أفِيIs it in كلِّevery يومٍday ليfor me مُنىًwishes أستجدّهاI renew them
أفِي كلِّ يومٍ لي مُنىً أستجدّها
وأسبابُand ties دنياًworldly life بالغرُورِthrough delusion أودُّهاI cherish them
وأسبابُ دنياً بالغرُورِ أودُّها
Do I have, each day, wishes I renew,
Do I seek in each day some wish I renew
and worldly ties I cherish in delusion?
And worldly means I pursue in delusion?
ونفسٌand a soul تنزّىleaps restlessly ليتهاwould that it فيin جوانحٍribs
ونفسٌ تنزّى ليتها في جوانحٍ
لذِيof one possessing قوَّةٍstrength يَسطيعهاcan master it فيردّهاand so restrains it
لذِي قوَّةٍ يَسطيعها فيردّها
And a soul that leaps restlessly—would that it dwelt within the ribs
A soul aspires were it in a winged one
of one strong enough to master it and hold it back.
Of strength to restrain it and return it.
تَعامَهُfeigns blindness عَمْداًdeliberately وهْيَthough it is جِدُّutterly بصيرةٍclear-sighted
تَعامَهُ عَمْداً وهْيَ جِدُّ بصيرةٍ
كماjust as ضلّstrayed عنfrom عشواءَa dim-sighted she-camel باللّيلin the night رُشدُهاits guidance
كما ضلّ عن عشواءَ باللّيل رُشدُها
It feigns blindness deliberately, though utterly clear-sighted,
It treats heedlessness as intent while awake
as guidance deserts a dim-sighted she-camel in the night.
As the rightly guided in darkness lose their way.
إذاwhen قلتُI said يوماًone day قدalready تناهىreached its limit جِماحُهاits unruliness
إذا قلتُ يوماً قد تناهى جِماحُها
تجانَفَveered aside لِيfor me عنaway from منهجِthe path of الحقِّtruth بعدُهاits remoteness
تجانَفَ لِي عن منهجِ الحقِّ بعدُها
Whenever I say, 'Its unruliness has reached its limit,'
When I say one day its wings have ended
it veers ever farther from the path of truth before me.
It defiantly swerves from the path of truth after that.
وليand for me نَقْدُهاits ready payment منof كلِّevery شرٍّevil وربّماand sometimes
ولي نَقْدُها من كلِّ شرٍّ وربّما
يكونis بخيرٍof good لاnot توفّيهfulfills it وعدُهاits promise
يكون بخيرٍ لا توفّيه وعدُها
Every evil is its ready payment to me; sometimes,
I chastise it for every evil, but maybe
its promise is of good it never delivers.
In good it does not fulfil its promise.
وَأَحْسَبُand I reckon مَولاهاits master كَماas يَنبغيis fitting لَهاfor it
وَأَحْسَبُ مَولاها كَما يَنبغي لَها
وَأنِّيَand that I منthrough فَرْطِexcess of الإطاعةِobedience عبدُهاits slave
وَأنِّيَ من فَرْطِ الإطاعةِ عبدُها
And I reckon myself its master, as is fitting for it,
I reckon its Master as befits it
yet, through excessive obedience, I am its slave.
And that I, from overwhelming obedience, am its slave.
ترىyou see فيin لسانيmy tongue ماwhatever تشاءُyou wish منof التُّقىpiety
ترى في لساني ما تشاءُ من التُّقى
ومِنْand of حَسَناتٍgood deeds ثمّthen فعلِيَmy conduct ضدُّهاtheir opposite
ومِنْ حَسَناتٍ ثمّ فعلِيَ ضدُّها
You see on my tongue all the piety you could wish,
It sees in my tongue what piety it wishes
and good deeds; yet my conduct is their opposite.
And good deeds, yet my actions contradict them.
وأهوىand I love سبيلاًa path لاnot أرىI am seen سالكاًwalking بهاalong it
وأهوى سبيلاً لا أرى سالكاً بها
كأنِّيَas though I أقلاهاloathe it وَغيريand someone other than me يَوَدُّهاloves it
كأنِّيَ أقلاها وَغيري يَوَدُّها
And I love a path, yet am not seen walking it,
I yearn a path I see no traveller take
as though I loathe it and someone else loves it.
As if I surmise it and others desire it.
وأنسىand I forget ذنوباًsins لِيof mine أتتْcame to pass فاتeluded حصرُهاtheir enumeration
وأنسى ذنوباً لِي أتتْ فات حصرُها
حسابيmy reckoning وربّيand my Lord للجزاءِfor recompense يعُدُّهاcounts them
حسابي وربّي للجزاءِ يعُدُّها
And I forget past sins of mine, whose tally eludes
I forget sins that came and exceeded counting -
my reckoning, while my Lord counts them for recompense.
My Lord records them for requital.
