حَبْلُcord الدُّنَىworldly life يَاO مُبْتَغيهِyou who seek it رَثُّfrayed
حَبْلُ الدُّنَى يَا مُبْتَغيهِ رَثُّ
وَالذُّلُّand humiliation فِيin اطِّلَابِهاpursuing it مُنْبَثُّwidespread
وَالذُّلُّ فِي اطِّلَابِها مُنْبَثُّ
The cord of worldly life, O you who seek it, is frayed.
The rope of worldly life, O seeker of it, is rotten
The rope of the world, O seeker of it, is frayed and worn,
And humiliation is widespread in pursuing it.
And humiliation in seeking it dispersed
And humiliation is widespread in the pursuit of it.
قُلْsay لِلذِيto the one who أَغْراهُenticed him فيهَاin it الْحَثُّurging
قُلْ لِلذِي أَغْراهُ فيهَا الْحَثُّ
وَنالَand afflicted منهُhim وَعْثُهَاits treacherous sand وَالْجُثُّand hillocks
وَنالَ منهُ وَعْثُهَا وَالْجُثُّ
Tell the one whom urging enticed into it,
Say to one whom desire for it deceived
Say to the one who is lured by the urgent chase within it,
And whom its treacherous sand and hillocks afflicted,
And gained from it his ruin and defeat
Whose toll has been exacted by its hardships and upheavals,
مُذْsince بَانَdeparted عنْهُfrom him رِمْثُهَاits saltwort وَالْحُثُّand coarse scraps
مُذْ بَانَ عنْهُ رِمْثُهَا وَالْحُثُّ
مَعْwith أَنَّهُthe fact that he يَكْفِيهِsuffices him فيهاin it الْحُثُّcoarse scraps
مَعْ أَنَّهُ يَكْفِيهِ فيها الْحُثُّ
Since its saltwort and coarse scraps deserted him,
Since his profit from it and his drive dispersed
Since its flotsam and dry chaff have departed from him,
Although coarse scraps within it suffice him:
While it would suffice him in it to drive on
Even though the merest crust of bread would have sufficed him in it.
سَمِينُهَاits fat richness عِنْدَbefore الإِلَهِGod غَثُّlean
سَمِينُهَا عِنْدَ الإِلَهِ غَثُّ
وَشَهْدُهَاand its honey مَاnot فِيهِin it إِلاَّexcept الْجَُثُّbee debris
وَشَهْدُهَا مَا فِيهِ إِلاَّ الْجَُثُّ
Its fat richness is lean before God,
Its sleekness with God is rubbish
Its choicest meat is but meager and worthless in the sight of God,
And its honey contains nothing but bee debris.
And its honey contains naught but carrion
And its honey contains nothing but dead bees and debris.
وَأَبَوَاهَاand its two parents ذِلَّةٌhumiliation وَخُبْثُand wickedness
وَأَبَوَاهَا ذِلَّةٌ وَخُبْثُ
وَأَخَوَاهَاand its two brothers تَعَبٌweariness وَبَثُّand anguish
وَأَخَوَاهَا تَعَبٌ وَبَثُّ
Its two parents are humiliation and wickedness,
Its parents are disgrace and wickedness
Its parents are degradation and malice,
And its two brothers are weariness and anguish.
And its brothers toil and evil
And its brothers are weariness and sorrow.
كَمْmany a باحِثٍseeker أَضْنَاهُexhausted him فِيهَاin it الْبَحْثُthe search
كَمْ باحِثٍ أَضْنَاهُ فِيهَا الْبَحْثُ
وَرَاغِثٍand a suckler عَدَاassailed عَليْهِhim الرَّغْثُsuckling
وَرَاغِثٍ عَدَا عَليْهِ الرَّغْثُ
How many a seeker has searching within it exhausted,
How many a seeker it made stray to seek it
How many a seeker has the search exhausted within it!
And many a suckler has suckling itself assailed,
And refugees, loss befell them as they sought refuge
And how many a devourer was overtaken by being devoured!
وَفَاضِلٍand a worthy man أَحْيَىrevived حُلاَهُhis adornments الرَّغْثُabundance
وَفَاضِلٍ أَحْيَى حُلاَهُ الرَّغْثُ
وَلِحُلاَهُand for his adornments بِالتُّرَابِwith the soil ضَغْثُmingling
وَلِحُلاَهُ بِالتُّرَابِ ضَغْثُ
And many a worthy man whose adornments abundance revived!
