خَطاؤُك وافرٌ بالوِزرِ طامِ

خَطاؤُك وافرٌ بالوِزرِ طامِ

وطَبعكَ نافرٌ مُنذُ الفِطامِ

وطَبعكَ نافرٌ مُنذُ الفِطامِ

Your wrongdoing is abundant, overflowing with sin;

Your mistakes are abundant with blame

and your nature has been unruly since weaning.

And your nature has been repulsive since infancy

وجهلكَ هامعُ الأَسواءِ نامٍ

وجهلكَ هامعُ الأَسواءِ نامٍ

وذَهلُكَ هاملٌ ابداً وهامِ

وذَهلُكَ هاملٌ ابداً وهامِ

Your ignorance rains down evils and keeps growing;

And your ignorance spreads evil

and your heedlessness is forever careless and adrift.

And your confusion always wanders and roams

ولم تَرهَب مُفاجأةَ المنايا

ولم تَرهَب مُفاجأةَ المنايا

كأَنَّكَ قد أَمِنتَ من الحِمامِ

كأَنَّكَ قد أَمِنتَ من الحِمامِ

You have not feared the sudden coming of death,

You were not afraid of the suddenness of death

as though you had secured yourself against death.

As if you were safe from the baths

ولم تَحفَل بنُصحٍ بل تُمارِي

ولم تَحفَل بنُصحٍ بل تُمارِي

وتُجفِلُ مثلَ إِجفال الحَمامِ

وتُجفِلُ مثلَ إِجفال الحَمامِ

You heed no counsel, but dispute,

And you did not care for advice but rather you resist

and start away like startled doves.

And frown like the frowning of pigeons

وتُقدِمُ دُونَ إِحجامٍ إلى ما

وتُقدِمُ دُونَ إِحجامٍ إلى ما

حِمامُكَ فيهِ كاللَيثِ الحُمامِ

حِمامُكَ فيهِ كاللَيثِ الحُمامِ

You advance without holding back toward that

And you proceed recklessly towards what

in which your death lies, like a mighty lion.

Your zeal in it is like the zeal of raging lions

وتبني ثُمَّ تهدِمُ في زمانٍ

وتبني ثُمَّ تهدِمُ في زمانٍ

تَقضَّى في بِناءٍ وانهِدامِ

تَقضَّى في بِناءٍ وانهِدامِ

You build, then demolish, in a span of time

You build and then demolish in a time

that passes in building and collapse.

That passed in building and demolition

وماءُ الغدرِ فيك لهُ قِوامٌ

وماءُ الغدرِ فيك لهُ قِوامٌ

وما لِقوام غَدرِكَ من قَوامِ

وما لِقوام غَدرِكَ من قَوامِ

The water of treachery has substance within you,

And the water of betrayal in you has a constitution

yet the substance of your treachery has no uprightness.

And the constitution of your betrayal has no constitution

فلِم لا تَرعَوِي ياغُمرُ حتى

فلِم لا تَرعَوِي ياغُمرُ حتى

اضعتَ العُمرَ في غُمَر الأَثامِ

اضعتَ العُمرَ في غُمَر الأَثامِ

Why did you not desist, you fool, until

So why don't you restrain yourself, O heedless one, until

you had wasted your life in the depths of sin?

You spent your life in the darkness of sins

يضيعُ النصحُ في غاوٍ جَهُولٍ

يضيعُ النصحُ في غاوٍ جَهُولٍ

كما قد ضاع مدحٌ في لئَامِ

كما قد ضاع مدحٌ في لئَامِ

Counsel is wasted on an ignorant, wayward man,

Advice is lost to an ignorant transgressor

just as praise has been wasted on the base.

As praise was lost to the vile

لهوتَ عن المناهي بالملاهي

لهوتَ عن المناهي بالملاهي

وقد ناهزتُ درك الإِنثلامِ

وقد ناهزتُ درك الإِنثلامِ

You neglected prohibitions for diversions,

You indulged in prohibitions with pleasures

while I have approached the depths of ruin.

And I have exceeded the limit of composure

ومن بعدِ السِيادةِ صِرتَ عبداً

ومن بعدِ السِيادةِ صِرتَ عبداً

رقيقاً تحتَ طاعاتِ الغَرامِ

رقيقاً تحتَ طاعاتِ الغَرامِ

After mastery you became a slave,

And after sovereignty you became

a bondsman beneath passion's commands.

