لاno بُدَّescape لِلإِنسانِfor a human being مِنfrom
لا بُدَّ لِلإِنسانِ مِن
يَومٍa day بَهِon it يَلقىhe encounters الحِكَمwisdom
يَومٍ بَهِ يَلقى الحِكَم
For a human being, there must come
a day on which he encounters wisdom.
ياO أَيُّهاyou (vocative) المِسكينُpoor wretch هَلis there?
يا أَيُّها المِسكينُ هَل
مِنany تَوبَةٍrepentance قَبلَbefore النَدَمregret
مِن تَوبَةٍ قَبلَ النَدَم
O you poor wretch, is there
any repentance before regret?
أَفنَيتَyou have spent عُمرَكَyour life فيin الكَباthe major sins (first part)
أَفنَيتَ عُمرَكَ في الكَبا
ئِرِmajor sins (completion) وَالفَواحِشِand indecencies وَاللَمَمand minor sins
ئِرِ وَالفَواحِشِ وَاللَمَم
You have spent your life in major
sins, indecencies, and minor sins.
تَمشيyou walk وَقَدand already حَمَّلتَyou have burdened مَتـback (first part)
تَمشي وَقَد حَمَّلتَ مَتـ
ـنَback (completion) الأَرضَthe earth حِملاًa burden بِالقَدَمwith the foot
ـنَ الأَرضَ حِملاً بِالقَدَم
You walk, having laden the back
of the earth with a burden by your tread—
حِملاًa burden مِنَof الَوزارِthe burdens of sin يَأrefuses (first part)
حِملاً مِنَ الَوزارِ يَأ
بىrefuses (completion) حَملَهُto bear it الطَودُthe mountain الأَشَمlofty
بى حَملَهُ الطَودُ الأَشَم
a burden of sins that
the lofty mountain refuses to bear.
حَمَّلتَهُyou have burdened it ماwhat لاnot يَطيـcan bear (first part)
حَمَّلتَهُ ما لا يَطيـ
ـقُcan bear (completion) ظَلَمتَهُyou have wronged it فيمَنamong those who ظَلَمhave wronged
ـقُ ظَلَمتَهُ فيمَن ظَلَم
You have burdened it with what it cannot
bear; you have wronged it among the wrongdoers.
ياO نَفسُsoul هُبّيawaken مِنfrom مَناsleep (first part)
يا نَفسُ هُبّي مِن مَنا
مِكِyour sleep (completion) عَنكِheedless of you رَبُّكِyour Lord لَمdid not يَنَمsleep
مِكِ عَنكِ رَبُّكِ لَم يَنَم
O soul, awaken from your
sleep; your Lord has not slept heedless of you.
ياO نَفسُsoul توبيrepent وَاِرجِعيand return
يا نَفسُ توبي وَاِرجِعي
قَبلَbefore التَسَدُّمِlamentation بِالسَدَمin sorrow
قَبلَ التَسَدُّمِ بِالسَدَم
O soul, repent and return
before you lament in sorrow.
لاdo not تَسلُكيfollow سُبُلَthe paths السَفاthe trivialities (first part)
لا تَسلُكي سُبُلَ السَفا
سِفَtrivialities (completion) وَالسَفاسِطِand sophistries وَالتُهَمand accusations
سِفَ وَالسَفاسِطِ وَالتُهَم
Do not follow the paths of petty
things, sophistries, and accusations.
عَلَّperhaps الإِلَهَGod يَراكِsees you بِالـwith the (prefix)
عَلَّ الإِلَهَ يَراكِ بِالـ
ـغُفرانِforgiveness (completion) وَالفَضلِand grace الأَعَمall-embracing
ـغُفرانِ وَالفَضلِ الأَعَم
Perhaps God will look upon you with
forgiveness and all-embracing grace.