And virtuous men, loss ruined their finery
And a man of virtue whose brilliance was worn away by affliction,
Yet his adornments are mingled with the soil,
For their finery with dust is rubbish
Until his finery became tangled with the dust.
وَهْوَand he سَوَاءٌequal فِيin الثَّرَىthe dust وَضِغْثُand a bundle of brushwood
وَهْوَ سَوَاءٌ فِي الثَّرَى وَضِغْثُ
مَنْwhoever لَمْnot يَنَلْهَاobtained it إِذْwhen عَلاَهُovercame him اللَّهْثُpanting
مَنْ لَمْ يَنَلْهَا إِذْ عَلاَهُ اللَّهْثُ
And he and a bundle of brushwood are equal in the dust.
It and dust are equal in the earth as rubbish
And he, beneath the earth, is equal to a mere handful of dry twigs.
Whoever failed to obtain it when panting overcame him,
He who did not obtain it when desire for it overwhelmed him
Whoever fails to attain it while overwhelmed with panting,
فَرُبَّمَاthen perhaps قَضَىbrought death عَلَيْهِupon him الْجَهْثُfrantic haste
فَرُبَّمَا قَضَى عَلَيْهِ الْجَهْثُ
وَلَيْسَand not يَجْدِيavails فِيهِfor him بَعْدُafterward رَمْثُremedy
وَلَيْسَ يَجْدِي فِيهِ بَعْدُ رَمْثُ
Frantic haste may well have killed him,
Death may befall him
Will likely be destroyed by sudden exhaustion and collapse.
And no remedy helps him afterward.
And regret afterward will not avail
And after that, no raft of salvation will be of any use to him,
مَعْwith أَنَّthe fact that مَاwhat فِيهَاin it خَلىًfresh herbage وَرِمْثُand saltwort
مَعْ أَنَّ مَا فِيهَا خَلىً وَرِمْثُ
إِنْif نِيلَis obtained مِنْهَاfrom it بَعْدَafter كَدٍّtoil نَفْثُa puff of spittle
إِنْ نِيلَ مِنْهَا بَعْدَ كَدٍّ نَفْثُ
Although all it holds is fresh herbage and saltwort,
Although there is in it nothing but emptiness and ruin
Even though all that it holds is but dry grass and decayed wood.
If a puff of spittle is gained from it after toil,
If some breath is attained after much toil
If a mere trifle is attained from it after bitter toil,
عَاجَلَهُovertook him at once مِنَof الْهُمومِcares بَعْثُan onrush
عَاجَلَهُ مِنَ الْهُمومِ بَعْثُ
سَيَّانِequal فيهَاin it وَالْمَآلُand the end فَرْثُgut-filth
سَيَّانِ فيهَا وَالْمَآلُ فَرْثُ
An onrush of cares overtakes him at once.
Cares hastened upon him
A resurgence of anxieties hastens upon him.
Within it they are equal, and their end is gut-filth:
Both in it are equally evil and the outcome corruption
All are alike in it, and the ultimate end is just decay and dung:
مَنْone who قوتُهُhis food مَنٌّmanna بِهَاin it أَوْor فُثُّfuth seeds
مَنْ قوتُهُ مَنٌّ بِهَا أَوْ فُثُّ
وَمَنْand one who لَدَيْهِwith him نَعَمٌlivestock وَحَرْثُand crops
وَمَنْ لَدَيْهِ نَعَمٌ وَحَرْثُ
The one whose food there is manna or futh seeds,
Whether his livelihood in it is favor or crumbs
He whose nourishment within it was manna, or he who ate dry crusts;
And the one who possesses livestock and crops,
And whether he has bounty and cultivation
He who possesses grazing herds and tilled lands,
وَمَنْand one whom دَهَاهُafflicted him كَسْبُهُhis earnings وَالْحَرْثُand tillage
وَمَنْ دَهَاهُ كَسْبُهُ وَالْحَرْثُ
وَمَنْand one whom عَدَاassailed عَلَىupon يَدَيْهِhis two hands الْنَّبْثُdigging
وَمَنْ عَدَا عَلَى يَدَيْهِ الْنَّبْثُ
And the one afflicted by his earnings and tillage,
Or whether his earning and cultivation made him prosperous
And he whose own earnings and tillage brought him ruin;
And the one whose hands digging has assailed.
