ما أحسن العلمَ لمن يعمل

ما أحسن العلمَ لمن يعمل

وأقبحَ الجهلَ بمن يجهلُ

وأقبحَ الجهلَ بمن يجهلُ

How fine is knowledge for one who acts!

How good is knowledge for one who acts

And how ugly is ignorance in one who is ignorant!

And how ugly is ignorance for one who is ignorant

إنَّ الإله الحقّ في فعله

إنَّ الإله الحقّ في فعله

قد يمهلُ العبدَ ولا يهمل

قد يمهلُ العبدَ ولا يهمل

Indeed, the true God, in His action,

Indeed God the Truth in His doing

may grant the servant respite but does not neglect him.

May give the servant respite and not neglect

ويحرصُ العبدُ على فعل ما

ويحرصُ العبدُ على فعل ما

ينفعه وقتاً وقد يكلُ

ينفعه وقتاً وقد يكلُ

And the servant is eager to do what

And the servant strives to do what

benefits him for a time, though he may grow weary.

Benefits him for a time though he may tire

لأنه ينصر في فعله

لأنه ينصر في فعله

ثم يرى في تركه يخذل

ثم يرى في تركه يخذل

For he is aided in his action,

For He helps him in his doing

then sees himself forsaken when he abandons it.

Then He sees in his neglect he is forsaken

يا ليت شعري هل أرى من فتى

يا ليت شعري هل أرى من فتى

يبحث عما فيه أو يسألُ

يبحث عما فيه أو يسألُ

Oh, would that I knew: shall I see any young man

Oh would that I knew, is there any youth

who investigates what is within him, or asks,

Who searches for what is in it or asks

حتى يرى من نفسه ربه

حتى يرى من نفسه ربه

سبحانه يفعلُ ما يفعل

سبحانه يفعلُ ما يفعل

until he sees his Lord through his own self—

Until he sees from his own self his Lord

glory be to Him—doing what He does,

Glory be to Him doing what He does

ويبصر الأكوان هل هي هو

ويبصر الأكوان هل هي هو

لمثل هذا إخوتي فاعملوا

لمثل هذا إخوتي فاعملوا

and perceives created beings: are they He?

And observes all creation, is it He

For the like of this, my brothers, then work!

For the like of this my brothers so act

لأنه المطلوب منكم فلا

لأنه المطلوب منكم فلا

تفرطوا فيه ولا تهملوا

تفرطوا فيه ولا تهملوا

For it is what is sought from you, so do not

For this is what is required of you so do not

be remiss in it, nor neglect it.

Neglect it or disregard

سألت قوما أهملوا أمرنا

سألت قوما أهملوا أمرنا

فقال لي خاذلهم امهلوا

فقال لي خاذلهم امهلوا

I questioned a people who neglected our affair;

I asked a people who neglected our matter

and the one who forsook them told me, "They were granted respite."

So their forsaker said to me, “Disregard.”

لا يُنسَبُ الفعل لغيرِ الذي

لا يُنسَبُ الفعل لغيرِ الذي

قيل لكم فإنه أجمل

قيل لكم فإنه أجمل

The act is attributed to none but the one

Action is not attributed to other than He

of whom you were told, for that is more fitting,

Who was told to you for He is Most Just

كما أتى فيمن نسى آية

كما أتى فيمن نسى آية

بأنه نسي ولا يعقل

بأنه نسي ولا يعقل

as was reported of one who forgot a verse:

As has come in one who forgot a verse

that he was made to forget, yet does not understand.

That he forgot and does not reason

إذا دنت للوقت ريحانةٌ

إذا دنت للوقت ريحانةٌ

يشمها الأمثل فالأمثل

يشمها الأمثل فالأمثل

When a sprig of basil draws near at the appointed time,

When the time draws near a lovely scent

the worthiest smells it, then the next worthiest.

The finest sense, thus the finest

ولا يحصلُ الشخص على حكمه

ولا يحصلُ الشخص على حكمه

فيه به علما وقد يحصل

فيه به علما وقد يحصل

Nor does a person gain, concerning His rule,

And the person does not obtain his judgment

within him, through Him, knowledge; yet it may be gained

In it by it knowledge though he may obtain

مثلي فإني عالمُ أمره

مثلي فإني عالمُ أمره

فيّ وفي غيري فلا أجهل

فيّ وفي غيري فلا أجهل

by one like me, for I know His command

Like me, for I know its matter

in me and in others, so I am not ignorant.

In me and in others so I do not ignore