إِن يَصحَبِ الروحَ عَقلي بَعدَ مَظعَنِها

إِن يَصحَبِ الروحَ عَقلي بَعدَ مَظعَنِها

لِلمَوتِ عَنِّيَ فَأَجدِر أَن تَرى عَجَبا

لِلمَوتِ عَنِّيَ فَأَجدِر أَن تَرى عَجَبا

If my reason accompanies the spirit after its departure

If my soul's companion, my reason, survives its ordeals,

from me into death, then you may well see a marvel.

Then for me death would be more wondrous to behold.

وَإِن مَضَت في الهَواءِ الرَحبِ هالِكَةً

وَإِن مَضَت في الهَواءِ الرَحبِ هالِكَةً

هَلاكَ جِسمِيَ في تُربي فَواشجَبا

هَلاكَ جِسمِيَ في تُربي فَواشجَبا

And if it departs, perishing in the boundless air,

And if it passes away into free air, destroyed,

as my body perishes in my dust—alas, what grief!

Like the destruction of my body in its soil, then bravo!

الدَينُ إِنصافُكَ الأَقوامَ كُلَّهُمُ

الدَينُ إِنصافُكَ الأَقوامَ كُلَّهُمُ

وَأَيُّ دينٍ لِأَبي الحَقِّ إِن وَجَبا

وَأَيُّ دينٍ لِأَبي الحَقِّ إِن وَجَبا

Religion is your fair treatment of all peoples;

Justice for all people is your religion.

and what religion has one who refuses a right when it is due?

What religion is there for the righteous man, if obligation calls?

وَالمَرءُ يُعيَيهِ قَودُ النَفسِ مُصبِحَةً

وَالمَرءُ يُعيَيهِ قَودُ النَفسِ مُصبِحَةً

لِلخَيرِ وَهوَ يَقودُ العَسكَرَ اللَجِبا

لِلخَيرِ وَهوَ يَقودُ العَسكَرَ اللَجِبا

And a man struggles to guide his soul at daybreak

A man is wearied by the horse of ambition in the morning,

toward goodness, though he commands the clamorous army.

Urging him towards good, as he leads the unruly troops.

وَصَومُهُ الشَهرَ ما لَم يَجنِ مَعصِيَةً

وَصَومُهُ الشَهرَ ما لَم يَجنِ مَعصِيَةً

يُغنيهِ عَن صَومِهِ شَعبانَ أَو رَجَبا

يُغنيهِ عَن صَومِهِ شَعبانَ أَو رَجَبا

And his fasting for the month, so long as he commits no sin,

Fasting the month, so long as he commits no disobedience,

spares him fasting Shaʿban or Rajab.

Will suffice him - instead of fasting Sha’ban or Rajab.

وَما اِتَّبَعتُ نَجيباً في شَمائِلِهِ

وَما اِتَّبَعتُ نَجيباً في شَمائِلِهِ

وَفي الحِمامِ تَبِعتُ السادَةَ النُجُبا

وَفي الحِمامِ تَبِعتُ السادَةَ النُجُبا

And I have emulated no noble man in his character,

I have never followed a noble one in his traits,

yet in death I have followed the noble lords.

Yet in battle I have followed the noble chiefs.

وَاِحذَر دُعاءَ ظَليمٍ في نَعامَتِهِ

وَاِحذَر دُعاءَ ظَليمٍ في نَعامَتِهِ

فَرُبَّ دَعوَةِ داعٍ تَخرُقُ الحُجُبا

فَرُبَّ دَعوَةِ داعٍ تَخرُقُ الحُجُبا

And beware the prayer of a male ostrich among his flock,

And beware the prayer of a wronged man in his affliction,

for many a supplicant’s prayer pierces the veils.

For many a prayer of the supplicant pierces the veils.