كَمmany a جاهِلٍignorant man ظَنَّthought أَنَّthat المالَwealth فَضَّلَهmade him superior
كَم جاهِلٍ ظَنَّ أَنَّ المالَ فَضَّلَه
عَلىabove كَثيرٍmany مِنَof العافينَthose seeking charity تَفضيلاsuperiority
عَلى كَثيرٍ مِنَ العافينَ تَفضيلا
Many an ignorant man has thought that wealth raised him
How many a fool assumed wealth made him
Far above many who seek charity.
Superior to the content though lacking its pile
لَوif كانَthere were فيin المالِwealth تَفضيلٌsuperiority لِجامِعِهِfor its amasser
لَو كانَ في المالِ تَفضيلٌ لِجامِعِهِ
لَكانَthen would be ذوpossessor of الدَّينِdebt عِندَin the time of الفَقرpoverty مفضولاinferior
لَكانَ ذو الدَّينِ عِندَ الفَقر مفضولا
If wealth conferred superiority on its amasser,
If with wealth came virtue in plenty obtained
The man in debt, when poor, would then be inferior,
The debtor would suffer disgrace though his means were but frail
وَكانand would be ذوpossessor of المالِwealth ياO ذاpossessor of اللُّبِّunderstanding يفضلُهُsurpassing him
وَكان ذو المالِ يا ذا اللُّبِّ يفضلُهُ
وَلَوand even if غَداhe became كافِراًan unbeliever بِالكفرِfor disbelief مَبهولاaccursed
وَلَو غَدا كافِراً بِالكفرِ مَبهولا
And the wealthy man, O man of understanding, would surpass him,
Yet the wealthy one, O wise soul, would he
Even if he became an unbeliever, accursed for disbelief.
Though an infidel blinded, excel and prevail
كَمmany a كافِرٍunbeliever حازَamassed أَموالاًriches لَقَدindeed كَثُرتbecame abundant
كَم كافِرٍ حازَ أَموالاً لَقَد كَثُرت
وَمُؤمِنٍand a believer باتَspent the night بِالفاقاتِby privations مَشمولاbeset
وَمُؤمِنٍ باتَ بِالفاقاتِ مَشمولا
Many an unbeliever has amassed wealth, abundant indeed,
Many an infidel gathered a fortune, indeed it is rife
And many a believer has spent the night beset by privations.
While believers oft wanting and hardships assail
Sol 6.1