نادَيتُ حَتّى بَدا في المَنطِقِ الصَحَلُ

نادَيتُ حَتّى بَدا في المَنطِقِ الصَحَلُ

تَخالَفَ الناسُ وَالأَغراضُ وَالنِحَلُ

تَخالَفَ الناسُ وَالأَغراضُ وَالنِحَلُ

I called out until hoarseness appeared in my speech.

I called until the bare ground appeared in the speech

People differed, and so did aims and creeds.

People differed with purposes and inclinations

رَجَوا إِماماً بِحَقٍّ أَن يَقومَ لَهُم

رَجَوا إِماماً بِحَقٍّ أَن يَقومَ لَهُم

هَيهاتَ لا بَل حُلولٌ ثُمَّ مُرتَحَلُ

هَيهاتَ لا بَل حُلولٌ ثُمَّ مُرتَحَلُ

They hoped for an imam who would rightfully rise for them.

They hoped for an imam in truth to rise for them

Far from it! No—rather, a sojourn, then departure.

Alas! No, but there are comings then departures

وَلَن يَزالوا بِشَرٍّ في زَمانِهِمُ

وَلَن يَزالوا بِشَرٍّ في زَمانِهِمُ

ما دامَ فَوقَهُمُ المِرّيخُ أَو زُحَلُ

ما دامَ فَوقَهُمُ المِرّيخُ أَو زُحَلُ

And they will remain in adversity in their time,

They will not cease being evil in their time

as long as Mars or Saturn is above them.

As long as Mars or Saturn is above them

فَاِكفِف بِسَيرِكَ ذَيلَ الخَطبِ مُبتَدِراً

فَاِكفِف بِسَيرِكَ ذَيلَ الخَطبِ مُبتَدِراً

فَالخَلقُ أَمرَهُ أَو فيهِ الدُجى كَحلُ

فَالخَلقُ أَمرَهُ أَو فيهِ الدُجى كَحلُ

So, making haste, gather up calamity’s hem as you go;

So restrain the train of your sermon hastening off

for creation wears no kohl—or darkness within it is kohl.

Creation's affair is as it is, or within it, darkness like kohl

نَقضي المَآرِبَ وَالساعاتُ ساعِيَةٌ

نَقضي المَآرِبَ وَالساعاتُ ساعِيَةٌ

كَأَنَّهُنَّ صِعابٌ تَحتَنا ذُلُلُ

كَأَنَّهُنَّ صِعابٌ تَحتَنا ذُلُلُ

We fulfill our desires while the hours hurry on,

We fulfill misfortunes and the hours pass by

as though they were unruly steeds, tame beneath us.

As if they were docile mountains beneath us