Or whether the attainment passed through his hands
And he whose hands were overcome by digging in the dirt.
لِأنَّهَاbecause it لَيْسَnot لَدَيْهَاwith it لُبْثُpermanence
لِأنَّهَا لَيْسَ لَدَيْهَا لُبْثُ
وَلاَand not يُطَالُis prolonged فِيin ذُرَاهَاits heights مُكْثُa stay
وَلاَ يُطَالُ فِي ذُرَاهَا مُكْثُ
For there is no permanence with it,
Because it has with it no permanence
Because there is no lingering within its bounds,
Nor is a stay upon its heights prolonged.
And one's stay in its quarters is not prolonged
And no stay is prolonged upon its summits.
فَسَيَرِثُّso will wear out شِفُّهَاits fine cloth وَالْكَثُّand thick cloth
فَسَيَرِثُّ شِفُّهَا وَالْكَثُّ
ويُخْتَلَىand is mown down طُبَّاقُهَاits tubbaq shrubs والشَّثُّand shath shrubs
ويُخْتَلَى طُبَّاقُهَا والشَّثُّ
Its fine and thick cloth will therefore wear out,
So its lips will wither and its cavities crack
For both its delicate silks and thickest garments will soon wear threadbare,
And its tubbaq and shath shrubs will be mown down.
Its afflictions will change and its inheritance disperse
And its fragrant herbs and bitter bushes alike will be reaped.
وَيَسْتَحِيلُand is transformed حَزْنُهَاits rugged ground والوَعْثُand yielding sand
وَيَسْتَحِيلُ حَزْنُهَا والوَعْثُ
وَيَسْتَفِيءُand reclaims مَاwhat عَلَيْهَاupon it الإِرْثُinheritance
وَيَسْتَفِيءُ مَا عَلَيْهَا الإِرْثُ
Its rugged ground and yielding sand will be transformed,
The appointed time will reclaim what befell it
Its rugged terrains and soft sands will pass away,
And inheritance will reclaim everything upon it.
Falsehood will make public its nakedness
And inheritance will reclaim all that is upon it.
سَوْفَwill يُعَمِّمُencompass عُرَاهَاits bonds النُّكْثُunravelling
سَوْفَ يُعَمِّمُ عُرَاهَا النُّكْثُ
وَيَنْقَضِيand passes away ذُكْرَانُهَاits males وَالأُنْثُand females
وَيَنْقَضِي ذُكْرَانُهَا وَالأُنْثُ
Unravelling will encompass its bonds,
And its memory and traces will disappear
The severing of ties will soon encompass all its bonds,
And its males and females will pass away.
And death comes to all who by it kneel
And its males and females will come to an end.
وَالْمَوْتُand death كُلَّevery مَنْone who بِهَاin it يَجُثُّuproots
وَالْمَوْتُ كُلَّ مَنْ بِهَا يَجُثُّ
وَالْمُنْتَقَىand the choicest مِنْof بَزِّهِمْtheir cloth يَرِثُّwears out
وَالْمُنْتَقَى مِنْ بَزِّهِمْ يَرِثُّ
Death will uproot everyone within it,
While the choice of their garbage inherits it
For death will wholly uproot everyone within it,
And the choicest of their cloth will wear out.
Then around his rot carrion-eating insects will gather
And the choicest of their fine linens will turn to rags.
ثُمَّتَthen تَعْثُوravage فِيin حُلاَهُits finery الْعُثُّmoths
ثُمَّتَ تَعْثُو فِي حُلاَهُ الْعُثُّ
أَيْنَwhere أبُونَاour father آدَمُAdam وَشِئْثُand Seth
أَيْنَ أبُونَا آدَمُ وَشِئْثُ
Then moths will ravage its finery.
Where is our father Adam and his cohorts?
Then the moths will wreak their havoc upon its finery.
Where are our father Adam and Seth,
And all who came after divine inspiration?
Where is our father Adam, and Seth?
