كانَused to يَأَلَفُهُمkeep their company فيin السِرِّprivate وَالعَلَنِand public
مَن كانَ يَأَلَفُهُم في السِرِّ وَالعَلَنِ
Their homes stood empty of them, and they were abandoned by
Their homes were emptied of them, and they were deserted
Those who once kept their company in private and in public.
By those who used to be intimate with them, openly and in secret.
وَعافَهُمand shunned them كُلَّeveryone مَنwho قَدalready كانَused to يَألَفُهُمkeep their company
وَعافَهُم كُلَّ مَن قَد كانَ يَألَفُهُم
مِنَamong الأَقارِبِrelatives وَالأَهلينَand family members وَالخَدَنِand intimate friends
مِنَ الأَقارِبِ وَالأَهلينَ وَالخَدَنِ
And everyone who once kept their company recoiled from them,
They were shunned by all relatives, family and friends
Relatives, family, and intimate friends.
Who used to cherish them.
ماnot كانَwas حَظُّهُمtheir share مِنof عِرضِworldly goods ماwhat اِكتَسَبواthey earned
ما كانَ حَظُّهُم مِن عِرضِ ما اِكتَسَبوا
غَيرَother than الحَنوطِburial perfume وَغَيرَand other than القَطَنِcotton وَالكَفَنِand a shroud
غَيرَ الحَنوطِ وَغَيرَ القَطَنِ وَالكَفَنِ
Their share of the worldly goods they had earned was nothing
Of the wealth they had amassed, their share
But burial perfume, cotton, and a shroud.
Was only shrouds, cotton and linen.
تِلكَthose القُصورُpalaces وَالتِلكَand those الدورُdwellings خاوِيَةًempty
تِلكَ القُصورُ وَالتِلكَ الدورُ خاوِيَةً
يَصيحُcries فيهاwithin them غُرابُthe crow البَينِparting بِالوَهنِlate at night
يَصيحُ فيها غُرابُ البَينِ بِالوَهنِ
Those palaces and those dwellings stand empty;
Those palaces and mansions lie deserted,
The crow of parting cries within them late at night.
With only the desolate cries of owls within them.
فَلَوso if مَرَرتُI passed بِهاby them وَالبومُand the owl يَندَبُهاlaments them
فَلَو مَرَرتُ بِها وَالبومُ يَندَبُها
فيin ظُلمَةِdarkness اللَيلِthe night لَمwould not تَلتَذُّyou take pleasure بِالوَسَنِin drowsiness
في ظُلمَةِ اللَيلِ لَم تَلتَذُّ بِالوَسَنِ
So if I passed by them while the owl lamented them,
Had I passed by them, with owls lamenting them
In the darkness of night, you would take no pleasure in slumber,
In the darkness of night, I would not have delighted in luxury,
وَلاnor تَجَمَّلَتyou adorned yourself بِالأَرياشِin finery مُفتَخِراًboasting
وَلا تَجَمَّلَت بِالأَرياشِ مُفتَخِراً
وَلاnor اِفتَتَنتَyou were beguiled بِحُبِّby love الأَهلِfamily وَالسَكَنِand home
وَلا اِفتَتَنتَ بِحُبِّ الأَهلِ وَالسَكَنِ
Nor proudly adorn yourself in finery,
Nor prided myself with fine plumage,
Nor be beguiled by love of family and home.
Nor been tempted by love of family and dwelling.
وَلاnor تَلَذَّذتُI delighted بِالمَطعومِin food مُنهَمِكاًengrossed
وَلا تَلَذَّذتُ بِالمَطعومِ مُنهَمِكاً
وَلاnor سَعَيتَyou strove لَدَيناamong us سَعىthe striving مُفتَتَنِan infatuated person
وَلا سَعَيتَ لَدَينا سَعى مُفتَتَنِ
Nor would I delight in food, wholly engrossed,
Nor savored delicacies greedily,
Nor would you strive among us like one infatuated.
Nor striven among you with the striving of one infatuated.
وَلاnor اِعتَبَرتَyou took heed إِذاwhen شاهَدتَyou witnessed مُعتَبِراًsomething instructive
وَلا اِعتَبَرتَ إِذا شاهَدتَ مُعتَبِراً
تَراهُyou see it بِالعَينِwith the eye أَوor تَسمَعُهُyou hear it بِالأُذُنِwith the ear
تَراهُ بِالعَينِ أَو تَسمَعُهُ بِالأُذُنِ
Nor did you take heed when you witnessed a lesson
Nor taken heed, if I witnessed one exhorting,
That you see with the eye or hear with the ear.