A lowly slave under the obedience of passions

هوام هَواك أَفرَغَ فيك سَمّاً

هوام هَواك أَفرَغَ فيك سَمّاً

ولا غَروَ الهَوَى مثلُ الهَوامِ

ولا غَروَ الهَوَى مثلُ الهَوامِ

The vermin of your desire poured poison into you;

The delirium of your passion has poured poison into you

no wonder: desire is like venomous vermin.

And nothing equals the delirium of passions

فعُدتَ بهِ سليماً لا سليماً

فعُدتَ بهِ سليماً لا سليماً

ومالك من دواً طُولَ الدَوامِ

ومالك من دواً طُولَ الدَوامِ

So through it you became snake-bitten, not sound,

So you returned healthy but not healthy

and you have no remedy for all eternity.

And you have no cure for eternity

وقادَكَ كالجَزُورِ بلا زِمامٍ

وقادَكَ كالجَزُورِ بلا زِمامٍ

ولا بِدعَ الغُرورُ بلا زِمامِ

ولا بِدعَ الغُرورُ بلا زِمامِ

It led you like a camel for slaughter, without a rein;

And it led you like animals without reins

no wonder: delusion is without a rein.

And the deception of vanity has no reins

لَعَمرُكَ ما الهَوَى إِلّا هَوانٌ

لَعَمرُكَ ما الهَوَى إِلّا هَوانٌ

يُهِينُ ولا يَهُونُ لمُستهامِ

يُهِينُ ولا يَهُونُ لمُستهامِ

By your life, desire is nothing but humiliation:

By your life, passion is nothing but disgrace

it humiliates and never eases for the love-stricken.

That degrades and does not diminish for the determined

فيا مُتَفلِسفاً بالمَكرِ كم ذا

فيا مُتَفلِسفاً بالمَكرِ كم ذا

تُقايِسُ حدَّ عُمرٍ كالرمامِ

تُقايِسُ حدَّ عُمرٍ كالرمامِ

O you who philosophize through cunning, how long

So O philosopher of deceit, how do you

will you reason by analogy about the limit of a life like decayed remains?

Compare the limit of a lifetime like specks of dust

فتَحمِلُ بعدَ وضعٍ ثُمَّ تقضي

فتَحمِلُ بعدَ وضعٍ ثُمَّ تقضي

بنَتجٍ لازمٍ دُونَ التِزامِ

بنَتجٍ لازمٍ دُونَ التِزامِ

You predicate after positing, then judge

You then carry after laying down and spend

by a necessary conclusion, without commitment.

With the necessities of life without commitment

تنامُ مُخادِعاً وبك انتِباهٌ

تنامُ مُخادِعاً وبك انتِباهٌ

كانك ثَعلَبٌ بينَ النِيامِ

كانك ثَعلَبٌ بينَ النِيامِ

You sleep deceitfully, though you are alert,

You sleep deceiving while you are alert

as though you were a fox among the sleepers.

As if you are a fox among the sleeping

إلى كم ذا العِثارُ ولا عَماءٌ

إلى كم ذا العِثارُ ولا عَماءٌ

بطَرفِكَ انما هذا تَعامِ

بطَرفِكَ انما هذا تَعامِ

How long this stumbling, when there is no blindness

To what extent is this stumbling while no blindness

in your eye? This is only feigned blindness.

By your eyes? This is connivance

وقد تُعزَى إلى الشَهباءِ مكراً

وقد تُعزَى إلى الشَهباءِ مكراً

وتُلجِيكَ الطِباعُ إلى الشآمِ

وتُلجِيكَ الطِباعُ إلى الشآمِ

You may be ascribed to al-Shahba through cunning,

And you may attribute it to celestial bodies deceitfully

yet your dispositions force you toward al-Sham.

And your nature leads you to Syria

ولم يُخَلِ الثَرَى مثلَ الثُرَيَّا

ولم يُخَلِ الثَرَى مثلَ الثُرَيَّا

على جِهَةٍ ولا حامٌ كسامِ

على جِهَةٍ ولا حامٌ كسامِ

Dust has not been reckoned like the Pleiades

And the ground never lacked one like the ground beetle

in any respect, nor Ham like Shem.

In any direction or protector like a poisonous protector

وأَيمُ اللَهِ انكَ في أمورٍ

وأَيمُ اللَهِ انكَ في أمورٍ

عديمةِ كُلِّ بِرٍّ وانتِظامِ

عديمةِ كُلِّ بِرٍّ وانتِظامِ

By God, you are engaged in affairs

By the life of God, you are in matters

devoid of all righteousness and order.

