مَن مبلغُ المعتَرِّ والقانِعِ

مَن مبلغُ المعتَرِّ والقانِعِ

وابنِ السّبيلِ النّازِحِ النازعِ

وابنِ السّبيلِ النّازِحِ النازعِ

Who will tell the needy visitor and the contented poor,

Who will inform the content and resigned man,

and the wayfarer, far from home and homesick,

And the wayfaring son of the road, the emigrant, the determined,

أنَّ النَّدى قد مات فاستعصِموا

أنَّ النَّدى قد مات فاستعصِموا

باليأسِ من دانٍ ومِن شاسِعِ

باليأسِ من دانٍ ومِن شاسِعِ

that generosity has died? So seek refuge

That the dew has died, so fortify yourselves

in giving up hope of those near and far.

With despair from bringing close or sending away.

لا يبذُلَنْ ذو فاقَةٍ وجهَهُ

لا يبذُلَنْ ذو فاقَةٍ وجهَهُ

لِذي ثراءٍ باخلٍ باخِعِ

لِذي ثراءٍ باخلٍ باخِعِ

Let no man in need abase his face

Let not one in need show his face

before a wealthy miser who brings ruin.

To one in wealth, indifferent, withholding.

ما يظفَرُ الرّاجي نَدى كَفِّهِ

ما يظفَرُ الرّاجي نَدى كَفِّهِ

بغيرِ ذُلِّ الخاشِع الخاضِعِ

بغيرِ ذُلِّ الخاشِع الخاضِعِ

Whoever hopes for the bounty of his hand gains nothing

The hopeful attains not the dew of his palm

but the abasement of the meek and submissive.

Except through the humiliation of the humble and submissive.

هل ينفعُ الظّامي إذا ما طَمَا

هل ينفعُ الظّامي إذا ما طَمَا

أُجاجُ بحرٍ ليسَ بالنَّاقِعِ

أُجاجُ بحرٍ ليسَ بالنَّاقِعِ

Can the thirsty benefit, when it surges,

Will the wronged benefit if the billows of a sea

from a sea's bitter brine that cannot quench thirst?

That cannot be calmed crash?

لله درُّ اليأسِ من ناصِحٍ

لله درُّ اليأسِ من ناصِحٍ

ليس بِغَرَّارٍ ولا خادِعِ

ليس بِغَرَّارٍ ولا خادِعِ

God bless despair—what a sincere adviser,

Praiseworthy is despair from an advisor

neither beguiling nor deceitful!

Who is neither deceitful nor treacherous.

ولا سَقى الأطماعَ صوبُ الحَيا

ولا سَقى الأطماعَ صوبُ الحَيا

فإنَّها مَهْلَكَةُ الطَّامِعِ

فإنَّها مَهْلَكَةُ الطَّامِعِ

And may the rain's downpour never water covetous hopes,

And who does not water hopes in the direction of life,

for they bring ruin to the covetous.

For it is the destroyer of the covetous.

لا ترجُوَنْ خَلقاً فكلُّ الوَرى

لا ترجُوَنْ خَلقاً فكلُّ الوَرى

يقبِضُ كَفَّ المانِعِ الجامِعِ

يقبِضُ كَفَّ المانِعِ الجامِعِ

Do not put hope in any mortal, for all mankind

Do not hope for people, for all of existence

clenches the hand of a withholding hoarder.

Withdraws the hand of the withholder, the gatherer.

وما حوَتْ أيديهِمُ فَهو في

وما حوَتْ أيديهِمُ فَهو في

مثلِ لَهاةِ الأسَدِ الجائِعِ

مثلِ لَهاةِ الأسَدِ الجائِعِ

And whatever their hands hold lies in

That which their hands contain, it is like

something like the throat of a hungry lion.

The snatching of the ravenous, famished lion.

قد سَمِعوا بالجودِ لكنَّهُ

قد سَمِعوا بالجودِ لكنَّهُ

لبُخلِهِم ما لذَّ للسِّامِعِ

لبُخلِهِم ما لذَّ للسِّامِعِ

They have heard of generosity, but it,

They have heard of generosity, but because of their stinginess

because of their miserliness, brought the hearer no delight.

It did not appeal to the hearer.

وكلُّهمْ إن أنت كشَّفتَهُم

وكلُّهمْ إن أنت كشَّفتَهُم

مثلُ سرابِ القِيعَةِ الّلامِعِ

مثلُ سرابِ القِيعَةِ الّلامِعِ

And all of them, if you unmask them,

And all of them, if you unveil them

are like a mirage shimmering over a level plain.

Are like the mirage of the glowing desert.

فدعْهُمُ واطلُبْ من اللهِ ما

فدعْهُمُ واطلُبْ من اللهِ ما

ضَنُّوا به من فضلِهِ الواسِعِ

ضَنُّوا به من فضلِهِ الواسِعِ

So leave them, and ask God for what

So leave them and seek from God what

they withheld from His vast bounty.

They were stingy with, of His abundant grace.

فَما لِما يقطَعُ من واصِلٍ

فَما لِما يقطَعُ من واصِلٍ

ولا لِما يوصِلُ من قاطِعِ

ولا لِما يوصِلُ من قاطِعِ

For none can join what He severs,

For the severing of one who joins

and none can sever what He joins.

Or the joining of one who severs is inconsequential.

قد قَسَّمَ الأرزاقَ بين الوَرى

قد قَسَّمَ الأرزاقَ بين الوَرى

في مُتعَبٍ ساعٍ وفي وادِعِ

في مُتعَبٍ ساعٍ وفي وادِعِ

He has apportioned sustenance among mankind,

He has apportioned sustenance among people

to the weary toiler and to the one at ease.

In energetic and tranquil, and idle.

كلّهُمُ يأتيهِ من رِزقِهِ

كلّهُمُ يأتيهِ من رِزقِهِ

كفايةٌ لو كان بالقانِعِ

كفايةٌ لو كان بالقانِعِ

Each of them receives from his allotted provision

Each of them comes to Him from his sustenance

enough, if only he were content.

Sufficient, if he were content.

لكنَّهُم مِن حِرصِهم قد عَمُوا

لكنَّهُم مِن حِرصِهم قد عَمُوا

عن الطَّريقِ المهْيَعِ الشَّارِعِ

عن الطَّريقِ المهْيَعِ الشَّارِعِ

But through their greed they have grown blind

But they, in their greed, are blind

to the broad, open road.

To the clear, guiding path.

لو أيقَنُوا أنَّ لهم رازِقاً

لو أيقَنُوا أنَّ لهم رازِقاً

ليس لما يُعطيهِ مِن مانِعِ

ليس لما يُعطيهِ مِن مانِعِ

Had they been certain that they have a Provider—

If they were certain that they have a Provider

none can withhold what He gives,

Who none can prevent from what He gives,

ولا لِما يرفَعُ مِن خافِضٍ

ولا لِما يرفَعُ مِن خافِضٍ

ولا لِما يَخفِضُ مِن رافِعِ

ولا لِما يَخفِضُ مِن رافِعِ

nor can anyone lower what He raises,

Nor for what He elevates of a degrader,

nor can anyone raise what He lowers—

Nor for what He degrades of an elevator,

ما طلَبوا مِن غيرِ مُعْطٍ ولا

ما طلَبوا مِن غيرِ مُعْطٍ ولا

دَعَوْا إذا اضْطُرُّوا سوى السامِعِ

دَعَوْا إذا اضْطُرُّوا سوى السامِعِ

they would not have sought from one who does not give, nor

They would not have sought from other than the Giver, nor would they call,

called, when driven by need, on any but the One who hears.

When desperate, on other than the Hearer.