وَكُلُّand everyone مَنْwho هُوَhe لِوَحْيٍof revelation حِدْثُa confidant
وَكُلُّ مَنْ هُوَ لِوَحْيٍ حِدْثُ
أَيْنَwhere الأُلَىthose who عَلَىtoward الرَّشَادِright guidance حَثُّواurged
أَيْنَ الأُلَى عَلَى الرَّشَادِ حَثُّوا
And everyone who was a confidant of revelation?
Where are those who firmly guided, broke open its mysteries and scattered them
And every prophet to whom revelation was ever spoken?
Where are those who urged right guidance,
And explained its difficulties and called for help?
Where are those who persistently urged others toward righteousness,
وَأَظْهَرُواand revealed أَسْرَارَهُits secrets وَبَثُّواand disseminated
وَأَظْهَرُوا أَسْرَارَهُ وَبَثُّوا
وَفَسَّرُواand explained عَوِيصَهُits difficulties وَنَثُّواand disclosed
وَفَسَّرُوا عَوِيصَهُ وَنَثُّوا
And revealed its secrets and disseminated them,
They made excuses to the firmly guided and cried out for help
Who revealed its secrets and broadcast them far and wide?
And explained its difficulties and disclosed them,
And combined their hostility and cut it off
Who explained its complexities and proclaimed them?
وَعَالَجُواand treated التَّوْحِيدَdivine oneness وَاسْتَغَثُّواand rejected the worthless
وَعَالَجُوا التَّوْحِيدَ وَاسْتَغَثُّوا
وَأَعْذَرُواand gave full warning إِلَىto الأُلَىthose who أَغَثُّواspoke worthlessly
وَأَعْذَرُوا إِلَى الأُلَى أَغَثُّوا
And treated of divine unity and rejected the worthless,
Where are those who clung to the world and became stained by it?
Who plunged into the depths of Monotheism and sought its pure essence,
And fully warned those who spoke worthlessly,
Rather, they carried them to the place of worms
And warned those who had become corrupt,
وَجَمَّعُواand gathered عُدْوَانَهُمْtheir enmity وَقَثُّواand amassed
وَجَمَّعُوا عُدْوَانَهُمْ وَقَثُّوا
أَيْنَwhere الأُلَىthose who عَلَىto الدُّنَىworldly life أَلَثُّواclung
أَيْنَ الأُلَى عَلَى الدُّنَى أَلَثُّوا
And gathered their enmity and amassed it?
Then the dust reclaimed them
And gathered the forces of their enmity and swept them away?
Where are those who clung to worldly life?
It is the soil as if they became carrion
Where are those who lingered so heavily upon this world?
فَارْتَحَلُواthen departed وَمَاand not بِهَاin it أَلَثُّواremained
فَارْتَحَلُوا وَمَا بِهَا أَلَثُّوا
بَلْrather حَمَلَتْهُمْcarried them للِمَنُونِto death دُلْثُcalamity
بَلْ حَمَلَتْهُمْ للِمَنُونِ دُلْثُ
They departed and did not remain within it.
So with their rot is their rubbish
They departed, and in the end, they did not truly stay.
Rather, calamity carried them to death.
And with their pulp their stench
Rather, swift and heavy steps carried them to death,
ثُمَّthen اسْتَرَدَّهُمْreclaimed them إِلَيْهِto itself الْجِنْثُtheir origin
ثُمَّ اسْتَرَدَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ الْجِنْثُ
وَهْوَand it التُّراَبُthe earth كَنَّهُمْcovered them فَرَثُّواso they decayed
وَهْوَ التُّراَبُ كَنَّهُمْ فَرَثُّوا
Then their origin reclaimed them for itself:
And the resurrection will gather all together
Then the root of their origin pulled them back to itself.
It is the earth; it covered them, and they decayed.
While influence will not avail there
It is the dust that shrouded them, and so they decayed,
فَلِحُلاَهُso for its adornments بِحُلاَهُمْwith their adornments غَلْثُmingling
فَلِحُلاَهُ بِحُلاَهُمْ غَلْثُ
وَلَهُand for it باِلْفُرُوثُwith gut-filth مِنْهُمْfrom them غَبْثُmixing
وَلَهُ باِلْفُرُوثُ مِنْهُمْ غَبْثُ
So its adornments are mingled with theirs,
Nor will plunder be gathered there
Until the adornment of the earth became inextricably mixed with theirs.
And it is mixed with their gut-filth.
