المرءman ماwhat المرءman سليلan offspring الثرىthe soil
المرء ما المرء سليل الثرى
لاno غروwonder أنthat يشبهhe resembles جلمودهits boulder
لا غرو أن يشبه جلموده
Man—what is man? An offspring of the soil.
Man—what is man? A scion of the dust,
No wonder he resembles its boulder.
It is no wonder he resembles its solid rock.
عالجهsought to reform him الرسلthe messengers بتأديبهمthrough their discipline
عالجه الرسل بتأديبهم
فلمbut did not يلنsoften تأديبهمtheir discipline عودهhis wood
فلم يلن تأديبهم عوده
The messengers sought to reform him through their discipline,
The Messengers sought to cure him with their discipline,
But their discipline did not soften his wood.
Yet their discipline did not soften his stubborn timber.
لاnot يخدمhe serves المرءman سوىexcept نفسهhimself
لا يخدم المرء سوى نفسه
ولوeven if حوىhe possesses فيin الخلقcharacter محودهunclear; perhaps its praiseworthy qualities
ولو حوى في الخلق محوده
Man serves none but himself,
Man serves none other than himself,
Even if he possesses what is praiseworthy in character [uncertain reading].
Even if he garners praise among all creation.
قدmay يفعلhe does الخيرلهgood; of it معلناproclaiming publicly
قد يفعل الخيرله معلنا
وليسand is not فعلdoing الخيرgood مقصودهhis aim
وليس فعل الخير مقصوده
He may do good, publicly proclaiming it,
He may perform good deeds for all to see,
Yet doing good is not his aim.
Yet the act of good is not his true intent.
ويوسعand lavishes upon الكلeveryone بإحسانهwith his kindness
ويوسع الكل بإحسانه
رفداaid ليستعبدto enslave مرفودهthe one he aids
رفدا ليستعبد مرفوده
And he lavishes his kindness upon everyone,
He overwhelms everyone with his benevolence,
Giving aid to enslave the one he aids.
A support meant only to enslave the supported.
منfrom أثرةselfishness النفسthe self ومنand from حبهاlove of it
من أثرة النفس ومن حبها
محبةlove الوالدthe father مولودهhis child
محبة الوالد مولوده
From selfishness and love of oneself
It is from the self's egoism and its self-love
Comes a father's love for his child.
That the parent's love for the child is born.
لاdo not تحمدpraise المرءa man لمشهودهfor his outward conduct
لا تحمد المرء لمشهوده
فغيبهfor his hidden conduct ينكرمشهودهbelies his outward conduct
فغيبه ينكرمشهوده
Do not praise a man for his outward conduct;
Do not praise a man for what is witnessed,
For his hidden conduct belies his outward conduct.
For his unseen nature contradicts what is seen.
إذاif أطاعhe obeys المرءa man ذاone possessing دعوةa call
إذا أطاع المرء ذا دعوة
فبأسهthen his might يلحظhe considers أوor جودهhis bounty
فبأسه يلحظ أو جوده
If a man obeys one who issues a call,
If a man obeys one who calls to faith,
Then he considers that caller's might or bounty.
It is his might or his bounty that he eyes.
لوif لمnot تكنthere were نارHellfire ولاand no جنةParadise
لو لم تكن نار ولا جنة
لماwould not أطاعobey المرءman معبودهthe one he worships
لما أطاع المرء معبوده
If there were neither Hellfire nor Paradise,
Were there no Hellfire and no Paradise,
Man would not obey the one he worships.
Man would never have obeyed his God.
Sol 6.1