يُصيبُ وَما يَدري وَيُخطي وَما دَرى

يُصيبُ وَما يَدري وَيُخطي وَما دَرى

وَكَيفَ يَكونُ النوكُ إِلّا كَذالِكا

وَكَيفَ يَكونُ النوكُ إِلّا كَذالِكا

He hits the mark without knowing, and misses without realizing;

He gets it right without knowing, and gets it wrong without realizing.

And how could folly be anything but so?

And how could foolishness be anything but that?

وَإِن قالَ قَولاً لَم يَكُن ذا حَقيقَةٍ

وَإِن قالَ قَولاً لَم يَكُن ذا حَقيقَةٍ

وَإِن قُلتَ خَيراً رَدَّهُ مِن فَعالِكا

وَإِن قُلتَ خَيراً رَدَّهُ مِن فَعالِكا

If he says a word, there is no truth in it;

And if he makes a statement, it has no truth to it.

And if you speak a good word, your own deeds give it the lie.

And if you say something good, he counters it with your own deeds.