دَعِ الناسَ وَاِصحَب وَحِشَ بَيداءَ قِفرَةٍ

دَعِ الناسَ وَاِصحَب وَحِشَ بَيداءَ قِفرَةٍ

فَإِنَّ رِضاهُم غايَةٌ لَيسَ تُدرَكُ

فَإِنَّ رِضاهُم غايَةٌ لَيسَ تُدرَكُ

Leave people, and befriend the wild beasts of a barren desert.

Leave the people and keep the company of the wild deserted waste,

For their approval is a goal that cannot be reached.

For pleasing them is a goal never reached.

إِذا ذَكَروا المَخلوقَ عابوا وَأَطنَبوا

إِذا ذَكَروا المَخلوقَ عابوا وَأَطنَبوا

وَإِن ذَكَروا الخَلّاقَ حابوا وَأَشرَكوا

وَإِن ذَكَروا الخَلّاقَ حابوا وَأَشرَكوا

When they mention a created being, they find fault and speak at length.

When they mention the created being they find fault and babble on,

And if they mention the Creator, they show partiality and ascribe partners to Him.

And when they mention the Creator they shy away and associate others with Him.

كُلِفتَ بِدُنياكَ الَّتي هِيَ خُدعَةٌ

كُلِفتَ بِدُنياكَ الَّتي هِيَ خُدعَةٌ

وَهَل خُلَّةٌ مِنها أَغَرُّ وَأَفرَكُ

وَهَل خُلَّةٌ مِنها أَغَرُّ وَأَفرَكُ

You are infatuated with your worldly life, which is a deception.

You are tasked with your worldly life which is but a delusion,

And is any companion more deceitful and more hostile than she?

And is there a funner game than it and more occupying?

إِذا سَمَحَت عادَت لِما سَمَحَت بِهِ

إِذا سَمَحَت عادَت لِما سَمَحَت بِهِ

وَكَم أَذنَبَت وَالذَنبُ بِالرَرضِ يُعرَكُ

وَكَم أَذنَبَت وَالذَنبُ بِالرَرضِ يُعرَكُ

When she gives freely, she returns for what she gave.

When it is easygoing it returns to what it was easygoing with,

And how often she has sinned, and sin is rubbed away by [unclear text].

And how many sins it commits but sin in acceptance is smoothed over.

وَلَو لَم يَكُن فينا هواها غَريزَةً

وَلَو لَم يَكُن فينا هواها غَريزَةً

لَكانَ إذا جَرَّ المَهالِكَ يُترَكُ

لَكانَ إذا جَرَّ المَهالِكَ يُترَكُ

And were love of her not an instinct within us,

And if it were not intrinsic to us to desire it,

It would be abandoned when it brought deadly perils.

When ruin pulls one would be left.

مَتّى أَنا تالي الرَكبِ فَوقَ مَطيَّةٍ

مَتّى أَنا تالي الرَكبِ فَوقَ مَطيَّةٍ

عَلى مَنهَلٍ يُغني عَنِ الماءِ تَبرُكُ

عَلى مَنهَلٍ يُغني عَنِ الماءِ تَبرُكُ

When shall I follow the caravan upon a mount

When will I be following the caravan on a she-camel,

That kneels at a watering place that dispenses with water?

At a watering place that makes water superfluous through its blessings?

إِذا فاتَكَ الإِثراءُ مِن غَيرِ وَجهِهِ

إِذا فاتَكَ الإِثراءُ مِن غَيرِ وَجهِهِ

فَإِنَّ قَليلَ الخَلِّ أَولى وَأَبرَكُ

فَإِنَّ قَليلَ الخَلِّ أَولى وَأَبرَكُ

If wealth through wrongful means eludes you,

If enrichment comes to you from other than its proper source,

Then a little vinegar is preferable and more blessed.

Then a little honestly gained is best and most blessed.

وَنَحنُ بِعلمِ اللَهِ مِن مُتَحَرِّكٍ

وَنَحنُ بِعلمِ اللَهِ مِن مُتَحَرِّكٍ

يُرى ساكِناً أَو ساكِنٍ يَتَحَرَّكُ

يُرى ساكِناً أَو ساكِنٍ يَتَحَرَّكُ

And we, in God's knowledge, are among those in motion,

And we, by God's knowledge, are of the movers

Seen to be still, or those at rest who move.

Who seem still or still ones who move.