أَماتَكُمُ مِن قَبلِ مَوتِكُمُ الجَهلُ

أَماتَكُمُ مِن قَبلِ مَوتِكُمُ الجَهلُ

وَجَرَّكُمُ مِن خِفَّةٍ بِكُمُ النَملُ

وَجَرَّكُمُ مِن خِفَّةٍ بِكُمُ النَملُ

Ignorance killed you before your death.

Ignorance killed you before your death

Ignorance has slain you before your time of death,

And ants dragged you along, so light are you.

And ants dragged you for your lightness

And for your sheer lightness, the ants have dragged you away.

وُلَيدَ أُبَيِّ الطَيِّبِ الكَلبِ ما لَكُم

وُلَيدَ أُبَيِّ الطَيِّبِ الكَلبِ ما لَكُم

فَطِنتُم إِلى الدَعوى وَمالَكُمُ عَقلُ

فَطِنتُم إِلى الدَعوى وَمالَكُمُ عَقلُ

Little offspring of little Abu al-Tayyib the dog, how did you

O offspring of the good dog! What is wrong with you?

O puny son of petty Abu al-Tayyib the dog, what ails you all?

Hit upon this claim, when you have no sense?

You were clever in claims yet had no reason

You were quick to make false claims, yet you possess no mind.

وَلَو ضَرَبَتكُم مَنجَنِيقي وَأَصلُكُم

وَلَو ضَرَبَتكُم مَنجَنِيقي وَأَصلُكُم

قَوِيٌّ لَهَدَّتكُم فَكَيفَ وَلا أَصلُ

قَوِيٌّ لَهَدَّتكُم فَكَيفَ وَلا أَصلُ

And even if my catapult struck you while your root were

If my catapults had struck you while your roots were firm

If my catapult were to strike you—even if your foundation

Strong, it would shatter you—how then, with no root?

It would have shaken you, so how could it not when you have no roots?

Were mighty—it would crush you; how then, when you have no foundation?

وَلَو كُنتُمُ مِمَّن يُدَبِّرُ أَمرَهُ

وَلَو كُنتُمُ مِمَّن يُدَبِّرُ أَمرَهُ

لَما كُنتُمُ نَسلَ الَّذي ما لَهُ نَسلُ

لَما كُنتُمُ نَسلَ الَّذي ما لَهُ نَسلُ

And if you were among those who manage their affairs,

If you had been one who manages his affairs

And had you been among those who wisely manage their affairs,

You would not be the offspring of one who has no offspring.

You would not have been the offspring of one who has no offspring

You would not be the spawn of one who has no spawn.