And there will be hardship there and flowing pus
And it mingled thoroughly with their decaying remains.
وَسَيَجْمَعُand will gather الَْجَمِيعَeveryone الْبَعْثُresurrection
وَسَيَجْمَعُ الَْجَمِيعَ الْبَعْثُ
وَلَيْسَand not يَنْفَعُbenefits هُنَاكَthere الْمَلْثُempty promises
وَلَيْسَ يَنْفَعُ هُنَاكَ الْمَلْثُ
Resurrection will gather everyone.
There yearning and regret will gush forth
And the Day of Resurrection will gather them all together,
Empty promises will not help there,
Oh would that I knew of my disheveled sins
And no lingering or delay will be of any use there.
وَلَيْسَand not يَجْمَعُgathers هُنَاكَthere نَجْثُprobing
وَلَيْسَ يَجْمَعُ هُنَاكَ نَجْثُ
وَلِلشَّدَائِدِand for adversities هُنَاكَthere كَرْثُgrievous pressure
وَلِلشَّدَائِدِ هُنَاكَ كَرْثُ
Nor will probing gather anything there.
And the disgraceful acts I committed
And no plotting or scheming will gather allies on that Day,
There, adversities weigh heavily;
While my deeds and words are despicable rubbish
Where the severe hardships will cause an agonizing distress,
يَهْمِيpours down هُنَاكَthere وَبْلُهَاtheir downpour وَالدَّثُّand drizzle
يَهْمِي هُنَاكَ وَبْلُهَا وَالدَّثُّ
يَاO لَيْتَwould that شِعْرِيmy knowledge وَذُنُوبِيand my sins شُعْثُdisordered
يَا لَيْتَ شِعْرِي وَذُنُوبِي شُعْثُ
Their downpour and drizzle pour down there.
Is there any escape for me from the heat of hell
And their heavy downpours and steady rains of sorrow will pour down.
If only I knew—my sins are disordered,
And from the momentousness of what my skin will bear
Oh, I wish I knew! While my sins are countless and disheveled,
وَمَاand what اقْتَرَفْتُI committed مِنْof خَطَايَاtransgressions غُبْثُfoul
وَمَا اقْتَرَفْتُ مِنْ خَطَايَا غُبْثُ
وَالْفِعْلُand deed وَالْقَوْلُand word ذَمِيمٌblameworthy غَثُّworthless
وَالْفِعْلُ وَالْقَوْلُ ذَمِيمٌ غَثُّ
And the transgressions I have committed are foul,
And from the sources of salvation I am cut off
And the transgressions I have committed are a foul mixture,
And deed and word are blameworthy and worthless—
By the acts of those destined for ruin I am smeared
And my deeds and words are blameworthy and meager:
أَلِيَis there for me مِنْfrom حَرِّthe heat السَّعِيرِthe Blaze وَطْثُbattering
أَلِيَ مِنْ حَرِّ السَّعِيرِ وَطْثُ
وَمِنْand from عَظِيمِthe enormity مَاwhat حَمَلَتْit holds جَأْثُterror
وَمِنْ عَظِيمِ مَا حَمَلَتْ جَأْثُ
Is there for me battering from the heat of the Blaze,
Or am I pleased and pardoned thereby?
Is there for me a severe trampling from the heat of the Blaze?
And terror at the enormity of what it holds,
I will then have a portion in the Gardens
And a crushing terror from the magnitude of what I have borne?
وَعَنْand from مَوَارِدِthe springs النَّجَاةِdeliverance رَبْثُhindrance
وَعَنْ مَوَارِدِ النَّجَاةِ رَبْثُ
وَبِعِصِيِّand with the rods الْهَالِكِينَthe doomed وَلْثُblows
وَبِعِصِيِّ الْهَالِكِينَ وَلْثُ
And hindrance from the springs of deliverance,
And in the meadows of those made joyful a place to alight
And a holding back from the watering places of salvation?
And blows from the rods of the doomed?
And of the fruits of the immortals a cluster
And a violent striking with the rods of the doomed?
أَمْor بِالرِّضَىthrough favor وَالْعَفْوِand forgiveness قَدْindeed أُمَثُّI am cleansed
أَمْ بِالرِّضَى وَالْعَفْوِ قَدْ أُمَثُّ
فَلِيso for me إِذَنْthen إِلَىto الْجِنَانِthe Gardens قَلْثُonward passage
فَلِي إِذَنْ إِلَى الْجِنَانِ قَلْثُ
Or may I be cleansed through favor and forgiveness?
