إن السياسةَ لم تَصلُح لذي جَسَدٍ

إن السياسةَ لم تَصلُح لذي جَسَدٍ

لكنَّها مِحنةٌ من أَعظَمِ المِحَنِ

لكنَّها مِحنةٌ من أَعظَمِ المِحَنِ

Governance is not suited to a mortal,

Politics is not suited for the frail of body

But is a trial among the greatest trials.

Yet it is one of life's greatest tribulations

فان بُلِي الحازمُ النَدبُ الرشيدُ بها

فان بُلِي الحازمُ النَدبُ الرشيدُ بها

ابانَ لِلّهِ ما في النفسِ من وَهَنِ

ابانَ لِلّهِ ما في النفسِ من وَهَنِ

If the resolute, capable, wise man is tried by it,

Should the wise and virtuous be tested by it

He reveals to God the weakness within his soul.

It reveals the weakness hidden in one's soul

تَراهُ سَهرانَ عينٍ في رِعايتهِ

تَراهُ سَهرانَ عينٍ في رِعايتهِ

لم يدرِ في ليلهِ ما لَذَّةُ الوَسَنِ

لم يدرِ في ليلهِ ما لَذَّةُ الوَسَنِ

You see him keeping sleepless watch over his charge,

Staying up through the night tending to affairs

Knowing nothing at night of the delight of drowsiness.

Unaware of the sweetness of restful sleep

يَذُودُ جُنحَ الدياجي عن رِعايتهِ

يَذُودُ جُنحَ الدياجي عن رِعايتهِ

طروقَ مكرِ الذي يَغتالُ في الدُجَنِ

طروقَ مكرِ الذي يَغتالُ في الدُجَنِ

In the darkness of night he wards off from his charge

Repelling the wings of gossip from his duty

The stealthy night-attack of one who slays in the gloom.

The treachery that lurks and ambushes in the dark

ويستعدُّ لأَمرٍ اذ يُدبِّرُهُ

ويستعدُّ لأَمرٍ اذ يُدبِّرُهُ

بُمبدِعِ العقلِ لا بالعقلِ والفِطَنِ

بُمبدِعِ العقلِ لا بالعقلِ والفِطَنِ

And he prepares for a task, as he manages it,

Preparing for events using clever invention

With the Creator of reason, not with reason and wit.

Not mere reason and wisdom alone

وقد يَذِلُّ باخضاعٍ ومَسكَنةٍ

وقد يَذِلُّ باخضاعٍ ومَسكَنةٍ

لسائس الكَونِ مَلجا كل مُمتحَنِ

لسائس الكَونِ مَلجا كل مُمتحَنِ

And he may humble himself in submission and meekness,

At times humbling himself with submission and calm

Before the Ruler of the universe, the refuge of all who are tried.

A refuge for all the afflicted of this universe

فإِذ يرى اللَه ما يُبدِي بذِلَّتِهِ

فإِذ يرى اللَه ما يُبدِي بذِلَّتِهِ

يُوليهِ رُشداً وتوفيقاً مَدَى الزَمَنِ

يُوليهِ رُشداً وتوفيقاً مَدَى الزَمَنِ

Then, when God sees what he reveals through his humility,

When God sees him humbled by his trials

He grants him right guidance and success throughout time.

He grants him wisdom for the rest of his days

فيستفيدُ بحُسنِ الإِنصباب إلى

فيستفيدُ بحُسنِ الإِنصباب إلى

ذا الخيرِ خيراً يُريهِ السِرَّ كالعَلَنِ

ذا الخيرِ خيراً يُريهِ السِرَّ كالعَلَنِ

Thus he gains, through rightly turning toward

So he benefits from his devotion to good

The Possessor of goodness, a boon that shows him the hidden as plainly as the manifest.

Gaining openly what was once hidden away

فهذهِ النفسُ تَروَى كلَّما ظَمِئَت

فهذهِ النفسُ تَروَى كلَّما ظَمِئَت

من مَورِدِ العدلِ ثُمَّ الخيرِ والمِنَنِ

من مَورِدِ العدلِ ثُمَّ الخيرِ والمِنَنِ

So this soul drinks its fill whenever it thirsts,

This soul is sated when thirsty

From the wellspring of justice, then goodness and blessings.

From the wellspring of justice, goodness and grace

وقد تفيضُ لمن يعنو لطاعتِها

وقد تفيضُ لمن يعنو لطاعتِها

بما يُرَى عِندَها من نافعٍ حَسَنِ

بما يُرَى عِندَها من نافعٍ حَسَنِ

And it may overflow for those who yield in obedience to it,

It overflows to those who obey its rule

With the beneficial good found within it.

With whatever good and benefit it finds

فيَبزَغُ العدلُ ثم الخيرُ ثم هَنا ال

فيَبزَغُ العدلُ ثم الخيرُ ثم هَنا ال

مَسُوسِ والسائس الجاري على السُنَنِ

مَسُوسِ والسائس الجاري على السُنَنِ

Then justice dawns, then goodness, then the joy of the

Thus justice, then goodness emerge and reign

Governed and the governor who follows the established ways.

Without tyranny, ruled by enduring traditions

وان مُنِي الجاهلُ العُمرُ المُضِلُّ بها

وان مُنِي الجاهلُ العُمرُ المُضِلُّ بها

سَرَّتهُ لو أَنَّهُ في شَأنِ ذاك فَنِي

سَرَّتهُ لو أَنَّهُ في شَأنِ ذاك فَنِي

But if the ignorant, [inexperienced?] man who leads astray is tried by it,

Yet should the ignorant waste a lifetime being misled

It delights him, even if he should perish in that pursuit.

He would be fortunate to escape with his life

يَخالُ في طبعهِ مع ضُعفِ قوَّتهِ

يَخالُ في طبعهِ مع ضُعفِ قوَّتهِ

فيهِ لأَضعافها كُفؤاً من المِهَنِ

فيهِ لأَضعافها كُفؤاً من المِهَنِ

He imagines, in his nature, despite his feeble strength,

In his nature, despite his feeble abilities

A capacity within himself for duties many times beyond that strength.

He is matched against forces far too immense

فيَلعَبُ الجهل فيهِ والغُرورُ كما

فيَلعَبُ الجهل فيهِ والغُرورُ كما

تَلاعَبُ الريحُ والأَمواجُ بالسُفُنِ

تَلاعَبُ الريحُ والأَمواجُ بالسُفُنِ

Then ignorance and conceit toy with him, just as

Ignorance and delusions toy with him

The wind and waves toy with ships.

Like the winds and waves batter ships at sea