بَني الأَرضِ ما تَحتَ التُرابِ مُوَفَّقٌ

بَني الأَرضِ ما تَحتَ التُرابِ مُوَفَّقٌ

لِرُشدٍ وَلا فَوقَ التُرابِ سِوى فَسلِ

لِرُشدٍ وَلا فَوقَ التُرابِ سِوى فَسلِ

O sons of the earth, none beneath the dust is guided

O people of the earth, what lies beneath the soil succeeds

To sound judgment, nor above the dust is there any but a wretch.

Only in guidance, and nothing above the soil except ruin.

أَكانَ أَبوكُم آدَمٌ في الَّذي أَتى

أَكانَ أَبوكُم آدَمٌ في الَّذي أَتى

نَجيباً فَتَرجونَ النَجابَة لِلنَسلِ

نَجيباً فَتَرجونَ النَجابَة لِلنَسلِ

Was your father Adam, in what he did,

Was your father Adam, who came honorable,

Noble, that you hope for nobility in his descendants?

And you hope for salvation for your progeny?

أَسَكَنَ الثَرى لا يَبعَثونَ رِسالَةً

أَسَكَنَ الثَرى لا يَبعَثونَ رِسالَةً

إِلَينا وَلَستُم سامِعي كَلِمِ الرُسلِ

إِلَينا وَلَستُم سامِعي كَلِمِ الرُسلِ

O dwellers of the dust, no message is sent

They made the earth their dwelling, they send us no message,

To us, and you do not hear the messengers' words.

And you are not listeners to the words of the messengers.

وَلا تَسلُ نَفسي عَنكُمُ بِاِختِيارِها

وَلا تَسلُ نَفسي عَنكُمُ بِاِختِيارِها

وَلَكِنَّ الدَهرَ يُنهِلُ أَو يُسلي

وَلَكِنَّ الدَهرَ يُنهِلُ أَو يُسلي

Nor does my soul forget you of its own will,

My soul does not ask about you of its own accord,

But time gives a draught, or brings solace.

Rather time gives drink or withholds.

تَفَرَّعَتِ الأَشياءُ وَالأَصلُ واحِدٌ

تَفَرَّعَتِ الأَشياءُ وَالأَصلُ واحِدٌ

وَمِن حَلَبِ الغَيثِ الَّذي دَرَّ مِن رِسلِ

وَمِن حَلَبِ الغَيثِ الَّذي دَرَّ مِن رِسلِ

Things have branched out, though their origin is one;

Things branched out yet the origin is one,

And the milk that flows is drawn from the rain.

And from the pouring rain that flowed from the messengers.

وَما بَرَدَت أَعضاءُ مَيتٍ مُكَرَّمٍ

وَما بَرَدَت أَعضاءُ مَيتٍ مُكَرَّمٍ

وَإِن عَزَّ حَتّى أُغلِيَ الماءُ لِلغَسلِ

وَإِن عَزَّ حَتّى أُغلِيَ الماءُ لِلغَسلِ

And the limbs of an honored dead man do not grow cold,

The limbs of no revered dead have ever cooled,

However cherished, until water is boiled for washing.

Though he be mighty until the water boils for washing.

وَكَم بَرَّ مِثلَ البَبرِ نَجلٌ أَباً لَهُ

وَكَم بَرَّ مِثلَ البَبرِ نَجلٌ أَباً لَهُ

وَكانَ لَهُ كَالضَبِّ يَغدُرُ بِالحِسلِ

وَكانَ لَهُ كَالضَبِّ يَغدُرُ بِالحِسلِ

And how many a son, like the tiger, has been dutiful to his father,

And how much rain like the rain falls, a son on a father of his,

While his father was to him like the spiny-tailed lizard, betraying its young.

And is to him like the hyena, betraying the washing.