إذا اجتهد المنجّمُ بعد علم

إذا اجتهد المنجّمُ بعد علم

بحلّ الزيج وهو له مريد

بحلّ الزيج وهو له مريد

When the astrologer strives, after gaining knowledge,

If the astronomer strives with knowledge

to work out the astronomical tables, intent upon them,

To solve astronomical tables, which he masters,

ونصّف ثم ضاعف ثم أفضى

ونصّف ثم ضاعف ثم أفضى

به التعديل والضرب الوكيد

به التعديل والضرب الوكيد

and halves, then doubles, and is then led

And halves, then doubles, then extrapolates

by correction and rigorous multiplication

With modifications and precise calculations,

إلى علم التواريخ اقتدارا

إلى علم التواريخ اقتدارا

بحسبان يهون به السديد

بحسبان يهون به السديد

to a commanding knowledge of chronology,

To gain knowledge of history by inference,

through reckoning before which the judicious man seems small,

Through computations that simplify the complex,

وجذر ثم قابل في المجصطى

وجذر ثم قابل في المجصطى

ودان لفضله الضد المكيد

ودان لفضله الضد المكيد

and extracts roots, then makes comparisons in the Almagest,

And extracts roots, then consults reference books,

and his outwitted opponent submits to his superiority,

With expertise that foils the adversary,

ودقق في الحكومة مستزيدا

ودقق في الحكومة مستزيدا

وما فيه لمطلب مزيد

وما فيه لمطلب مزيد

and scrutinizes the judgment, seeking more,

And examines governments seeking more,

though there is nothing further in it to seek—

Though no increase can serve his purpose,

هناك يكون أعمى الناس قلبا

هناك يكون أعمى الناس قلبا

لأن الله يفعل ما يريد

لأن الله يفعل ما يريد

then he is the blindest of people in heart,

Then he is the blindest of men in his heart,

because God does whatever He wills.

For God does what He wills.

إلى أن يدرك الحسّاب أمراً

إلى أن يدرك الحسّاب أمراً

أتى من دونه أمر جديد

أتى من دونه أمر جديد

By the time the reckoner grasps a matter,

Until the calculator grasps something

a new matter has already intervened.

That comes to pass beyond his reckoning,

ومن لم يدر أين الروح منه

ومن لم يدر أين الروح منه

فكيف يحيبه إسطقس بعيد

فكيف يحيبه إسطقس بعيد

And one who does not know where his soul lies within him—

And he who does not know where his soul is,

how, then, can a distant element [answer] him?

How can distant stars reveal it to him?

وحسبان النجوم يصحّ علما

وحسبان النجوم يصحّ علما

وسرذ الحكم ممتنعٌ فقيد

وسرذ الحكم ممتنعٌ فقيد

And reckoning the stars is sound as a science,

Calculation of stars is sound learning,

yet [setting out] predictions is impossible, beyond reach.

But the mystery of fate is unknowable, bound.

وتأتي دون ذاك مصادفات

وتأتي دون ذاك مصادفات

وأقدار تحلّ بها العقود

وأقدار تحلّ بها العقود

And coincidences arise before that,

Beyond this come coincidences,

and decrees of fate through which knots are untied.

And destinies decreed by astrological signs.

وما شيء أشدّ عليّ غيظا

وما شيء أشدّ عليّ غيظا

من الأحكام يحكمها اليهود

من الأحكام يحكمها اليهود

And nothing provokes greater anger in me

And nothing vexes me more

than the judgments the Jews pronounce.

Than judgments made by Jews.

إذا علم الحكيم الأمر حقّا

إذا علم الحكيم الأمر حقّا

يحيط بعلمه الطفل الوليد

يحيط بعلمه الطفل الوليد

If a sage truly knows a matter,

When the wise man knows the truth fully,

can a newborn child encompass his knowledge?

Even a newborn babe shares his knowledge.

فكيف يحيط مخلوق مهينٌ

فكيف يحيط مخلوق مهينٌ

بعلم حازه الملك المحيد

بعلم حازه الملك المحيد

Then how can a lowly creature encompass

How then can a lowly creature

knowledge possessed by the [Glorious] King?

Encompass the knowledge held by the Glorious King?

متى حظّ الفتى قصرَت خطاه

متى حظّ الفتى قصرَت خطاه

لمطلبه ولان له الحديد

لمطلبه ولان له الحديد

Whenever a young man is fortunate, his steps grow fewer

When the youth's fortune is shortened by fate,

toward his goal, and iron softens for him;

His quest is hindered and iron softened for him,

وذل له الأقارب والأقاصي

وذل له الأقارب والأقاصي

ولاذ به الولائد والعبيد

ولاذ به الولائد والعبيد

and his kin and those far away submit to him,

His kin and strangers submit to him,

and slave women and male slaves seek refuge with him.

As do newborns and slaves.