الناسُpeople فيin الدينِreligion وَالدُنياand worldly life ذَوّpossessors of دَرَجِranks
الناسُ في الدينِ وَالدُنيا ذَوّ دَرَجِ
وَالمالُand wealth ماwhat lies بَينَbetween مَوقوفٍheld in reserve وَمُختَلِجِand snatched away
وَالمالُ ما بَينَ مَوقوفٍ وَمُختَلِجِ
People have different ranks in religion and worldly life.
People in religion and worldly life have degrees
Wealth lies between being held in reserve and being snatched away.
And wealth is between stalled and convulsing
مَنwhoever عاشَlives قَضّىfulfills كَثيراًmuch مِنof لُبانَتِهِhis desire
مَن عاشَ قَضّى كَثيراً مِن لُبانَتِهِ
وَلِلمَضايقِand for hardships أَبوابٌdoors مِنَof الفَرَجِrelief
وَلِلمَضايقِ أَبوابٌ مِنَ الفَرَجِ
Whoever lives fulfills much of what he desires.
Whoever lives, spends much of his prime
And hardships have doors to relief.
And for straits are doors of relief
مَنwhoever ضاقَhas no room عَنكَfor you فَأَرضُthen the earth of اللَهِGod واسِعَةٌis vast
مَن ضاقَ عَنكَ فَأَرضُ اللَهِ واسِعَةٌ
فيin وَجهِfront of كُلِّevery مَضيقٍnarrow passage وَجهُa way مُنفَرِجِopening out
في وَجهِ كُلِّ مَضيقٍ وَجهُ مُنفَرِجِ
If someone has no room for you, God's earth is vast.
If it is too narrow for you, God's earth is spacious
Facing every narrow passage is an open way.
In the face of every strait is an alleviating aspect
قَدmay يُدرِكُattain الراقِدُthe sleeper الهاديthe tranquil one بِرَقدَتِهِthrough his sleep
قَد يُدرِكُ الراقِدُ الهادي بِرَقدَتِهِ
وَقَدand may يَخيبُfail أَخوone given to الرَوحاتِafternoon journeys وَالدَلَجِand night travel
وَقَد يَخيبُ أَخو الرَوحاتِ وَالدَلَجِ
The tranquil sleeper may attain his goal through his sleep.
The sleeper may catch up with the guide in his sleep
Yet he who journeys by afternoon and night may fail.
Yet the brother of spirits and shadows may fail
خَيرُthe best المَذاهِبِapproaches فيin الحاجاتِneeds أَنجَحُهاthe most successful of them
خَيرُ المَذاهِبِ في الحاجاتِ أَنجَحُها
وَأَضيَقُand the tightest الأَمرِpredicament أَدناهُits nearest point مِنَto الفَرَجِrelief
وَأَضيَقُ الأَمرِ أَدناهُ مِنَ الفَرَجِ
The best ways of meeting needs are those that succeed most.
The best of methods in needs is the most successful
And the tightest predicament is closest to relief.
And the narrowest of affairs is the closest to relief
لَقَدindeed عَلِمتُI have learned وَإِنand although قَصَّرتُI have fallen short فيin عَمَليmy deeds
لَقَد عَلِمتُ وَإِن قَصَّرتُ في عَمَلي
أَنَّthat اِبنَthe son of آدَمَAdam لاnot يَخلوis without مِنَof الحُجَجِexcuses
أَنَّ اِبنَ آدَمَ لا يَخلو مِنَ الحُجَجِ
I have indeed learned, though I fall short in my deeds,
I have known, though I fell short in my deeds
that the son of Adam is never without excuses.
That the son of Adam is not devoid of excuses
أَنّىhow يَكونُcan be تَقِيّاًpious غَيرُnot ذيpossessing حَرَجٍscruples
أَنّى يَكونُ تَقِيّاً غَيرُ ذي حَرَجٍ
ماnot يَتَّقيfears اللَهَGod إِلّاexcept كُلُّevery ذيpossessor of حَرَجِscruples
ما يَتَّقي اللَهَ إِلّا كُلُّ ذي حَرَجِ
How can someone without scruples be pious?
How can one be devout without qualm
None fears God but those with scruples.
None fears God but everyone with qualm