يسير الشرُّ شوطاً بعدَ شوطِ

يسير الشرُّ شوطاً بعدَ شوطِ

فلا تأخُذ محبّيهِ بحَوطِ

فلا تأخُذ محبّيهِ بحَوطِ

Evil advances one stretch after another.

Evil takes step after step

So do not treat those who love it with protective care.

So do not take those who love it with force

لقد أعيا الهوى ديناً وشرعاً

لقد أعيا الهوى ديناً وشرعاً

فما إصلاحُهُم إِلا بسوط

فما إصلاحُهُم إِلا بسوط

Passion has indeed baffled religion and religious law.

Passion has certainly exhausted religion and law

So they can be reformed only with a whip.

So reforming them is only with the lash