لَم أَرضَ رَأيَ وُلاةِ قَومٍ لَقَّبوا

لَم أَرضَ رَأيَ وُلاةِ قَومٍ لَقَّبوا

مَلِكاً بِمُقتَدِرٍ وَآخَرَ قاهِرا

مَلِكاً بِمُقتَدِرٍ وَآخَرَ قاهِرا

I did not approve the judgment of a people's rulers, who styled

I do not approve of the opinion of leaders who titled

one king “Muqtadir” (the Powerful), and another “Qahir” (the Subduer).

One king "All Powerful" and another "Vanquisher"

هَذي صِفاتُ اللَهِ جَلَّ جَلالُهُ

هَذي صِفاتُ اللَهِ جَلَّ جَلالُهُ

فَاِلحَق بِمَن هَجَرَ الغُواةَ مُظاهِرا

فَاِلحَق بِمَن هَجَرَ الغُواةَ مُظاهِرا

These are God's attributes—exalted is His majesty!

These are attributes of Allah, may His glory be exalted

So join whoever has forsaken the errant, as an ally.

So adhere to the one who abandoned the transgressors openly

نَبغي التَطَهُّرَ وَالقَضاءُ جَرى لَنا

نَبغي التَطَهُّرَ وَالقَضاءُ جَرى لَنا

بِسِواهُ حَتّى ما نُعاينُ طاهِرا

بِسِواهُ حَتّى ما نُعاينُ طاهِرا

We seek purification, yet fate has decreed for us

We ought to purify ourselves, as judgement has been passed for us

something other than it, so that we behold no one pure.

By Him alone until we become pure

وَالناسُ في ظُلَمِ الشُكوكِ تَنازَعوا

وَالناسُ في ظُلَمِ الشُكوكِ تَنازَعوا

فيها وَما لَمَحوا نَهاراً باهِرا

فيها وَما لَمَحوا نَهاراً باهِرا

And people, amid the darkness of doubts, have disputed

And people in the darkness of doubts disputed

over them, yet have glimpsed no dazzling daylight.

Amongst themselves, and did not glimpse a clear dawn

نَمضي وَنَتَّرِكُ البِلادَ عَريضَةً

نَمضي وَنَتَّرِكُ البِلادَ عَريضَةً

وَالصُبحُ أَنوَرَ وَالنُجومَ زَواهِرا

وَالصُبحُ أَنوَرَ وَالنُجومَ زَواهِرا

We pass on and leave the lands vast,

We shall proceed and leave the lands bare

and dawn radiant, and the stars shining.

As the dawn glows brighter and the stars shine

عِش ما بَدا لَكَ لَن تَرى إِلّا مَدىً

عِش ما بَدا لَكَ لَن تَرى إِلّا مَدىً

يُطوى كَعادَتِهِ وَدَهراً داهِرا

يُطوى كَعادَتِهِ وَدَهراً داهِرا

Live as long as you please; you will see only a span

Live as much as you like, you will only see an extent

folded away, as is its wont, and time everlasting.

That is folded up according to its nature, and time that destroys

لا تولِدوا وَإِذا أَبى طَبعٌ فَلا

لا تولِدوا وَإِذا أَبى طَبعٌ فَلا

تئِدوا وَأَكرِم بِالتُرابِ مُصاهِرا

تئِدوا وَأَكرِم بِالتُرابِ مُصاهِرا

Do not beget children; and if instinct refuses restraint, then do not

Do not give birth, and if a temperament refuses, then do not

bury them alive; and how noble is dust as an in-law!

Forcibly prevent it, and honor with dust those joined in marriage

وَالجِسمُ أَصلٌ فَرَّعَتهُ قُدرَةٌ

وَالجِسمُ أَصلٌ فَرَّعَتهُ قُدرَةٌ

فَأَبانَ خالِقُهُ حَصىً وَجَواهِرا

فَأَبانَ خالِقُهُ حَصىً وَجَواهِرا

And the body is a root that power has made to branch;

And the body is an origin that ability cultivated

so its creator made pebbles and jewels distinct.

So its Creator manifested gems and jewels from it

كَم قائِمٍ بِعِظاتِهِ مُتَفَقِّهٍ في

كَم قائِمٍ بِعِظاتِهِ مُتَفَقِّهٍ في

الدينِ يوجَدُ حينَ يُكشَفُ عاهِرا

الدينِ يوجَدُ حينَ يُكشَفُ عاهِرا

How many a man dispensing his admonitions, versed in

How many religious scholars are there whose sermons

religion, is found, when unmasked, to be a fornicator!

Are found to be corrupt when unveiled

وَعَلِمتُ قَلبَ المَرءِ يَغرَقُ في هَوى

وَعَلِمتُ قَلبَ المَرءِ يَغرَقُ في هَوى

دُنياهُ خابَ مُكاتِماً وَمُجاهِرا

دُنياهُ خابَ مُكاتِماً وَمُجاهِرا

And I have learned that a man's heart drowns in desire for

And I learned that the heart of man drowns in the passion of

his worldly life; he fails, whether in secret or openly.

His worldly life, failing in secret and openly

ماذا أَفَدتَ بِأَن أَطَلتَ تَفَكُّراً

ماذا أَفَدتَ بِأَن أَطَلتَ تَفَكُّراً

فيها وَقدَ أَفنَيتَ لَيلَكَ ساهِرا

فيها وَقدَ أَفنَيتَ لَيلَكَ ساهِرا

What have you gained by prolonging your reflection

What did you gain by prolonging contemplation

on it, when you have spent your whole night awake?

Of it when you spent your night wakeful

وَخُمولُ ذِكرِكَ في الحَياةِ سَلامَةٌ

وَخُمولُ ذِكرِكَ في الحَياةِ سَلامَةٌ

وَدَهاكَ مَن أَمسى لِذِكرِكَ شاهِرا

وَدَهاكَ مَن أَمسى لِذِكرِكَ شاهِرا

And obscurity of your name in life is safety;

And the decline of your remembrance in life is safety

and he who has come to publicize your name has brought you calamity.

While its fervor made one who remembered you openly restless at night

فَتَجَنَّبَن مُتَوافِقَينِ عَلى الأَذى

فَتَجَنَّبَن مُتَوافِقَينِ عَلى الأَذى

مُتَخالِفَينِ بَواطِناً وَظَواهِرا

مُتَخالِفَينِ بَواطِناً وَظَواهِرا

So be sure to shun two who agree on harm,

So avoid those who agree on harm

though different both inwardly and outwardly.

While disagreeing inwardly and outwardly

وَإِخالُنا في البَحرِ لَيسَ بِسالِمٍ

وَإِخالُنا في البَحرِ لَيسَ بِسالِمٍ

مِنهُ الَّذي رَكِبَ الغَوارِبَ ماهِرا

مِنهُ الَّذي رَكِبَ الغَوارِبَ ماهِرا

And I think us at sea; there is no safe escape

And our entry into the sea is not safe

from it for one who rides the wave-crests skillfully.

From the one who rode the ships skillfully

مَلَكوا فَما سَلَكوا سَبيلَ الرُشدِ بَل

مَلَكوا فَما سَلَكوا سَبيلَ الرُشدِ بَل

مَلَأوا الدِيارَ ضَوارِباً وَمَزاهِرا

مَلَأوا الدِيارَ ضَوارِباً وَمَزاهِرا

They ruled, but did not follow the path of right guidance; rather,

They possessed but did not follow the path of righteousness, rather

they filled the dwellings with female musicians and lutes.

They filled the lands with raids and flowers