إِذا ما الأرض لم تنخل مراراً

فلا ماءً تصير ولا هواءَ

If the earth were not sifted again and again,

There would be neither water, nor air,

ولا ناراَ ولا أرضاً جديدا

وصار جميع سعيكم هباءَ

Nor new land, nor fire.

All your efforts would be in vain.

وأيقن أنَّ أرضك بعد شتّ

إذا صارت لدى التدبير ماءَ

Know that after winter your land,

When handled skillfully, turns to water,

يقيم ولا يزول بلا ذُنَيب

ولا نفس تجنّ ولا دماءَ

That stays without shifting or sin,

Without a soul that mourns or sheds blood.

وإنّ هواءنا والنار نفس

بمنخلنا قد اكتسبت رواءَ

For our air and fire themselves

Have acquired freshness through our sifting.

فإن ردّدتَ بِلَّتَها عليها

افادتهنَّ في النار البقاءَ

If you returned the chaff to them,

It would give them life again in the fire.

هو التنين جاع فمصَّ رأسٌ

له ذنباً وصَيَّرَه غذاءُ

It is the dragon, hungry, whose head

Has swallowed its tail and made it its food.