شَرِهتُ فَلَستُ أَرضى بِالقَليلِ

شَرِهتُ فَلَستُ أَرضى بِالقَليلِ

وَما أَنفَكُّ مِن حَدَثٍ جَليلِ

وَما أَنفَكُّ مِن حَدَثٍ جَليلِ

I grew insatiable, no longer content with little;

I have grown greedy, so I am not content with little.

And I am never free from some grave event,

And I am never free of a grave calamity.

وَما أَنفَكُّ مِن أَمَلٍ يُعَنّي

وَما أَنفَكُّ مِن أَمَلٍ يُعَنّي

وَما أَنفَكُّ مِن قالٍ وَقيلِ

وَما أَنفَكُّ مِن قالٍ وَقيلِ

And never free from a hope that torments me,

And I am never free of a hope that torments me.

And never free from all the “said” and “was said.”

And I am never free of talk and hearsay.

أَلا يا عاشِقَ الدُنيا المُعَنّى

أَلا يا عاشِقَ الدُنيا المُعَنّى

كَأَنَّكَ قَد دُعيتَ إِلى الرَحيلِ

كَأَنَّكَ قَد دُعيتَ إِلى الرَحيلِ

O tormented lover of this world,

Take heed, O tormented lover of this world:

It is as though you have already been called to depart.

It is as though you have already been summoned to depart.

أَما تَنفَكُّ مِن شَهَواتِ نَفسٍ

أَما تَنفَكُّ مِن شَهَواتِ نَفسٍ

تَجورُ بِهِنَّ عَن قَصدِ السَبيلِ

تَجورُ بِهِنَّ عَن قَصدِ السَبيلِ

Do you never break free of a soul’s desires

Will you not break free of the soul's desires,

That make you stray from the path’s straight course?

Through which you stray from the straight path?

لَئِن عوفيتَ مِن شَهَواتِ نَفسٍ

لَئِن عوفيتَ مِن شَهَواتِ نَفسٍ

لَقَد عوفيتَ مِن شَرٍّ طَويلِ

لَقَد عوفيتَ مِن شَرٍّ طَويلِ

If you are spared the soul’s desires,

If you have been spared the soul's desires,

Then truly you are spared a long-enduring evil.

You have indeed been spared a lasting evil.

وَلِلدُنيا دَوائِرُ دائِراتٌ

وَلِلدُنيا دَوائِرُ دائِراتٌ

لِتَذهَبَ بِالعَزيزِ وَبِالذَليلِ

لِتَذهَبَ بِالعَزيزِ وَبِالذَليلِ

The world has cycles ever circling,

And this world has turns of fortune ever circling,

To sweep away the mighty and the lowly.

To sweep away the mighty and the lowly.

وَلِلدُنيا يَدٌ تَهَبُ المَنايا

وَلِلدُنيا يَدٌ تَهَبُ المَنايا

وَتَستَلِبُ الخَليلَ مِنَ الخَليلِ

وَتَستَلِبُ الخَليلَ مِنَ الخَليلِ

The world has a hand that bestows death

And this world has a hand that bestows death,

And tears beloved friend from beloved friend.

And snatches dear friend from dear friend.

وَما لَكَ غَيرُ عَقلِكَ مِن نَصيحٍ

وَما لَكَ غَيرُ عَقلِكَ مِن نَصيحٍ

وَما لَكَ غَيرُ عَقلِكَ مِن دَليلِ

وَما لَكَ غَيرُ عَقلِكَ مِن دَليلِ

You have no counselor but your own reason,

And you have no counselor but your reason.

And you have no guide but your own reason.

And you have no guide but your reason.

وَما لَكَ غَيرُ تَقوى اللَهِ مالٌ

وَما لَكَ غَيرُ تَقوى اللَهِ مالٌ

وَغَيرُ فِعالِكَ الحَسَنِ الجَميلِ

وَغَيرُ فِعالِكَ الحَسَنِ الجَميلِ

You have no wealth but reverence for God,

And you have no wealth but reverence for God

And your deeds—the good and beautiful.

And your good and beautiful deeds.

وَقارُ الحِلمِ يَقرَعُ كُلَّ جَهلٍ

وَقارُ الحِلمِ يَقرَعُ كُلَّ جَهلٍ

وَعَزمُ الصَبرِ يَنهَضُ بِالجَليلِ

وَعَزمُ الصَبرِ يَنهَضُ بِالجَليلِ

The dignity of forbearance strikes down every folly,

The dignity of forbearance strikes at every folly,

And resolute patience rises to the weightiest task.

And the resolve of patience rises to great tasks.