في الكلب عشر خصالٍ كلُّها حُمِدَت

في الكلب عشر خصالٍ كلُّها حُمِدَت

يا ليتها كلها أو بعضها فينا

يا ليتها كلها أو بعضها فينا

The dog has ten qualities, all of them praised.

The dog has ten traits, all praised

Would that all of them, or some, were in us!

If only we had them all or some

جوع له لم يزل والصالحون كذا

جوع له لم يزل والصالحون كذا

وما له موضع يختص تعيينا

وما له موضع يختص تعيينا

Hunger never leaves him; the righteous are likewise.

His hunger never ceases, and the righteous are thus

And he has no fixed place exclusively his own,

He has no place that he calls his own

كمن على ربه لا زال متكلاً

كمن على ربه لا زال متكلاً

ولا ينام سوى من ليله حينا

ولا ينام سوى من ليله حينا

Like one who never ceases to rely upon his Lord.

Like one who depends on his Lord and never falters

And he sleeps only a little while during his night,

And only sleeps a little at night

مثل المحبين لا ميراث قط له

مثل المحبين لا ميراث قط له

إن مات كالزاهدين المستقلينا

إن مات كالزاهدين المستقلينا

Like lovers; he leaves no inheritance whatsoever

Like lovers, he never inherits anything

If he dies, like ascetics who possess little.

If he dies, like ascetics free of possessions

وليس يهجر يوماً من يصاحبه

وليس يهجر يوماً من يصاحبه

وإن جفاه كأخلاق المريدينا

وإن جفاه كأخلاق المريدينا

Nor does he ever abandon whoever keeps him company,

He never abandons those he befriends

Even if that companion shuns him—like spiritual seekers in their conduct.

Even if spurned, like disciples’ morals

وراضيا بيسير من معيشته

وراضيا بيسير من معيشته

ما زال كالقانع المستكمل الدينا

ما زال كالقانع المستكمل الدينا

And content with his scant sustenance,

Content with little sustenance

He remains like the contented man who has perfected his faith.

Remaining satisfied in faith like the pious

وإن يكن غالباً شخصٌ سواه على

وإن يكن غالباً شخصٌ سواه على

مكانه ينصرف عن ذاك تهوينا

مكانه ينصرف عن ذاك تهوينا

And if someone other than him should take over

If another takes his place

His place, he withdraws from it, making light of it;

He leaves without resentment

بتركه مثل أصحاب التواضع قل

بتركه مثل أصحاب التواضع قل

وإن بضربٍ وطردٍ من فتى هينا

وإن بضربٍ وطردٍ من فتى هينا

In leaving it, he is like the humble—say so.

Leaving it be like the humble

And even if he is humiliated by a young man with blows and expulsion,

Even if struck and chased by a lad

ثم الفتى قد دعاه بعد ذاك أتى

ثم الفتى قد دعاه بعد ذاك أتى

كحال أهل خشوعٍ خذه تبيينا

كحال أهل خشوعٍ خذه تبيينا

Then, when the young man calls him afterward, he comes,

Then if the lad calls him after that, he comes

Like the humbly reverent in their bearing—take this as an illustration.

Like the reverent, take it as a lesson

وإن رأى الأكل أضحى واقفاً تره

وإن رأى الأكل أضحى واقفاً تره

يرنو إليك كأخلاق المساكينا

يرنو إليك كأخلاق المساكينا

And if he sees food, he stands; you will see him

If he sees food, he stands waiting

Gazing toward you, in the manner of the poor.

Looking to you like the poor

وإن ترحَّل لا شيء ترى معه

وإن ترحَّل لا شيء ترى معه

مثل الذي حاز في التجريد تمكينا

مثل الذي حاز في التجريد تمكينا

And if he travels on, you see nothing with him,

If he travels, you see nothing with him

Like one who has attained firm grounding in detachment.

Like one detached, empowered in renunciation