Whether I saw him with my eyes or heard him with my ears.
إِنَّindeed المَواعِظَadmonitions لاnot تَغنىavail أَسيرَa captive هَوىdesire
إِنَّ المَواعِظَ لا تَغنى أَسيرَ هَوى
مُقفَلِlocked القَلبِthe heart فيin حيدٍdeviation عَنِfrom السُنَنِthe paths
مُقفَلِ القَلبِ في حيدٍ عَنِ السُنَنِ
Indeed, admonitions cannot help a captive of desire,
Indeed, sermons do not avail a captive of passion,
His heart locked, turned aside from the paths,
Whose heart is locked, straying from proper traditions.
مُستَكبِراًarrogant يُبطِرُscorns الحَقَّthe truth الصَريحَplain إِذاwhen
مُستَكبِراً يُبطِرُ الحَقَّ الصَريحَ إِذا
يَلقىis put إِلَيهِbefore him لِفَرطِbecause of excess الجَهلِignorance وَالشِنَنِand rancor (uncertain reading)
يَلقى إِلَيهِ لِفَرطِ الجَهلِ وَالشِنَنِ
Arrogant, he scorns the plain truth when
Arrogant, he turns away from the clear truth when
It is put before him, through excessive ignorance and rancor.
It comes to him, due to his great ignorance and enmity.
يَمنىfills with hopes النَفسَthe soul أَمراًsomething لَيسَdoes not يُدرِكُهُhe attains it
يَمنى النَفسَ أَمراً لَيسَ يُدرِكُهُ
إِنَّindeed الأَمانيwishes مَقطاعَa barrier عَنِfrom المِنَنِblessings
إِنَّ الأَماني مَقطاعَ عَنِ المِنَنِ
He fills the soul with hopes of something he cannot attain;
His soul desires something he cannot attain,
Indeed, wishful thinking cuts one off from blessings.
For hopes are cut off from favors.
يَكفيsuffices for اللَبيبُthe discerning person كِتابَthe Book اللَهِGod مَوعِظَةٌas admonition
يَكفي اللَبيبُ كِتابَ اللَهِ مَوعِظَةٌ
كَماas أَتىwas related فيin حَديثِthe saying السَيِّدِthe master الحَسَنِthe gracious
كَما أَتى في حَديثِ السَيِّدِ الحَسَنِ
God's Book is counsel enough for the discerning,
It suffices the sensible one the Book of Allah as an exhortation,
As related in the saying of the gracious master,
As has come in the hadith of the Master Al-Hasan.
مُحَمَّدٌMuhammad خَيرُthe best خَلقِcreation اللَهِGod قُدوَتُناour exemplar
مُحَمَّدٌ خَيرُ خَلقِ اللَهِ قُدوَتُنا
مُطَهَّرُpurified الجَيبِthe bosom عَنof عَيبٍa flaw وَعِنand of دَرَنِa stain
مُطَهَّرُ الجَيبِ عَن عَيبٍ وَعِن دَرَنِ
Muhammad, the best of God's creation, our exemplar,
Muhammad is the best of Allah's creation, our exemplar,
His bosom purified of flaw and stain.
Pure of heart from any blemish or blame.
عَلَيهِupon him مِنّاfrom us صَلاةُblessing اللَهِGod دائِمَةunceasing
عَلَيهِ مِنّا صَلاةُ اللَهِ دائِمَة
ماas long as سارَتِmoves الريحُthe wind بِالأَمطارِbearing rain وَالسُفُنِand ships
ما سارَتِ الريحُ بِالأَمطارِ وَالسُفُنِ
May God's unceasing blessing be upon him, from us,
Upon him be Allah's eternal blessings
As long as the wind carries rain and ships,
As long as the wind blows with rain and ships sail.
وَالآلِand the family وَالصَحبِand the companions ماas long as غَنَّتsings مُطَوَّقَةًa ring-necked dove
وَالآلِ وَالصَحبِ ما غَنَّت مُطَوَّقَةً
وَماand as long as بَكَتweeps عَينُthe eye مُشتاقٍone yearning إِلىfor وَطَنِa homeland
وَما بَكَت عَينُ مُشتاقٍ إِلى وَطَنِ
And upon his family and companions, as long as a ring-necked dove sings,
And upon his family and companions as long
And as long as the eye of one yearning for home sheds tears.
As turtledoves coo and the eyes of yearners weep for their homeland.
Sol 6.1