أَراكَ اِمرَأً في ظُلمِ قَومِكَ جاهِداً

أَراكَ اِمرَأً في ظُلمِ قَومِكَ جاهِداً

وَمالَكَ في ظُلمِ العَشيرَةِ مِن رُشدِ

وَمالَكَ في ظُلمِ العَشيرَةِ مِن رُشدِ

I see you as a man striving to wrong your people,

I see you as a man struggling against the injustice of your people,

and there is no sound judgment in wronging your clan.

Yet you have no integrity against the tyranny of the clan.

فَإِلّا تَدَع ظُلمَ العَشيرَةِ طائِعاً

فَإِلّا تَدَع ظُلمَ العَشيرَةِ طائِعاً

تُلاقِ اِمرَأً مِن بَعضِ قَومِكَ ذا حِقدِ

تُلاقِ اِمرَأً مِن بَعضِ قَومِكَ ذا حِقدِ

Unless you willingly cease wronging your clan,

If you do not willingly abandon the injustice of the clan,

you will meet a man from among your people who bears a grudge,

You will meet a resentful man from your people.

مِنَ الرِجلَةِ الساعينَ أَو تَلقَ فارِساً

مِنَ الرِجلَةِ الساعينَ أَو تَلقَ فارِساً

عَلى فَرَسٍ في الخَيلِ أَدهَمَ ذي وِردِ

عَلى فَرَسٍ في الخَيلِ أَدهَمَ ذي وِردِ

one of the advancing footmen, or you will meet a horseman

Either a foot soldier or a horseman,

on a black horse among the steeds, with its regular draught,

On a reddish brown horse, the best of horses.

جَوادٍ كَنِصلِ السَيفِ أَينَ لَقيتَهُ

جَوادٍ كَنِصلِ السَيفِ أَينَ لَقيتَهُ

فَيَضرِبكَ أَو يَطعَنكَ طَعناً عَلى عَمدِ

فَيَضرِبكَ أَو يَطعَنكَ طَعناً عَلى عَمدِ

a swift steed like a sword-blade, wherever you meet him;

A steed sharp as a sword blade, wherever you meet him,

then he will strike you or stab you with a deliberate thrust.

He will strike or stab you deliberately.

ألَم تَرَ عاداً كَيفَ فَرَّقَ جَمعَها

ألَم تَرَ عاداً كَيفَ فَرَّقَ جَمعَها

قُبَيلٌ وَقِدماً جارَ عَن مَنهَجِ القَصدِ

قُبَيلٌ وَقِدماً جارَ عَن مَنهَجِ القَصدِ

Have you not seen ʿAd, how its host was scattered

Have you not seen how Aad, despite their multitude,

by Qubayl—and long ago he strayed from the path of moderation?

Were scattered by a tribe who deviated from the right path?

وَقالَت بَنو عادٍ هَلَكنا فَجَهَّزوا

وَقالَت بَنو عادٍ هَلَكنا فَجَهَّزوا

خِيارَهُمُ أَهلَ الرِفاعَةِ وَالمَجدِ

خِيارَهُمُ أَهلَ الرِفاعَةِ وَالمَجدِ

The sons of ʿAd said, 'We are ruined,' so they dispatched

The people of Aad said "We are destroyed!" so they prepared

their finest men, men of eminence and glory.

Their best people, men of glory and dignity.

وَكانَ أَبو سَعدٍ وَقَيلٌ فَعوقِبوا

وَكانَ أَبو سَعدٍ وَقَيلٌ فَعوقِبوا

بِلُقمانَ إِذ رَدَّ الحَبيبَ إِلى الجَعدِ

بِلُقمانَ إِذ رَدَّ الحَبيبَ إِلى الجَعدِ

Among them were Abu Saʿd and Qayl; they were followed in turn

Yet Abu Saad and Qail were punished

by Luqman, when he entrusted the beloved to the curly-plumed one.

With Luqman when he returned the beloved to the curly-haired one.

