لَيسَ شَيءٌ مِمّا يُدَبِّرُهُ العا

لَيسَ شَيءٌ مِمّا يُدَبِّرُهُ العا

قِلُ إِلَّا وَفيهِ شَيءٌ يُريبُه

قِلُ إِلَّا وَفيهِ شَيءٌ يُريبُه

Nothing the rational man plans

Nothing is of what the wise manages

Is without something that makes him uneasy.

Except that in it there is something that makes him doubt

فَأَخو العَقلِ مُمسِكٌ يَتَوَقَّى

فَأَخو العَقلِ مُمسِكٌ يَتَوَقَّى

وَيَخافُ الدُّخولَ فيما يَعيبُه

وَيَخافُ الدُّخولَ فيما يَعيبُه

So the man of reason holds back, taking care,

So the brother of reason is one who refrains and is cautious

And fears entering into what may disgrace him.

And fears entering into what would disgrace him

وَأَخو الجَهلِ لا يُقَدّرُ في الأَم

وَأَخو الجَهلِ لا يُقَدّرُ في الأَم

رِ وَإِن أَشكَلَت عَلَيهِ ضُروبُه

رِ وَإِن أَشكَلَت عَلَيهِ ضُروبُه

But the man of ignorance gives no thought to a matter,

While the brother of ignorance does not evaluate matters

Even when its various aspects are obscure to him.

Even if their aspects are obscure to him

راكِبٌ رَدعَهُ كَحاطِبِ لَيلٍ

راكِبٌ رَدعَهُ كَحاطِبِ لَيلٍ

يُخطىءُ الأَمرَ كُلَّهُ أَو يُصيبُه

يُخطىءُ الأَمرَ كُلَّهُ أَو يُصيبُه

He rushes headlong, like a firewood-gatherer at night,

A rider whose impetuosity is like a fuel gatherer in the night

Getting the whole matter wrong—or getting it right.

Who misses the matter completely or hits it

تَتَأتي لَهُ الأُمورُ عَلى الجَه

تَتَأتي لَهُ الأُمورُ عَلى الجَه

لِ إِذا ما أَرادَها وَتُجيبُه

لِ إِذا ما أَرادَها وَتُجيبُه

Things come readily to him in his ignorance,

Matters come to him confusedly if he wants them and respond to him

Whenever he wants them, and they answer him.

While the brother of reason produces an opinion thereafter he is content and at times he doubts it

وَأَخو العَقلِ بَعدُ يُنتِجُ الرَّأ

وَأَخو العَقلِ بَعدُ يُنتِجُ الرَّأ

يَ فَيَرضى وَمَرَّةً يَستَريبُه

يَ فَيَرضى وَمَرَّةً يَستَريبُه

But the man of reason is still forming an opinion,

And if he makes the far near

Then is satisfied, yet sometimes mistrusts it.

It goes back in it so its nearness becomes further

وَإِذا صَيَّرَ البَعيدَ قَريباً

وَإِذا صَيَّرَ البَعيدَ قَريباً

عادَ فيهِ فَاِزدادَ بُعداً قَريبُه

عادَ فيهِ فَاِزدادَ بُعداً قَريبُه

And when he brings what is distant near,

So he is one whose heart is riveted thinking of fate

He reconsiders it, and what was near to him grows farther away.

His anxieties and sorrows are not yet fulfilled

فَهُوَ الدَّهرَ شاخِصُ القَلبِ فِكراً

فَهُوَ الدَّهرَ شاخِصُ القَلبِ فِكراً

ما تَقَضّى هُمومُهُ وَكُروبُه

ما تَقَضّى هُمومُهُ وَكُروبُه

Thus, all his life, his heart is restless with thought;

His worries and sorrows never end.