أقِرُّI confess بهاto them رَغماًunwillingly وليسand is not بنافعِيof use to me
أقِرُّ بها رَغماً وليس بنافعِي
وَقَدand already طويتْwere rolled up صُحْفُscrolls of المعاذيرexcuses جَحْدُهاdenying them
وَقَد طويتْ صُحْفُ المعاذير جَحْدُها
I confess them unwillingly, and it will not help me,
I admit them reluctantly and no use is it to me
once the scrolls of excuses have been rolled up, to deny them.
As denying excuses' pages are folded.
وَلَمّاand when تَراءَتْbecame visible ليto me مَغبَّةُthe consequences of قبحِهاtheir ugliness
وَلَمّا تَراءَتْ لي مَغبَّةُ قبحِها
وَعُرِّيَand was stripped away عنfrom دارِthe abode of المُجازاةِrecompense بُرْدُهاits cloak
وَعُرِّيَ عن دارِ المُجازاةِ بُرْدُها
And when the consequences of their ugliness appeared to me,
When its ugliness' harm appeared to me
and the abode of recompense was stripped of its cloak,
And the cold of the Abode of Retribution was exposed,
تَندّمتُI felt remorse لمّاwhen لَمnot تَكُنthere was ليfor me نَدامةٌremorse
تَندّمتُ لمّا لَم تَكُن لي نَدامةٌ
فَألّاthen why not? وفىand in كفّيmy hand لوif شئتُI wished ردّهاturning them back
فَألّا وفى كفّي لو شئتُ ردّها
I felt remorse when remorse could no longer help me—
I regretted that I had no regret
then why not while their restraint lay in my hand, had I wished?
To wash my hands of it if I wished to return it.
ولمand not أرَI saw كالدّنياlike this world تصدّit bars عنfrom الّذيwhat
ولم أرَ كالدّنيا تصدّ عن الّذي
يَوَدُّdesire محبوهاits lovers فيحسُنُand so is good صدُّهاits refusal
يَوَدُّ محبوها فيحسُنُ صدُّها
And I have seen nothing like this world: it bars the way to what
I did not see the world turn from one
its lovers desire, and so its refusal is good.
Who loves it and treats it well in its turning away.
وتسقيهمُand gives them to drink منهاfrom it الأُجاجَbitter brine مُصَرَّداًin scant draughts
وتسقيهمُ منها الأُجاجَ مُصَرَّداً
وكيفand how بهاwith it لوif طابbecame sweet للقومِfor the people عِدُّهاits unfailing spring
وكيف بها لو طاب للقومِ عِدُّها
And it gives them its bitter brine to drink in scant draughts;
It gives them from itself bitter poison in gulps,
and how would they fare with it if its spring ran sweet for them?
How would it be if its count were good for people?
تعلّقتُهاI became attached to it وَرْهاءَfoolish للخَرْقِfor tearing نسجُهاits weaving
تعلّقتُها وَرْهاءَ للخَرْقِ نسجُها
وللمنعand for withholding ماwhat تُعطيit gives وللحلِّand for untying عقدُهاits knots
وللمنع ما تُعطي وللحلِّ عقدُها
I clung to it, foolish as it is: its weaving is for tearing,
I clung to it pretending to mend its tatters
and what it gives is for withholding, its knots for untying.
And to untie its knots and to tie its knots.
يُدالُis granted victory الهوىdesire فيهاin it مِراراًrepeatedly منover الحِجىreason
يُدالُ الهوى فيها مِراراً من الحِجى
ويقتادُهاand leads it صُغْراًin abasement كماas شاءwished وغْدُهاits knave
ويقتادُها صُغْراً كما شاء وغْدُها
In it, desire repeatedly gains victory over reason,
Desire leads it astray time and again
and its knave leads it in abasement, just as he pleases.
And takes it captive young as it pleases on its return.
وماand not أنصَفتناit treated us fairly تظهِرُit displays الصَّفحَforgiveness كلَّهُall of it
وما أنصَفتنا تظهِرُ الصَّفحَ كلَّهُ
لجانٍto an offender وفيماand where لاnot ترىsees العينُthe eye حِقْدُهاits rancor
لجانٍ وفيما لا ترى العينُ حِقْدُها
And it has not dealt fairly with us: it displays complete forgiveness
It did not deal justly displaying all its surface
to an offender, while its rancor lies where the eye cannot see.
To some, while where eyes don't see is its hatred.
أراهاI see it علىdespite كلِّall العيوبِfaults حبيبةًbeloved
أراها على كلِّ العيوبِ حبيبةً
فياso alas! لقلوبٍfor hearts قدalready حشاهنَّhas filled them وُدُّهاlove for it
فيا لقلوبٍ قد حشاهنَّ وُدُّها
I see it beloved despite all its faults;
I see that despite all its faults it is beloved -
so alas for hearts that love of it has filled!
What hearts has its love filled!
