ما يُحسِنُ المَرءُ غَيرَ الغِشِّ وَالحَسَدِ

ما يُحسِنُ المَرءُ غَيرَ الغِشِّ وَالحَسَدِ

وَما أَخوكَ سِوى الضُرغامَةِ الأَسَدِ

وَما أَخوكَ سِوى الضُرغامَةِ الأَسَدِ

Man excels at nothing but deceit and envy.

Man is skilled in nothing but deceit and envy,

And your brother is nothing but a fierce lion.

And your brother is none but a roaring lion.

لا خَيرَ في الناسِ إِن أَلقوا سِيادَتَهُم

لا خَيرَ في الناسِ إِن أَلقوا سِيادَتَهُم

إِلَيكَ طَوعاً فَخالِفهُم وَلا تَسُدِ

إِلَيكَ طَوعاً فَخالِفهُم وَلا تَسُدِ

There is no good in people; if they entrust their leadership

There is no good in people if they give you

to you willingly, oppose them and do not rule.

Leadership willingly, so oppose them and do not comply.

فَلَيسَ يَرضَونَ عَن والٍ وَلا مَلِكٍ

فَلَيسَ يَرضَونَ عَن والٍ وَلا مَلِكٍ

وَلَو أَتَوا بِالأَماني في قُوى مَسَدِ

وَلَو أَتَوا بِالأَماني في قُوى مَسَدِ

For they are not content with a governor or a king,

For they are not pleased with any ruler or king,

even if they brought wishes bound in strands of twisted rope.

Even if they come with wishes in strongholds.

جَاوُوا الفَخارَ بِأَموالٍ لَهُم نُفُقٍ

جَاوُوا الفَخارَ بِأَموالٍ لَهُم نُفُقٍ

وَلَم يَجيئوا بِأَخلاقٍ لَهُم كُسُدِ

وَلَم يَجيئوا بِأَخلاقٍ لَهُم كُسُدِ

They vied for glory with their wealth, which sells readily,

They sought pottery with wealth they spend,

but did not bring their morals, which lie unsold.

But did not come with morals they fortify.

وَإِن تَكُن هَذِهِ الأَرواحُ خالِصَةً

وَإِن تَكُن هَذِهِ الأَرواحُ خالِصَةً

فَهُنَّ يَفسُدنَ في أَرواحِنا الفُسُدِ

فَهُنَّ يَفسُدنَ في أَرواحِنا الفُسُدِ

And if these souls are pure,

If these spirits are pure,

then they grow corrupt among our corrupt souls.

They are corrupted in our souls full of corruption.

وَقَد رَأَينا كَثيراً بَينَنا جَسَدا

وَقَد رَأَينا كَثيراً بَينَنا جَسَدا

بِغَيرِ رَوحٍ فَهَل رَوحٌ بِلا جَسَدِ

بِغَيرِ رَوحٍ فَهَل رَوحٌ بِلا جَسَدِ

And we have often seen a body among us

We have seen much among us a body

without a soul; is there, then, a soul without a body?

Without a soul, so is there a soul without a body?

تَطَهَّرَت بِنَبيذِ التَمرِ طائِفَةٌ

تَطَهَّرَت بِنَبيذِ التَمرِ طائِفَةٌ

وَقَد أَجازوا طُهوراً بِالدَمِ الجَسَدِ

وَقَد أَجازوا طُهوراً بِالدَمِ الجَسَدِ

A sect purified itself with an infusion of dates,

A group purified themselves with date wine

and they have permitted purification with dried blood.

And they allowed purification with blood of body.

فَالحَمدُ لِلَّهِ ما نَفسي بِساميَّةٍ

فَالحَمدُ لِلَّهِ ما نَفسي بِساميَّةٍ

وَلا بَناني عَلى أَيدي العُفاةِ سَدِ

وَلا بَناني عَلى أَيدي العُفاةِ سَدِ

So praise be to God: my soul is not ambitious,

So praise be to Allah, my soul is not noble,

nor are my fingertips moist with bounty above beggars’ hands.

Nor was I raised at the hands of chaste ones.