مِنَ المَرمَرِ المَسنونِ صاغوا مِثالَهُ

وَطافوا بِهِ مِن كُلِّ ناحِيَةٍ زُمَر

From polished marble they sculpted his image,

From polished marble they fashioned his likeness,

And around it groups circulated from every side.

And circled around it from every side in throngs.

وَقالوا صَنَعناهُ لِتَخليدِ رَسمِهِ

فَقُلتُ أَلا يَفنى كَما فَنِيَ الأَثَر

They said, “We made it to immortalize his form,”

They said, "We crafted it to immortalize his memory,"

I said, “Will it not perish as traces perish?”

I replied, "Will it not perish just as his legacy has perished?"

وَقالوا نَصَبناهُ اِعتِرافاً بِفَضلِهِ

فَقُلتُ إِذَن مَن يَعرِفِ الفَضلَ لِلحَجَر

They said, “We erected it in acknowledgement of his merit,”

They said, "We erected it in acknowledgment of his bounty,"

I said, “Who then appreciates merit in stone?”

I replied, "Who, then, will acknowledge the bounty of the stone?"

وَقالوا غَنِيٌّ كانَ يَسخو بِمالِهِ

فَقُلتُ لَهُم هَل كانَ أَسخى مِنَ المَطَر

They said, “He was a wealthy man who gave generously,”

They said, "A wealthy man, he was generous with his gold,"

I said to them, “Was he more generous than rain?”

I asked them, "Was he more generous than the rain?"

وَقالوا قَوِيٌّ عاشَ يَحمي ذِمارَنا

فَقُلتُ لَهُم هَل كانَ أَقوى مِنَ القَدَر

They said, “A strong man who lived protecting our reputations,”

They said, "A mighty man, he lived protecting our honor,"

I said to them, “Was he stronger than fate?”

I asked them, "Was he mightier than Fate?"

أَكانَ غَنِيّاً أَم قَوِيّاً فَإِنَّهُ

بِمالِكُم اِستَغنى وَقُوَّتِكُم ظَفَر

Whether he was wealthy or strong, he

Whether he was wealthy or mighty, the truth remains:

Prevailed through your wealth and your might.

He grew rich through your wealth, and triumphed through your strength.

فَلَم يَتَعَشَّقُكُم وَلا هِمتُم بِهِ

كَما خِلتُمُ لَكِنَّهُ النَفعُ وَالضَرَر

He did not idolize you nor did you care for him

He did not adore you, nor were you enamored with him,

As you have for each other - but for profit and loss.

As you imagined; it was merely profit and loss.

وَلَم تَرفَعوا التِمثالَ لِلبَأسِ وَالنَدى

وَلَكِن لِضَعفٍ في نُفوسِكُم اِستَتَر

You did not erect the statue for valor and munificence

You did not raise the statue for his might or his grace,

But from weakness hidden in your souls.

But for a hidden weakness concealed within your souls.

فَلَستُم تُحِبّونَ الغَنِيَّ إِذا اِفتَقَر

وَلَستُم تُحِبّونَ القَوِيَّ إِذا اِندَحَر

Thus you do not love the wealthy when he becomes poor

For you do not love the rich man once he falls into poverty,

Nor the strong when he is defeated.

Nor do you love the strong man once he is defeated.

رَأَيتُكُم لا تَعرِجونَ بِرَوضَةٍ

إِذا لَم يَكُن في الرَوضِ فَيءٌ وَلا ثَمَر

I have seen you do not frequent a meadow

I have seen that you do not turn aside for a garden,

When there is no shade or fruit in the meadow.

If that garden offers neither shade nor fruit.

وَلا تَعلِفونَ الشاةَ إِلّا لِتَسمَنوا

وَلا تَقتَنونَ الخَيلَ إِلّا عَلى سَفَر

You only feed the sheep to fatten it

You do not feed the sheep except to fatten yourselves,

And own horses only for travel.

And you do not keep horses except for the sake of travel.

إِذا كانَ حُبُّ الفَضلِ لِلفَضلِ شَأنُكُم

وَلَم تُخطِؤوا في الحِسِّ وَالسَمعِ وَالبَصَر

If appreciating virtue for virtue’s sake were your way

If loving virtue for virtue’s sake was truly your nature,

And you were not remiss in sight, hearing, and perception,

And your senses, hearing, and sight were not mistaken,

فَما بالُكُم لَم تُكرِموا اللَيلَ وَالضُحى

وَلَم تَنصُبوا التِمثالَ لِلشَمسِ وَالقَمَر

Why then did you not honor night and daybreak

Why then have you not honored the night and the morning light?

And erect a statue to the sun and the moon?

And why have you raised no statue for the sun and the moon?