رَأَيتُ قَضاءَ اللَهِ أَوجَبَ خَلقَهُ

رَأَيتُ قَضاءَ اللَهِ أَوجَبَ خَلقَهُ

وَعادَ عَلَيهِم في تَصَرُّفِهِ سَلبا

وَعادَ عَلَيهِم في تَصَرُّفِهِ سَلبا

I saw God's decree grant His creatures existence,

I saw Allah's decree made His creation obligatory,

and then turn upon them, in its workings, to take it away.

And His disposal of affairs was detrimental to them.

وَقَد غَلَبَ الأَحياءَ في كُلِّ وُجهَةٍ

وَقَد غَلَبَ الأَحياءَ في كُلِّ وُجهَةٍ

هَواهُم وَإِن كانوا غَطارِفَةً غُلبا

هَواهُم وَإِن كانوا غَطارِفَةً غُلبا

And indeed, the living have been overcome in every course

Passion has overcome the living in every situation,

by their desires, though they were mighty lords.

Even if they were covering their faults.

كِلابٌ تَغاوَت أَو تَعاوَت لِجيفَةٍ

كِلابٌ تَغاوَت أَو تَعاوَت لِجيفَةٍ

وَأَحسَبُني أَصبَحتُ أَلأَمَها كَلبا

وَأَحسَبُني أَصبَحتُ أَلأَمَها كَلبا

Dogs that banded together, or howled together, for a carcass;

Dogs snarling or cooperating over a carcass,

and I think I have become the basest dog among them.

And I reckon I have become a dog scolding them.

أَبَينا سِوى غِشِّ الصُدورِ وَإِنَّما

أَبَينا سِوى غِشِّ الصُدورِ وَإِنَّما

يَنالُ ثَوابَ اللَهِ أَسلَمُنا قَلبا

يَنالُ ثَوابَ اللَهِ أَسلَمُنا قَلبا

We have refused all but deceit in our hearts, and only

Our father, apart from the deceit in hearts, but

the purest-hearted among us gains God's reward.

Only attaining Allah's reward has our hearts submitted.

وَأَيَّ بَني الأَيّامِ يَحمَدُ قائِلٌ

وَأَيَّ بَني الأَيّامِ يَحمَدُ قائِلٌ

وَمَن جَرَّبَ الأَقوامَ أَوسَعَهُم ثَلبا

وَمَن جَرَّبَ الأَقوامَ أَوسَعَهُم ثَلبا

And which of the sons of days does a speaker praise?

And which of the days of life can someone praise

And whoever has tested people has heaped reproach upon them.

When someone who has experienced people, finds them rapacious.