Void of any righteousness or organization

لانك بالدَها كالبُوم تَعمَى

لانك بالدَها كالبُوم تَعمَى

نَهاراً ثُمَ تُبصِرُ في الظَلامِ

نَهاراً ثُمَ تُبصِرُ في الظَلامِ

For, in cunning, you are like owls: blind

Because you are, due to your ignorance, like an owl

by day, then seeing in the dark.

That is blind in the day then can see in the darkness

تَوَدُّ الطِبَّ في تضميدِ جُرحٍ

تَوَدُّ الطِبَّ في تضميدِ جُرحٍ

وجُرحُكَ منك باللأواءِ دامِ

وجُرحُكَ منك باللأواءِ دامِ

You desire medicine for dressing a wound,

You wish for medicine in dressing a wound

yet your wound bleeds through hardship of your own making.

While your wound from you is continuous

تقولُ النَوحُ والإِمساكُ بِرٌّ

تقولُ النَوحُ والإِمساكُ بِرٌّ

وتَطرَبُ ان أَتَى وقتُ الطَعامِ

وتَطرَبُ ان أَتَى وقتُ الطَعامِ

You say mourning and abstinence are virtue,

You say complaining and fasting is righteous

yet rejoice when mealtime comes.

Yet you become agitated if the time of the meal comes

وتَزعُمُ ان نَهمَ البَطنِ ضَرٌّ

وتَزعُمُ ان نَهمَ البَطنِ ضَرٌّ

وتنتهزُ المآكل باغتِنامِ

وتنتهزُ المآكل باغتِنامِ

You claim the belly's gluttony is harmful,

And you claim that the craving of the stomach is harmful

yet seize food at every opportunity.

Yet you seize foods greedily

وتَحكُمُ أَنَّ سُقمَ العَزم مُرٌّ

وتَحكُمُ أَنَّ سُقمَ العَزم مُرٌّ

وتُدرِك ما يُولِّدُ للسَقامِ

وتُدرِك ما يُولِّدُ للسَقامِ

You judge feebleness of resolve to be bitter,

And you judge that the sickness of resolve is bitter

yet attain what breeds sickness.

And you indulge in what generates illness

وتُضني الجِسمَ من شَرَهٍ ونَهمٍ

وتُضني الجِسمَ من شَرَهٍ ونَهمٍ

ترودُ الغُنمَ من غير احتِشامِ

ترودُ الغُنمَ من غير احتِشامِ

You wear out the body through greed and gluttony,

You deprive the body of gluttony and craving

seeking gain without restraint.

Like the shepherding of sheep without modesty

وتُنذِرُ بالعَفافِ وانتَ ترنو

وتُنذِرُ بالعَفافِ وانتَ ترنو

إلى الحُسنَى كصبٍّ مُستَهامِ

إلى الحُسنَى كصبٍّ مُستَهامِ

You admonish others to chastity, while gazing

And you warn of chastity while you aspire

toward the fair one like a love-stricken lover.

To the beautiful women like a fervent young man

تُبيِّنُ في هُدُوّ الصَمتِ نَفعاً

تُبيِّنُ في هُدُوّ الصَمتِ نَفعاً

وتَمدَحُهُ بإِكثار الكَلامِ

وتَمدَحُهُ بإِكثار الكَلامِ

You explain the benefit in silence's stillness,

You show silence to be beneficial in pretense of tranquility

and praise it by speaking at length.

And you praise it with abundant speech

وتمتدحُ الوَداعةَ مستشيطاً

وتمتدحُ الوَداعةَ مستشيطاً

ومحتدّاً شديدَ الإِضطِرامِ

ومحتدّاً شديدَ الإِضطِرامِ

You commend gentleness while raging,

And you praise calmness in extreme anger

heated and fiercely aflame.

And intense irritation

تَحُثُّ على الصلوةِ وقد تَراها

تَحُثُّ على الصلوةِ وقد تَراها

وساعتُها تنوط بالفِ عامِ

وساعتُها تنوط بالفِ عامِ

You urge prayer, yet regard it

You urge prayer but you can see it

as though its hour were tied to a thousand years.

