جِسمِيَ أَودى مَرُ السِنينَ بِهِ

جِسمِيَ أَودى مَرُ السِنينَ بِهِ

فَلتَطلُبِ النَفسُ مَنزِلاً بَدَلَه

فَلتَطلُبِ النَفسُ مَنزِلاً بَدَلَه

My body has been laid waste by the passing years.

My body has been worn down by the passing years

So let the soul seek a dwelling in its stead.

So let the soul seek a dwelling to replace it

ما كَرِهَت مَأثَماً وَلا فَعَلَت

ما كَرِهَت مَأثَماً وَلا فَعَلَت

خَيراً وَعادَت مُسيئَةً جَدِلَه

خَيراً وَعادَت مُسيئَةً جَدِلَه

It has abhorred no sin, nor has it done

It has done no wrong nor good

any good, and it has become sinful and contentious.

And remains disputatious in its ways

وَالناسُ لا يَصلُحونَ ما طَلَعَت

وَالناسُ لا يَصلُحونَ ما طَلَعَت

شَمسٌ وَما أَرسَلَ الدُجى سُدُلَه

شَمسٌ وَما أَرسَلَ الدُجى سُدُلَه

And people will not mend so long as there rises

People cannot fix what the sun has revealed

a sun, and so long as darkness lets down its veils.

Nor what the night has hidden in its darkness

ما عَدِمَ الجائِرونَ عِندَهُم

ما عَدِمَ الجائِرونَ عِندَهُم

تَأَلِّياً أَنَّهُم مِنَ العَدَلَه

تَأَلِّياً أَنَّهُم مِنَ العَدَلَه

The unjust among them have never lacked

The unjust lack nothing in their eyes

sworn claims that they are among the just.

Though they are far from justice

وَالعُلوِيُّ البِصرِيُّ كانَ بِهِم

وَالعُلوِيُّ البِصرِيُّ كانَ بِهِم

أَعرَفَ مِنهُم وَاللُبُّ يَشهَدُ لَه

أَعرَفَ مِنهُم وَاللُبُّ يَشهَدُ لَه

And the Alid of Basra knew them

Al-Uloowi Al-Basri was the most knowing of them

better than they knew themselves; reason bears witness for him.

Though their minds testify against him