كُن ساكِناً في ذا الزَمانِ بِسَيرِهِ

كُن ساكِناً في ذا الزَمانِ بِسَيرِهِ

وَعَنِ الوَرى كُن راهِباً في دَيرِهِ

وَعَنِ الوَرى كُن راهِباً في دَيرِهِ

Keep still in this age while it runs its course;

Be still in this age as it runs its course.

and, aloof from humankind, be a monk in his cloister.

And, apart from humankind, be a monk in his monastery.

وَاِغسِل يَدَيكَ مِنَ الزَمانِ وَأَهلِهِ

وَاِغسِل يَدَيكَ مِنَ الزَمانِ وَأَهلِهِ

وَاِحذَر مَوَدَّتَهُم تَنَل مِن خَيرِهِ

وَاِحذَر مَوَدَّتَهُم تَنَل مِن خَيرِهِ

Wash your hands of time and all its people;

And wash your hands of this age and its people.

beware their affection, and you will gain what good it holds.

And beware their affection; you will gain some of the age’s goodness.

إِنّي اِطَّلَعتُ فَلَم أَجِد لي صاحِباً

إِنّي اِطَّلَعتُ فَلَم أَجِد لي صاحِباً

أَصحَبُهُ في الدَهرِ وَلا في غَيرِهِ

أَصحَبُهُ في الدَهرِ وَلا في غَيرِهِ

I searched closely, but found no companion for myself

Indeed, I looked, but found no companion for myself

whom I could accompany in this world, or any other.

whom I might accompany in this age or any other.

فَتَرَكتُ أَسفَلَهُم لَكَثرَةِ شَرِّهِ

فَتَرَكتُ أَسفَلَهُم لَكَثرَةِ شَرِّهِ

وَتَرَكتُ أَعلاهُم لِقِلَّةِ خَيرِهِ

وَتَرَكتُ أَعلاهُم لِقِلَّةِ خَيرِهِ

So I forsook their basest for his abundant evil,

So I left the lowest among them because his evil was abundant,

and forsook their noblest for his scant goodness.

and left the highest among them because his goodness was scarce.