And its time is tied to years

وتُؤثِرُ في سِواكَ نِظامَ نفسٍ

وتُؤثِرُ في سِواكَ نِظامَ نفسٍ

ونفسُك في هواكَ بلا نِظامِ

ونفسُك في هواكَ بلا نِظامِ

You prefer self-discipline in others,

And you prefer in your equals the systemization of the self

while your own soul follows your desire without order.

While your self with your passion is without system

تُرِينا مُعرِضاً عن سُقم عَزمٍ

تُرِينا مُعرِضاً عن سُقم عَزمٍ

وتُؤثِرُهُ بجدٍّ واهتِمامِ

وتُؤثِرُهُ بجدٍّ واهتِمامِ

You show yourself to us as shunning feeble resolve,

You show us turning away from the sickness of resolve

yet prefer it with zeal and care.

And you prefer it with seriousness and care

وتَندُبُ فجعةَ الدُنيا وتُولي

وتَندُبُ فجعةَ الدُنيا وتُولي

مخاوفَ حربها أَمنَ السَلامِ

مخاوفَ حربها أَمنَ السَلامِ

You lament the world's calamity, yet accord

And you complain of the sorrow of the world yet you turn

the terrors of its war the security of peace.

From its worries to the safety of peace

تَحُضُّ على اطِّراح العُجب كُلاً

تَحُضُّ على اطِّراح العُجب كُلاً

وتُعجِبُ في مُطارَحةِ الكَلامِ

وتُعجِبُ في مُطارَحةِ الكَلامِ

You urge the complete casting off of conceit,

You encourage the discarding of arrogance entirely

yet show off in exchanging words.

And you take pride in discarding speech

تُعلِّمُ في دَوام النَوح ثُمَّت

تُعلِّمُ في دَوام النَوح ثُمَّت

تُقَهقِهُ كالصغيرِ بلا احتِشامِ

تُقَهقِهُ كالصغيرِ بلا احتِشامِ

You teach unceasing mourning, then

You teach constant lamenting then

guffaw like a child without restraint.

You laugh like an undignified child

تُهدِّدُ في وُرودِ الموتِ حيناً

تُهدِّدُ في وُرودِ الموتِ حيناً

ولا تَخشَى من الموتِ الزُؤَامِ

ولا تَخشَى من الموتِ الزُؤَامِ

At times you threaten with the coming of death,

You threaten during the occurrence of death sometimes

yet do not fear swift, deadly death.

Yet you do not fear the difficulties of death

وتَقرَأُ في الحِسابِ عقيبَ موتٍ

وتَقرَأُ في الحِسابِ عقيبَ موتٍ

فتقريهِ بمزحٍ وابتِسامِ

فتقريهِ بمزحٍ وابتِسامِ

You read of the reckoning after death,

And you read about the account after death

then entertain it with joking and smiles.

So you take it lightly with jesting and smiling

تُشرِّفُ ذِلَّةَ المِسكينِ لفظاً

تُشرِّفُ ذِلَّةَ المِسكينِ لفظاً

وتَنهَرُهُ بأَلفاظٍ ضِخامِ

وتَنهَرُهُ بأَلفاظٍ ضِخامِ

You honor the poor man's lowliness in words,

You honor the humility of the poor verbally

yet rebuke him with harsh words.

And you scold him with loud shouts

تزيدُ بمدحِ جَوَّادٍ رحومٍ

تزيدُ بمدحِ جَوَّادٍ رحومٍ

وتأبِي ان تَبُلَّ غليلَ ظامِ

وتأبِي ان تَبُلَّ غليلَ ظامِ

You abound in praising a generous, merciful man,

You increase your praise of a generous compassionate one

yet refuse to slake a thirsty man's burning thirst.

And refuse to relieve the agony of the oppressed

تلينُ هَشاشةً وتَبِشُّ قُرباً

تلينُ هَشاشةً وتَبِشُّ قُرباً

وتَلذَعُ بعدها لَذعَ الهَوامِ

وتَلذَعُ بعدها لَذعَ الهَوامِ

You soften cheerfully and smile as you draw near,

You show gentleness then lash out

then sting afterward like venomous creatures.

With the stings of obscenities

وتُوسِعُ جامعَ الأَموال شتماً

وتُوسِعُ جامعَ الأَموال شتماً

وتَجمَعُ من حَلالٍ أو حَرامِ

وتَجمَعُ من حَلالٍ أو حَرامِ

You heap abuse upon the hoarder of wealth,

And you expand the university of money for insult

yet gather it from lawful or forbidden sources.

