تَأويني هم فَبِت أُخاطِبُه

تَأويني هم فَبِت أُخاطِبُه

وَبت أَراعي النجم ثُمَّ أُراقِبُه

وَبت أَراعي النجم ثُمَّ أُراقِبُه

A worry came upon me, and I spent the night addressing it.

My anxiety kept me awake, so I conversed with it

And I spent the night watching the star, then observing it,

And stayed up watching the stars, observing them

لما رابَني من رَيب دَهر أَضرَني

لما رابَني من رَيب دَهر أَضرَني

فَأَنيابُه يبرينَني وَمَخالِبُه

فَأَنيابُه يبرينَني وَمَخالِبُه

Because of the misfortunes of time that troubled and harmed me;

When the vicissitudes of fate wronged me

For its fangs and claws wear me away.

Its fangs wound me, and its claws scratched me

وَأَسهَرَني طول التَفكر إِنَّني

وَأَسهَرَني طول التَفكر إِنَّني

عَجِبت لِدَهر ما تَقضى عَجائِبُه

عَجِبت لِدَهر ما تَقضى عَجائِبُه

And long reflection kept me awake; indeed, I

And insomnia from excessive thinking kept me awake

marveled at time, whose wonders never cease.

I'm amazed by the wonders fate accomplishes

أَرى عاجِزاً يُدعى جَليداً لِغشمه

أَرى عاجِزاً يُدعى جَليداً لِغشمه

وَلَو كلف التَقوى لِفلت مضارِبه

وَلَو كلف التَقوى لِفلت مضارِبه

I see an incapable man called strong for his brutality,

I see a coward called brave because of his tyranny

Yet were he charged with piety, his sword-edges would be blunted.

Had he been pious, his blows would have missed

وَعفاً يُسمى عاجِزاً لِعَفافِهِ

وَعفاً يُسمى عاجِزاً لِعَفافِهِ

وَلَولا التَقى ما أَعجَزَتهُ مَذاهِبُه

وَلَولا التَقى ما أَعجَزَتهُ مَذاهِبُه

And an upright man called incapable for his moral restraint,

And a chaste man called impotent for his chastity

And but for piety, his paths would not have thwarted him.

Had it not been for his piety, his ways would have shamed him

وَأَحمَق مَصنوعاً لَهُ في أُمورِهِ

وَأَحمَق مَصنوعاً لَهُ في أُمورِهِ

يَسودُهُ اِخوانُهُ وَأَقارِبُهُ

يَسودُهُ اِخوانُهُ وَأَقارِبُهُ

And a fool favored in his affairs,

And a fool contrived in his affairs

whom his brothers and kinsmen make their chief,

His brothers and relatives favor him

عَلى غَيرِ حزم في الاِمورِ وَلا تقى

عَلى غَيرِ حزم في الاِمورِ وَلا تقى

وَلا نائِل جَزل تعد مَواهِبُه

وَلا نائِل جَزل تعد مَواهِبُه

though he has neither prudence in affairs nor piety,

Without wisdom in matters or piety

nor lavish bounty whose gifts could be recounted.

No worthy person whose gifts you could count

وَلَيسَ بِعَجز المَرءِ إِخطاؤُهُ الغِنى

وَلَيسَ بِعَجز المَرءِ إِخطاؤُهُ الغِنى

وَلا بِاِحتِيالِ اِدرك المالُ كاسِبُه

وَلا بِاِحتِيالِ اِدرك المالُ كاسِبُه

And a man's failure to attain wealth is not due to incapacity,

A man's poverty is not his failing to gain wealth

Nor has its earner attained wealth through ingenuity.

Nor is scheming how his earner acquired it

وَلكِنَّهُ قَبض الإِله وَبَسطُه

وَلكِنَّهُ قَبض الإِله وَبَسطُه

فَلا ذا يُجاريه وَلا ذا يُغالِبُه

فَلا ذا يُجاريه وَلا ذا يُغالِبُه

But it is God's withholding and His bestowal;

Rather, it is God's giving and withholding

So neither this one can rival Him, nor that one contend with Him.

None can compete with Him or overcome Him

اِذا كَمل الرَحمن لِلمَرءِ عَقلُهُ

اِذا كَمل الرَحمن لِلمَرءِ عَقلُهُ

فَقَد كَمَلت أَخلاقُهُ وَمَناقِبُه

فَقَد كَمَلت أَخلاقُهُ وَمَناقِبُه

When the Most Merciful perfects a man's intellect,

When a man's reason fully matures

Then his character and virtues have reached perfection.

His morals and virtues become complete