And with kerchiefs of bliss I will be adorned
Or will I be touched by divine pleasure and forgiveness?
Then I shall have passage to the Gardens,
Your mercy has delivered me from confusion
Then I would have a swift gathering into the Gardens,
وَفِيand in حِيَاضِthe pools الْمُبْهَجِينَthe gladdened مَرْثُimmersion
وَفِي حِيَاضِ الْمُبْهَجِينَ مَرْثُ
وَمِنْand from قُطُوفِthe fruits الْخَالِدِينَthe immortals دَأْثُeating
وَمِنْ قُطُوفِ الْخَالِدِينَ دَأْثُ
And immersion in the pools of the gladdened,
While I was wandering in the wastes of error
And a joyous immersion in the basins of the delighted,
And a feast on the fruits of the immortals,
And the correcting measure of my guidance is not what dryness corrupted
And an abundant feasting from the hanging fruits of the eternal ones,
وَبِمَنَادِيلِand with the napkins النَّعِيمِbliss مَثُّwiping
وَبِمَنَادِيلِ النَّعِيمِ مَثُّ
رُحْمَاكَYour mercy! قَدْindeed أجْنَىbrought harm عَلَيَّupon me الرَّفْثُlewdness
رُحْمَاكَ قَدْ أجْنَى عَلَيَّ الرَّفْثُ
And wiping with the napkins of bliss.
So to integrity I cling though corrupted
And a gentle wiping with the towels of bliss.
Your mercy! Lewdness has brought harm upon me.
If You take me to account then my work is plenty
Your mercy! For my foul speech and sins have committed crimes against me,
وَلِيand for me بِأَضْغَاثِto tangled sheaves الضَّلاَلِerror ضَبْثُa grip
وَلِي بِأَضْغَاثِ الضَّلاَلِ ضَبْثُ
وَزَنْدُand the fire-stick رُشْدِيmy guidance مَاnot سَلاَهُkindled it عَلْثُmixed kindling (uncertain sense)
وَزَنْدُ رُشْدِي مَا سَلاَهُ عَلْثُ
And I clutch tangled sheaves of error.
And if in Your pleasure there is escape for me
And I hold a tight grasp on the confused illusions of misguidance,
And no ill-matched stick has kindled the fire-stick of my guidance;
Then pardon, O Lord, with You is the most bountiful honor
And the fire-stick of my guidance has failed to strike a flame,
فَلِلسَّدَادِso for sound conduct بِالْفَسَادِwith corruption عَلْثُmingling
فَلِلسَّدَادِ بِالْفَسَادِ عَلْثُ
فَإِنْso if تُؤَاخِذْنِيYou hold me to account فَصُنْعِيthen my deeds كَثُّabundant
فَإِنْ تُؤَاخِذْنِي فَصُنْعِي كَثُّ
So sound conduct is mingled with corruption.
Far be it from You to deny bounty to any
For my righteousness is entirely corrupted by my ruin.
If You hold me to account, my deeds are many;
So if You take me to task, my deeds are coarse and laden with fault,
وَإِنْand if يَكُنْthere is لِيfor me فِيin رِضَاكَYour favor مَغْثُdifficulty (uncertain sense)
وَإِنْ يَكُنْ لِي فِي رِضَاكَ مَغْثُ
فَالْعَفْوُthen forgiveness يَاO رَبِّmy Lord لَدَيْكَwith You جِنْثُinnate nature
فَالْعَفْوُ يَا رَبِّ لَدَيْكَ جِنْثُ
And if I have difficulty in attaining Your favor,
But if there is for me an immersion in Your profound pleasure,
Forgiveness, O my Lord, is innate with You.
Then forgiveness, O Lord, is Your very essence and root,
حَاشَاكَfar be it from You أَنْthat يُمْنَعَbe denied مِنْهُof it حِنْثُsin
حَاشَاكَ أَنْ يُمْنَعَ مِنْهُ حِنْثُ
Far be it from You that a sinner should be denied it.
Far be it from You that a broken sinner be denied it.
Partial English translation: 73 of 77 Arabic lines translated.