أَلا هَل عَلى زَمَني مُسعَدُ

أَلا هَل عَلى زَمَني مُسعَدُ

وَأَنّى وَقَد ذَهَبَ الأَجوَدُ

وَأَنّى وَقَد ذَهَبَ الأَجوَدُ

Ah, is there anyone to help me against my times?

Alas! Will my time ever be auspicious,

And how could there be, when the most generous have gone?

When the most generous are gone?

وَأَصبَحتُ في غابِرٍ بَعدَهُم

وَأَصبَحتُ في غابِرٍ بَعدَهُم

تَراهُم كَثيراً وَلَن يُحمَدوا

تَراهُم كَثيراً وَلَن يُحمَدوا

And I have come to live among those remaining after them;

After they left, I remain in gloom,

you see them in great numbers, yet they will not be praised.

Seeing many who will never be praised.

أَلا أَيُّها الطَلِبُ المُستَغيثُ

أَلا أَيُّها الطَلِبُ المُستَغيثُ

بِمَن لا يُغيثُ وَلا يُسعِدُ

بِمَن لا يُغيثُ وَلا يُسعِدُ

Ah, you eager seeker, crying for help

Alas! O you who plead urgently

from one who neither aids nor supports—

With one who neither helps nor makes happy!

أَلا تَسأَلُ اللَهَ مِن فَضلِهِ

أَلا تَسأَلُ اللَهَ مِن فَضلِهِ

فَإِنَّ عَطاياهُ لا تَنفَدُ

فَإِنَّ عَطاياهُ لا تَنفَدُ

will you not ask God for His bounty?

Alas! Will you not ask of God His bounty?

For His gifts never run out.

For His gifts will never diminish.

أَلَم تَعي وَيحَكَ مِمّا تَقو

أَلَم تَعي وَيحَكَ مِمّا تَقو

مُ في طَلَبِ الرِزقِ أَو تَقعُدُ

مُ في طَلَبِ الرِزقِ أَو تَقعُدُ

Have you not learned—woe to you—from your

Do you not know, poor soul, whether you go

rising to seek sustenance, or sitting still?

Seeking provision or stay put,

فَما يَحرِمُ العَجزُ أَصحابَهُ

فَما يَحرِمُ العَجزُ أَصحابَهُ

وَلا يُرزَقُ المالَ مَن يَجهَدُ

وَلا يُرزَقُ المالَ مَن يَجهَدُ

For incapacity does not deprive those who suffer it,

That desperation will not deny people their rights,

nor is wealth given to whoever toils.

Nor will money come to one who strives.

تَوَكَّل عَلى اللَهِ وَاِقنَع وَلا

تَوَكَّل عَلى اللَهِ وَاِقنَع وَلا

تَرِد فَضلَ مَن فَضلُهُ أَنكَدُ

تَرِد فَضلَ مَن فَضلُهُ أَنكَدُ

Trust in God, be content, and do not

Rely on God, be content, and do not

seek the bounty of one whose bounty brings distress.

Refuse the favor of one whose favor is dire.

فَقَد حَلَفَ البُخلُ أَلّا يُرى

فَقَد حَلَفَ البُخلُ أَلّا يُرى

بِها مَن يَتِمُّ لَهُ مَوعِدُ

بِها مَن يَتِمُّ لَهُ مَوعِدُ

For miserliness has sworn that none shall be found

For greed has sworn it will never

there for whom a promise is fulfilled.

Fulfill those who expect it.

وَإِن جَمَدَت عَنكَ أَيدي العِبادِ

وَإِن جَمَدَت عَنكَ أَيدي العِبادِ

فَإِنَّ يَدَ اللَهِ لا تَجمَدُ

فَإِنَّ يَدَ اللَهِ لا تَجمَدُ

And if mortals' hands grow frozen toward you,

If people's hands are closed to you,

then surely God's hand never freezes.

Then God's hand does not close.

أَرى الناسَ طُرّا وَقَد أَبرَقوا

أَرى الناسَ طُرّا وَقَد أَبرَقوا

بِلُؤمِ الفِعالِ وَقَد أَرعَدوا

بِلُؤمِ الفِعالِ وَقَد أَرعَدوا

I see people, all of them, flashing lightning

I see people boastful and striking

with base deeds, and thundering.

With the villainy of their deeds and their thunder.

وَكُلٌّ يَرى أَنَّهُ سَيِّدٌ

وَكُلٌّ يَرى أَنَّهُ سَيِّدٌ

وَلَيسَ لِأَفعالِهِ سودَدُ

وَلَيسَ لِأَفعالِهِ سودَدُ

And each thinks himself a lord,

Each believes himself a master,

yet his deeds have no nobility.

Though their actions have no virtue.

فَيالَيتَ شِعري إِلى أَيِّهِم

فَيالَيتَ شِعري إِلى أَيِّهِم

إِذا عَرَضَت حاجَةٌ أَقصِدُ

إِذا عَرَضَت حاجَةٌ أَقصِدُ

Oh, if only I knew to which of them

Oh, how I wish I knew which of them

I should turn when a need arises!

I should turn to when in need!

إِذا جِئتُ أَفضَلَهُم لِلسَلا

إِذا جِئتُ أَفضَلَهُم لِلسَلا

مِ رَدَّ وَأَحشاؤُهُ تُعِدُ

مِ رَدَّ وَأَحشاؤُهُ تُعِدُ

If I go to the best of them to offer

If I come to the best of them seeking

a greeting, he replies, while his innards threaten.

Greetings, he shuns me while his gut churns,

كَأَنَّكَ مِن خَوفِهِ لِلسُؤا

كَأَنَّكَ مِن خَوفِهِ لِلسُؤا

لِ في عَينِهِ الحَيَّةُ الأَسوَدُ

لِ في عَينِهِ الحَيَّةُ الأَسوَدُ

As though you, because he fears being

As if from fear of my question

asked, were a black snake in his eyes.

A black snake stirs in his eye.

فَفِرَّ إِلى اللَهِ مِن لُؤمِهِم

فَفِرَّ إِلى اللَهِ مِن لُؤمِهِم

فَإِنّي أَرى الناسَ قَد أَصلَدوا

فَإِنّي أَرى الناسَ قَد أَصلَدوا

So flee to God from their meanness,

So flee to God from their villainy!

for I see that people have grown stony.

For I see people have become tyrannical.

إِذا كانَ ذو المَجدِ مُستَأنِياً

إِذا كانَ ذو المَجدِ مُستَأنِياً

بِبَذلِ النَدى فَمَتى يُحمَدُ

بِبَذلِ النَدى فَمَتى يُحمَدُ

If a man of honor is slow

When the glorious one disdains

in giving bounty, then when will he be praised?

To be generous, when will he be praised?