And gather from the lawful or unlawful

وتمدحُ زاهداً وتُحِبُّ فقراً

وتمدحُ زاهداً وتُحِبُّ فقراً

وتُفنِي العُمرَ في جمع الحُطامِ

وتُفنِي العُمرَ في جمع الحُطامِ

You praise an ascetic and love poverty,

And you praise the ascetic and love poverty

yet spend your life gathering worldly chaff.

Yet spend a lifetime collecting rubble

فما يَفنَى من الأَبحار موجٌ

فما يَفنَى من الأَبحار موجٌ

ولا من مُقتنىً موجُ الخصامِ

ولا من مُقتنىً موجُ الخصامِ

As waves never cease from the seas,

No wave perishes from the seas

so waves of strife never cease from possessions.

Nor a wave of strife from acquisitions

فمَن يَرجُ النَدى من ذي احتِشادٍ

فمَن يَرجُ النَدى من ذي احتِشادٍ

يُرَجِّ الرِيَّ من حَرِّ الأُوامِ

يُرَجِّ الرِيَّ من حَرِّ الأُوامِ

Whoever hopes for generosity from a hoarder

So who can extract dew from one full

hopes for thirst's relief from the heat of burning thirst.

Or extract greenery from the heat of sands?

سيُنقَضُ منك ذا ان لِنتَ طبعاً

سيُنقَضُ منك ذا ان لِنتَ طبعاً

واضحى البرُّ منخفضَ الإِكامِ

واضحى البرُّ منخفضَ الإِكامِ

This will be undone in you if your nature softens

This will be negated from you if you soften your nature

and the land's hillocks become low.

And righteousness becomes humbly low

فيا متعمّقاً بالمكر ماذا

فيا متعمّقاً بالمكر ماذا

يُفيدُ المكرُ في يومِ القِيامِ

يُفيدُ المكرُ في يومِ القِيامِ

O you who delve deep into cunning, what

So O one immersed in deceit, what

will cunning avail on Resurrection Day?

Benefit is deceit on the Day of Judgment?

نَهارٌ تنقضي الرأَفات فيهِ

نَهارٌ تنقضي الرأَفات فيهِ

فما أُمٌّ تَرِقُّ على غُلامِ

فما أُمٌّ تَرِقُّ على غُلامِ

A day on which all mercies end,

A day in which affections dissipate

when no mother feels tenderness for a child.

So what mother would show compassion for her son?

الم يبلُغكَ أَنَّ اللَه يأتي

الم يبلُغكَ أَنَّ اللَه يأتي

جِهاراً من على مَتنِ الغَمامِ

جِهاراً من على مَتنِ الغَمامِ

Has it not reached you that God comes

Did not the news reach you that God comes

openly, from atop the clouds' back?

Openly from atop the clouds?

الم تَعلَم بأَنَّ اللَه يقضي

الم تَعلَم بأَنَّ اللَه يقضي

عليك ولا شفيعَ ولا مُحامِ

عليك ولا شفيعَ ولا مُحامِ

Do you not know that God passes judgment

Do you not know that God judges

upon you, with no intercessor or defender?

Upon you and no intercessor or advocate?

الم تَركَن بأَنَّ اللَه عَدلٌ

الم تَركَن بأَنَّ اللَه عَدلٌ

ويُمضِي الحكمَ إِمضاءَ الحُسامِ

ويُمضِي الحكمَ إِمضاءَ الحُسامِ

Have you not trusted that God is just

Do you not realize that God is Just

and executes judgment as a sharp sword cuts?

And carries out the judgment with the decisiveness of swords?

الم تَسمَع بان اللَه ان لم

الم تَسمَع بان اللَه ان لم

تَتُب يَنهَض بسيفِ الإِنتِقامِ

تَتُب يَنهَض بسيفِ الإِنتِقامِ

Have you not heard that God, if you do not

Did you not hear that if you do not repent

repent, rises with the sword of vengeance,

God will rise with the sword of vengeance?

ويُوتِر قَوسَهُ عن سَهمِ رُجزٍ

ويُوتِر قَوسَهُ عن سَهمِ رُجزٍ

يُهيئُ فيهِ آنيةَ الحِمامِ

يُهيئُ فيهِ آنيةَ الحِمامِ

and strings his bow for an arrow of wrath,

And bend His bow with an arrow of torment

preparing in it the vessels of death?

