مَا ثَمَّ إِلاَّ مَا رَأَيْ

مَا ثَمَّ إِلاَّ مَا رَأَيْ

تَ وَرُبَّمَا تُعْيي السَّلاَمَهْ

تَ وَرُبَّمَا تُعْيي السَّلاَمَهْ

There is nothing there but what you have

There is naught but what mine eyes have seen

seen; and sometimes safety is hard to attain.

And oft the greeting wearies and fatigues

وَالنَّاسُ إِمَّا جَائِرٌ

وَالنَّاسُ إِمَّا جَائِرٌ

أَوْ حَائِرٌ يَشْكُو ظُلاَمَهْ

أَوْ حَائِرٌ يَشْكُو ظُلاَمَهْ

And people are either oppressors

Mankind are either tyrants unjust

or bewildered, complaining of injustice.

Or wandering lost in darkest night

وَإِذَا أَرَدْتَ الْعِزَّ لاَ

وَإِذَا أَرَدْتَ الْعِزَّ لاَ

تَرْزَأ بَنِي الدُّنْيَا قُلاَمَهْ

تَرْزَأ بَنِي الدُّنْيَا قُلاَمَهْ

And if you desire honor, do not

If you seek glory scorn earth's petty brood

take even a nail-paring from the sons of this world.

By Allah none shall bear the brand of shame

وَاللهِ مَا احْتَقَبَ الْحَرِي

وَاللهِ مَا احْتَقَبَ الْحَرِي

صُ سِوَى الذُّنُوبِ أَوِ المَلاَمَهْ

صُ سِوَى الذُّنُوبِ أَوِ المَلاَمَهْ

By God, the greedy man has amassed nothing

Save for his sins or for his calumnies

but sins or blame.

Is there any doubt about the threatened doom

هَلْ ثَمَّ شَكٌّ فِي الْمَعَا

هَلْ ثَمَّ شَكٌّ فِي الْمَعَا

دِ الْحَقِّ أَوْ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَهْ

دِ الْحَقِّ أَوْ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَهْ

Is there any doubt about the

Or that predestined day of reck’ning dire?

true return, or the Day of Resurrection?

Speak out to us, ye men of speech and faith

قُولُوا لَنَا مَا عِنْدَكُمْ

قُولُوا لَنَا مَا عِنْدَكُمْ

أَهْلَ الْخَطَاَبَةِ وَالإِمَامَهْ

أَهْلَ الْخَطَاَبَةِ وَالإِمَامَهْ

Tell us what you have,

O people of oratory and religious leadership.