كَم صَرَفَ المَولودُ عَن والِدٍ

كَم صَرَفَ المَولودُ عَن والِدٍ

خَيراً وَكَم أُمٍّ لَهُ لَم يَمُن

خَيراً وَكَم أُمٍّ لَهُ لَم يَمُن

How often a child has diverted from a father

How much good has the newborn kept from his father

some good—and how many a mother of his has he failed to support!

And how many mothers has he not obliged

الرُبعُ لِلزَوجَةِ إِن لَم يَكُن

الرُبعُ لِلزَوجَةِ إِن لَم يَكُن

نَسلٌ وَإِن كانَ غَدَت بِالثُمُن

نَسلٌ وَإِن كانَ غَدَت بِالثُمُن

A quarter belongs to the wife if there is no

A quarter for the wife if no progeny

offspring; and if there is, she ends up with an eighth.

And with progeny she gets an eighth as her share

وَالزَوجُ يَزوي النِصفَ أَبناؤُهُ

وَالزَوجُ يَزوي النِصفَ أَبناؤُهُ

عَنهُ وَفي الدَهرِ خُطوبٌ كُمُن

عَنهُ وَفي الدَهرِ خُطوبٌ كُمُن

And the husband's children withhold the half-share

The husband gets half distributed by his sons

from him; and time harbors lurking calamities.

From him, though life's path has hidden perils

قالَ أُناسٌ باطِلٌ زَعمُهُم

قالَ أُناسٌ باطِلٌ زَعمُهُم

فَراقِبوا اللَهَ وَلا تَزعَمُن

فَراقِبوا اللَهَ وَلا تَزعَمُن

Some people said (their claim is false,

Some people vainly claimed, their claim so false

so be mindful of God, and make no such claim):

So be aware of God, make no such claims

فَكَّرَ يَزدانُ عَلى غِرَّةٍ

فَكَّرَ يَزدانُ عَلى غِرَّةٍ

فَصيغَ مِن تَفكيرِهِ أَهرُمُن

فَصيغَ مِن تَفكيرِهِ أَهرُمُن

“Yazdan pondered in an unguarded moment,

Yazdan pondered, senses all alert

so from his pondering Ahriman was fashioned.”

His pondering did fashion verses trim