Preparing with it the vessels of baths

الم تَخشَ السِهامَ وانت مَرمىً

الم تَخشَ السِهامَ وانت مَرمىً

لَهُنَّ وصحَّ أَنَّ اللَهَ رامِ

لَهُنَّ وصحَّ أَنَّ اللَهَ رامِ

Do you not fear the arrows, while you are a target

Do you not fear arrows while you are a target

for them, and it is certain that God is the archer?

For them, and it is true that God wants?

سِهامُ بِلىً مثلَّثةُ المنايا

سِهامُ بِلىً مثلَّثةُ المنايا

سِهامٌ في سِهامٍ في سِهامِ

سِهامٌ في سِهامٍ في سِهامِ

Arrows of ruin with threefold death:

Arrows of misery like the triangular ends of death

arrows within arrows within arrows.

Arrows within arrows within arrows

تَخالُ بان سهمَ اللَهِ يُخطِي

تَخالُ بان سهمَ اللَهِ يُخطِي

وصارِمَهُ صَدِيءٌ ذو كهامِ

وصارِمَهُ صَدِيءٌ ذو كهامِ

You suppose that God's arrow misses

You imagine that God's arrow will miss

and that his sword is rusty and blunted.

While its archer is loud-voiced with eagerness

فهل لكَ يا حليفَ الغَدرِ عُذرٌ

فهل لكَ يا حليفَ الغَدرِ عُذرٌ

إذا ناداكَ إِذهَب من أَمامي

إذا ناداكَ إِذهَب من أَمامي

Have you, ally of treachery, any excuse

So do you, O ally of betrayal, have any excuse

when he calls to you, 'Go from before me'?

If He calls you saying "Go away from Me"?

وهل لك أَن تَرَى منهُ مَناصاً

وهل لك أَن تَرَى منهُ مَناصاً

إذا ما قال أُبعُد عن مَقامي

إذا ما قال أُبعُد عن مَقامي

And can you find any escape from him

And can you find any escape from Him

when he says, 'Depart from my presence'?

If He says "Remove yourself from My vicinity"?

فكيفَ العِتقُ من جاماتِ رُجزٍ

فكيفَ العِتقُ من جاماتِ رُجزٍ

وأَنواعُ البَلاءِ بكل جامِ

وأَنواعُ البَلاءِ بكل جامِ

How can you escape the bowls of wrath,

So how can there be deliverance from the cups of torment

with kinds of affliction in every bowl?

And various kinds of affliction in every cup?

فإِن صهيونُ تُستَقصى بفَحصٍ

فإِن صهيونُ تُستَقصى بفَحصٍ

فبابلُ كم تحوزُ من النقامِ

فبابلُ كم تحوزُ من النقامِ

For if Zion is thoroughly examined,

For if Zion is held to account precisely

how much vengeance will Babylon receive?

Then how much vengeance will Babylon gain?

فتُب واندُب ونُح واحزَن وكِلّف

فتُب واندُب ونُح واحزَن وكِلّف

لأَن يَرثِي شَقاوتكَ التِهامي

لأَن يَرثِي شَقاوتكَ التِهامي

So repent, lament, mourn, grieve, and charge

So repent, lament, moan, and grieve

al-Tihami to lament your misery.

In order for remorse to mourn your ruin

فان تَرُمِ التُقَى بعلوّ رأي

فان تَرُمِ التُقَى بعلوّ رأي

تُضِع أَجرَ الصلاةِ مع الصِيامِ

تُضِع أَجرَ الصلاةِ مع الصِيامِ

For if you seek piety with lofty self-regard,

And if you cast off piety by the loftiness of opinion

you waste the reward of prayer and fasting.

You will lose the reward of prayers and fasting

وفِرَّ إلى القِفارِ وكُن بعيداً

وفِرَّ إلى القِفارِ وكُن بعيداً

كبعدِ الناسِ عن داءِ الجُذامِ

كبعدِ الناسِ عن داءِ الجُذامِ

Flee to the wastelands and keep your distance,

Flee to the wilderness and be far

as people keep their distance from leprosy.

Like the distance of people from the disease of leprosy

فحَدُّ الزُهدِ يُنتِجُ فَقدَ هَمٍّ

فحَدُّ الزُهدِ يُنتِجُ فَقدَ هَمٍّ

وبُعداً عن حُنّوٍ واغتِمامِ

وبُعداً عن حُنّوٍ واغتِمامِ

For asceticism's limit yields freedom from care,

For the limit of asceticism produces loss of worries

and distance from affection and sorrow.

