ياO مَنyou who تَمنّىwish for عَلىfrom الدُنياthe world مبالغهاthe utmost it can offer
يا مَن تَمنّى عَلى الدُنيا مبالغها
هَلاّwhy not سأَلتَyou asked أَباAbu (father of) بِشرBishr فَتُعطاهاso you may be granted it
هَلاّ سأَلتَ أَبا بِشر فَتُعطاها
O you who would wish from him the world in all its fullness,
O you who wish for the utmost this world can offer,
Why not ask Abū Bishr, and be granted it?
Why not ask Abu Bishr, so you may be granted it?
ماnever هبَّتِstirred الريحُthe wind إلاexcept هبَّstirred نائِلُهُhis bounty
ما هبَّتِ الريحُ إلا هبَّ نائِلُهُ
وَلاand not ارتَقىhe ascended to غايَةًa height إِلاexcept تَخطّاهاhe surpassed it
وَلا ارتَقى غايَةً إِلا تَخطّاها
No wind ever blew but his bounty blew forth too,
The wind never stirs without his bounty stirring,
Nor did he rise toward a goal but that he surpassed it.
Nor has he ascended to a height without surpassing it.
إِذاif أَخَذتَyou take hold بِحَبلٍof a rope مِنfrom among حَبائِلهhis ropes
إِذا أَخَذتَ بِحَبلٍ مِن حَبائِله
دانَتsubmitted لَكَto you الأَرضُthe earth أَقصاهاits farthest reaches وأَدناهاand its nearest reaches
دانَت لَكَ الأَرضُ أَقصاها وأَدناها
If you take hold of one cord among his many cords,
If you take hold of one of his ropes,
The earth will yield to you—its farthest reaches and its nearest.
The earth will submit to you, its farthest and nearest reaches.
