يا حاسدَ النّعمةِ في غيره

يا حاسدَ النّعمةِ في غيره

وذاهباً في الغبى من مذهبِهِ

وذاهباً في الغبى من مذهبِهِ

O you who envy the blessing bestowed on another,

O you who envy another's blessing,

wandering in the folly of such a course:

and follow your own path into folly:

بحرُ العطايا أنت في لجّهِ

بحرُ العطايا أنت في لجّهِ

وتحسدُ المسكين في مذنبه

وتحسدُ المسكين في مذنبه

The sea of gifts—you are in its depths,

The sea of gifts—you are in its depths,

yet you envy the poor man at its meager outlet.

yet you envy the poor man for his rivulet.

وقد هدى جفنك بدرُ الدُّجى

وقد هدى جفنك بدرُ الدُّجى

وأنت لا تطرف عن كوكبه

وأنت لا تطرف عن كوكبه

Though night’s full moon has guided your eye,

And the full moon of the dark night has guided your gaze,

you never turn your gaze from its star.

yet you do not avert your eyes from his star.

تحسده في كلِّ أحواله

تحسده في كلِّ أحواله

وربما زدت على مكسبه

وربما زدت على مكسبه

You envy him in every circumstance,

You envy him in all his circumstances,

though perhaps you surpass all that he earns:

though perhaps you have earned more than he has:

في أكله الطَّيب في شربه

في أكله الطَّيب في شربه

في لبسه النعم في مركبه

في لبسه النعم في مركبه

in his wholesome food and in his drink,

in his wholesome food, in his drink,

in his clothing, his comforts, and his mount.

in his soft clothing, in his mount.

يا نائماً يحسد إخوانه

يا نائماً يحسد إخوانه

الله قد فضّلهم فانتبه

الله قد فضّلهم فانتبه

O sleeper who envies his brothers—

O sleeper who envies his brothers,

God has favored them, so awake!

God has favored them, so wake up.

انظر بعين الفكر في ذا وذا

انظر بعين الفكر في ذا وذا

ما سَنَنُ التحقيق بالمشتبه

ما سَنَنُ التحقيق بالمشتبه

Look with the mind’s eye at this one and that:

Look with the eye of reflection at this and that:

the paths of true discernment are not obscure.

the path to certainty is not obscure.

حالُكَ لا تبقى ولا حالُهُ

حالُكَ لا تبقى ولا حالُهُ

ما أقرَبَ الظامىء من مشربه

ما أقرَبَ الظامىء من مشربه

Neither your condition nor his will last;

Your condition will not last, nor will his.

how near the thirsty man is to his watering place!

How close the thirsty man is to his drinking place!

والبدرُ إن راقك إشراقُهُ

والبدرُ إن راقك إشراقُهُ

فإنه يشجيك في مغربه

فإنه يشجيك في مغربه

And if the full moon’s radiance delights you,

And the full moon, if its radiance delights you,

it will grieve you when it sets.

then it will sadden you at its setting.

لا تصحَبَن ذا حسدٍ إنَّه

لا تصحَبَن ذا حسدٍ إنَّه

أولُ ذنبٍ عُصِيَ الله به

أولُ ذنبٍ عُصِيَ الله به

Never keep company with an envious man: envy

Do not befriend an envious person, for envy is

was the first sin by which God was disobeyed.

the first sin through which God was disobeyed.