فَلَمّا أَتَوا عَزفَ الجَرادةِ أَخلَدوا

فَلَمّا أَتَوا عَزفَ الجَرادةِ أَخلَدوا

ثَلاثينَ يَوماً ثُمَّ هَبّوا عَلى وَجدِ

ثَلاثينَ يَوماً ثُمَّ هَبّوا عَلى وَجدِ

When they came to al-Jaradah's music, they lingered

When they came to the meadows of locusts they stayed

thirty days, then roused themselves in anguish.

Thirty days, then swarmed in ecstasy.

فَقيلَ لَهُم أُعطيتُمُ فَتَخَيَّروا

فَقيلَ لَهُم أُعطيتُمُ فَتَخَيَّروا

مُناكُم وَلَكِن لا سَبيلَ إِلى الخُلدِ

مُناكُم وَلَكِن لا سَبيلَ إِلى الخُلدِ

Then they were told, 'Your boon is granted; choose

They were told "You have been given a choice, so choose"

your wishes—but there is no way to immortality.'

Your fate, but there is no path to immortality.

وَقالَ اِضرِبوا رَأسي وَلا تَتَهَيَّبوا

وَقالَ اِضرِبوا رَأسي وَلا تَتَهَيَّبوا

نُجوراً مِنَ الأَطوادِ ذي أُجُدٍ صَلدِ

نُجوراً مِنَ الأَطوادِ ذي أُجُدٍ صَلدِ

And he said, 'Strike my head, and do not stand in awe

"Strike off my head," he said "and do not hesitate,

of Nujur among the mountains, of firm, unyielding build.'

With clubs of rigid ebony wood."

فَعاجَلَهُ وَقعُ الصَواعِقِ كَالَّذي

فَعاجَلَهُ وَقعُ الصَواعِقِ كَالَّذي

أَرادَ سِفاها وَالسَفاهَةُ قَد تُردي

أَرادَ سِفاها وَالسَفاهَةُ قَد تُردي

Then the crash of thunderbolts swiftly overtook him, as it does one

So the thunderbolts struck him down like one

who sought folly—and folly can bring ruin.

Who foolishly sought folly, and folly leads to ruin.

وَمُلِّكَ لُقمانُ الحَياةَ فَرَدَّها

وَمُلِّكَ لُقمانُ الحَياةَ فَرَدَّها

إِلى ناهِضٍ حُرٍّ قَوائِمُهُ نَهدِ

إِلى ناهِضٍ حُرٍّ قَوائِمُهُ نَهدِ

And Luqman was granted life, so he entrusted it

While Luqman was granted life, so he rejected it,

to a fledged, noble bird, stout of leg.

Returning it to one free and steadfast as a pillar.

وَكانَ يُحِبُ الخُلدَ لَو حَصُلَت لَهُ

وَكانَ يُحِبُ الخُلدَ لَو حَصُلَت لَهُ

أَفاحيصُ صارَت لَيلَةَ القَطرِ وَالرَعدِ

أَفاحيصُ صارَت لَيلَةَ القَطرِ وَالرَعدِ

He yearned for immortality, if only he could obtain

He loved immortality, if only he could obtain

nesting hollows formed on a night of rain and thunder.

The gems that fell as rain the night of thunder and lightning.

وَقالَ أَبو سَعدٍ إِلَهِيَ فَأَعطِني

وَقالَ أَبو سَعدٍ إِلَهِيَ فَأَعطِني

مُنايَ عَلى ما كانَ أَذهَبَ مِن وَجدِ

مُنايَ عَلى ما كانَ أَذهَبَ مِن وَجدِ

And Abu Saʿd said, 'My God, grant me

Abu Saad said "My God, please grant me

my wish in whatever way best dispels anguish.'

Death for what has passed, the most precious thing."

فَزَوَّدَهُ بِرّاً وَتَقوى كِلاهُما

فَزَوَّدَهُ بِرّاً وَتَقوى كِلاهُما

وَما كانَ عَن رِفدِ الوِفادَةِ مِن صَدِّ

وَما كانَ عَن رِفدِ الوِفادَةِ مِن صَدِّ

So He endowed him with righteousness and piety, both,

So God granted him righteousness and piety, both

nor was the delegation's bounty withheld.

Never lacking in generosity and loyalty.