عِلمي بِأَنّي جاهِلٌ مُتَمَكِّنٌ

عِلمي بِأَنّي جاهِلٌ مُتَمَكِّنٌ

عِندي وَإِن ضَيَّعتُ حَقَّ العالِمِ

عِندي وَإِن ضَيَّعتُ حَقَّ العالِمِ

My knowledge that I am ignorant is firmly established

Know that I am an ignorant man of conviction

Within me, even if I have neglected the scholar's due.

Though I may have wasted the right of the scholar

وَالظُلمُ يُمهِلُ بَعضَ مَن يَسعى لَهُ

وَالظُلمُ يُمهِلُ بَعضَ مَن يَسعى لَهُ

وَمَحَلُّ نَقمَتِهِ بِنَفسِ الظالِمِ

وَمَحَلُّ نَقمَتِهِ بِنَفسِ الظالِمِ

And injustice grants respite to some who strive for it,

Oppression may delay some who strive for it

And its vengeance has its seat in the wrongdoer's own self.

Yet its vengeance lies with the oppressor himself

ما بالُ مَن طَلَبَ الهُدى بِمُفاوِزٍ

ما بالُ مَن طَلَبَ الهُدى بِمُفاوِزٍ

قَفرٍ وَطالِبُ غَيرِهِ بِمَعالِمِ

قَفرٍ وَطالِبُ غَيرِهِ بِمَعالِمِ

What of one who sought guidance in wastelands—

Why does the seeker of guidance roam the barren wilds

Barren—while one seeking something else is amid landmarks?

While another's pursuer has landmarks to guide him

وَالمَرءُ في حالِ التَيَقُّظِ هاجِعٌ

وَالمَرءُ في حالِ التَيَقُّظِ هاجِعٌ

يَرنو إِلى الدُنيا بِمُقلَةِ حالِمِ

يَرنو إِلى الدُنيا بِمُقلَةِ حالِمِ

And man, in his waking state, is asleep,

And a man in his waking state lies vanquished

Gazing at the world through a dreamer's eye.

Yearning for worldly things with a dreamer's eye

وَأَخو الحِجى أَبَداً يُجاهِدُ طَبعَهُ

وَأَخو الحِجى أَبَداً يُجاهِدُ طَبعَهُ

فَتَراهُ وَهوَ مُحارِبٌ كَمُسالِمِ

فَتَراهُ وَهوَ مُحارِبٌ كَمُسالِمِ

And the man of reason forever struggles against his nature,

The brother of resolve forever struggles with his nature

So you see him, though fighting, like one at peace.

You see him warring though he seems at peace

سَأَلَ الطَبيبَ عَنِ الشِكايَةِ مُدنَفٌ

سَأَلَ الطَبيبَ عَنِ الشِكايَةِ مُدنَفٌ

يَرجو سَلامَتَهُ وَلَيسَ بِسالِمِ

يَرجو سَلامَتَهُ وَلَيسَ بِسالِمِ

A gravely ill man asked the physician about his ailment;

A sick man asks the doctor about his complaint

He hopes for his recovery, yet he is not well.

Hoping to be cured though he is not healed