And distance from affection and sorrow

وضَيِّق جَوفكَ الوحشيَّ طبعاً

وضَيِّق جَوفكَ الوحشيَّ طبعاً

وقَلِّل ما استطعتَ من المُدامِ

وقَلِّل ما استطعتَ من المُدامِ

Constrict your belly, savage by nature,

And tighten your feral innate narrow self

and reduce wine as much as you can.

And minimize what you can of alcohol

فضِيقُ الجوفِ يَعصِرُ جَفنَ قلبٍ

فضِيقُ الجوفِ يَعصِرُ جَفنَ قلبٍ

تُراعِيهِ المدامعُ بانسِجامِ

تُراعِيهِ المدامعُ بانسِجامِ

For the belly's constriction wrings the heart's eyelid,

For the tightness of the interior squeezes the eyelid of a heart

which tears attend in a flowing stream.

Whose tears flow in harmony

ويحمَحُ بارتياح القلبِ فِكرٌ

ويحمَحُ بارتياح القلبِ فِكرٌ

جُموحَ الخيلِ وَهيَ بلا لِجام

جُموحَ الخيلِ وَهيَ بلا لِجام

And when the heart is at ease, thought runs wild,

And it excites with the comfort of the heart a thought

like horses bolting without a bridle.

Of crazed horses while they are without reins

فسَقطةُ آدَمٍ وهَلاكُ عيسى

فسَقطةُ آدَمٍ وهَلاكُ عيسى

ومُنكَرُ نُوحَ سبَّبَ لعنَ حامِ

ومُنكَرُ نُوحَ سبَّبَ لعنَ حامِ

Thus Adam's fall and the death of Jesus,

The downfall of Adam and the death of Jesus

and Noah's shameful deed that caused Ham's curse,

And Noah's denial caused the damnation of Ham

وإِستِهجانُ لوطَ البارِ لمَّا

وإِستِهجانُ لوطَ البارِ لمَّا

احلَّ بسكُرهِ عِقدَ الحَرامِ

احلَّ بسكُرهِ عِقدَ الحَرامِ

and the disgrace of righteous Lot, when

And the disapproval of the pious Lot when

in his drunkenness he undid the bond of prohibition,

He became drunk and tied the knot of sacrilege

وإِستئصالُ إِسرائيلَ قِدماً

وإِستئصالُ إِسرائيلَ قِدماً

وإِبني عاليَ الحِبرِ الهُمَامِ

وإِبني عاليَ الحِبرِ الهُمَامِ

and the uprooting of Israel long ago,

And the uprooting of the feet of Israel

and of the two sons of Eli, the noble priest—

And the sons of Eli the high-minded priest

هُوَ الشَرَهُ المسبِّبُ كلَّ سبيٍ

هُوَ الشَرَهُ المسبِّبُ كلَّ سبيٍ

بفَقدِ الحِسّ من داءِ السُهامِ

بفَقدِ الحِسّ من داءِ السُهامِ

it is gluttony, the cause of every captivity,

It is gluttony that causes every captivity

through loss of sense from wasting sickness.

With the loss of sensibility from the disease of arrows

تَشبَّث يا حَزُومُ بأَصل حَزمٍ

تَشبَّث يا حَزُومُ بأَصل حَزمٍ

وأُسمُ بهِ فانَّ ذراهُ سامِ

وأُسمُ بهِ فانَّ ذراهُ سامِ

Hold fast, prudent man, to the root of prudence,

Cling, O prudent one, to the origin of prudence

and rise through it, for its summit is lofty.

And fast with it for its harvest is fertile

فان عاشَ الفَتَى من غيرِ حَزمٍ

فان عاشَ الفَتَى من غيرِ حَزمٍ

يموتُ ورأَيُهُ صَعبُ المَرامِ

يموتُ ورأَيُهُ صَعبُ المَرامِ

For if a young man lives without prudence,

For if the young man lives without prudence

he dies with his purpose hard to attain.

He dies while his view is difficult to achieve

فلا تَركَن لطينِ الجسم حتَّى

فلا تَركَن لطينِ الجسم حتَّى

يَراكَ اللَهُ في دارِ السَلامِ

يَراكَ اللَهُ في دارِ السَلامِ

So do not rely on the body's clay until

So do not incline to the mud of the body until

God sees you in the abode of peace.

God sees you in the Abode of Peace