وحبُّand the love of بنِيthe children of الدّنياthis world الحياةَlife مسيئةًdoing harm
وحبُّ بنِي الدّنيا الحياةَ مسيئةً
بهمْto them ثَلْمَةٌa breach بالنّفسِin the soul أعوَزَproved impossible سدُّهاits mending
بهمْ ثَلْمَةٌ بالنّفسِ أعوَزَ سدُّها
And the love this world's children bear for life, though it harms
Yet the world's children's love of life is faulty,
them, is a breach in the soul impossible to mend.
In it is a gap in the soul nothing can close.
أَلاtake heed! ياO أُباةَyou who reject الضّيمِoppression كيفhow اِطّباكُمُlured you
أَلا يا أُباةَ الضّيمِ كيف اِطّباكُمُ
وغيرُكُمُwhile others than you يغترّهbeguiles him الرِّفْدُbounty رِفدُهاits bounty
وغيرُكُمُ يغترّه الرِّفْدُ رِفدُها
Listen, you who spurn oppression: how has it lured you—
Oh how stubborn against wrong you are content,
its bounty—when it is others whom bounty beguiles?
While others are deluded by its flowing favours!
وَكَيفَand how رَجَوتمْdid you hope for خيرَهاits good وإزاءَكمْwhile before you
وَكَيفَ رَجَوتمْ خيرَها وإزاءَكمْ
طلائحُworn-out camels أرْداهنّfelled them بالأمسyesterday كدُّهاits toil
طلائحُ أرْداهنّ بالأمس كدُّها
And how could you hope for its goodness, when before you
How did you hope for its good when facing you
lie worn-out camels, felled yesterday by its toil?
Were its turned backs scowling yesterday?
وقدand already كنتمُyou had جرّبتُمُyou experienced غِبّthe aftermath of نفعِهاits benefit
وقد كنتمُ جرّبتُمُ غِبّ نفعِها
وجرّعكمand made you swallow كأسَthe cup of المراراتِbitterness شَهدُهاits honey
وجرّعكم كأسَ المراراتِ شَهدُها
Yet you had already experienced the aftermath of its benefit,
You had tried its meagre benefits
and its honey made you swallow the cup of bitterness.
And it made you drink the cup of bitternesses deeply.
تَعاقَبَfollowed in succession فيكمُupon you حرُّهاits heat بعدafter بَردهاits coolness
تَعاقَبَ فيكمُ حرُّها بعد بَردها
فماso what ضرّهاharmed it لوif حرُّهاits heat ثمَّthen بردُهاits coolness
فما ضرّها لو حرُّها ثمَّ بردُها
Its heat came upon you after its coolness;
Its heat alternated with its cold in you,
so what harm to it if its heat came first, then its coolness?
No harm were its heat then its cold.
وَلَوand if لَمnot تُنِلْكمُit granted you كارِهينَunwilling نَعيمهاits bliss
وَلَو لَم تُنِلْكمُ كارِهينَ نَعيمها
لَماthen would not ضَرّكمhave harmed you كلَّall المضرّةِharm جَهدُهاits hardship
لَما ضَرّكم كلَّ المضرّةِ جَهدُها
And had it not bestowed its comforts on you against your will,
Had it not brought you unwillingly its bliss,
its hardship would not have harmed you so utterly.
No harm would its every harm have availed.
سَقَىmay water اللَّهُGod قلباًa heart لمnot يَبتْspend the night فيwithin ضلوعِهِits ribs
سَقَى اللَّهُ قلباً لم يَبتْ في ضلوعِهِ
هواهاdesire for it لمnot يطرقْvisit by night نواحيهِits recesses وَجْدُهاyearning for it
هواها لم يطرقْ نواحيهِ وَجْدُها
May God water a heart whose ribs never sheltered overnight
May God water a heart in whose depths
love for it, whose recesses yearning for it never visited,
Is no desire for it, untouched by its passion!
ولمand not يَخشَfear منهاfrom it نحسَهاits ill fortune فيبيتُهُso visits it by night
ولم يَخشَ منها نحسَها فيبيتُهُ
عَلىin a state of ظَمأٍthirst إلّاexcept مُحيّاهُwelcomed by it سعدُهاits good fortune
عَلى ظَمأٍ إلّا مُحيّاهُ سعدُها
and which never feared its ill fortune; nothing visits it by night,
That fears not its ill-fortune and so passes the night
amid thirst, but its good fortune, welcomed by that heart.
Thirsty, except what makes him happy is its joy.
تخفّفit lightened its load مِنof أزوادهاits provisions مِلءَto the full extent of طوقِهِits capacity
تخفّف مِن أزوادها مِلءَ طوقِهِ
فَهانَand so became easy عليهِfor it عندَat ذلكthat فَقدُهاlosing it
فَهانَ عليهِ عندَ ذلك فَقدُها
It lightened its load of the world's provisions as far as it could,
It lightens from its supplies his collar's fullness,
and so, at that point, parting with it became easy for that heart.
Then its loss is slight to him at that point.
Sol 6.1