ضَمَّكُمُhas united you جِنسٌa species وَأَزرىand brought disgrace بِكُمupon you
ضَمَّكُمُ جِنسٌ وَأَزرى بِكُم
قِنسٌancestral stock وَأَنتُمwhile you فيin دُجاًdarkness تَخبِطونyou blunder
قِنسٌ وَأَنتُم في دُجاً تَخبِطون
One species unites you, but you are debased
by your stock, while you blunder in darkness.
حَفَرتُمyou dug through صَخراًrock وَأَنبَطتُمُand you brought forth
حَفَرتُم صَخراً وَأَنبَطتُمُ
ماءًwater فَهَلّاso why not العِلمَknowledge تَستَنبِطونyou draw forth
ماءً فَهَلّا العِلمَ تَستَنبِطون
You have dug through rock and brought forth
water; why, then, do you not draw forth knowledge?
بَعضُكُمُsome of you يَقتُلُkill بَعضاًothers كَأَنas though
بَعضُكُمُ يَقتُلُ بَعضاً كَأَن
جوزيتُمُyou were repaid عَنfor غَنَمٍsheep تَعبِطونyou slaughter without cause
جوزيتُمُ عَن غَنَمٍ تَعبِطون
Some of you kill others, as though
you were being repaid for sheep you slaughter without cause.
رابَطتُمُyou guarded الثَغرَthe frontier بِأَفراسِكُمwith your horses
رابَطتُمُ الثَغرَ بِأَفراسِكُم
وَفَوقَكُمand above you فيin العَقلِreason ماwhat تَربِطونyou tether
وَفَوقَكُم في العَقلِ ما تَربِطون
You guarded the frontier with your horses,
yet what you tether surpasses you in reason.
لَمnot تُرزَقواyou were granted خَيراًany good وَلَمand not تُعدَمواyou were deprived of
لَم تُرزَقوا خَيراً وَلَم تُعدَموا
شَرّاًany evil فَماso what بالُكُمُis the matter with you تَغبِطونyou envy
شَرّاً فَما بالُكُمُ تَغبِطون
You were granted no good, nor were you spared
evil; why, then, are you envious?
ظَنَّsupposed اِرتِقاءًan ascent بِكُمfor you جاهِلٌan ignorant person
ظَنَّ اِرتِقاءً بِكُم جاهِلٌ
وَكُلُّكُمwhile all of you فيon صَبَبٍa downward slope تَهبِطونyou descend
وَكُلُّكُم في صَبَبٍ تَهبِطون
An ignorant man imagined you rising,
while all of you descend a slope.
ضَبَطتُمُyou controlled المالَwealth وَلَكِنَّbut ماwhat
ضَبَطتُمُ المالَ وَلَكِنَّ ما
يَجمَحُruns out of control بِالإِنسانِwith a human being لاnot تَضبُطونyou control
يَجمَحُ بِالإِنسانِ لا تَضبُطون
You control wealth, but what
carries a person away you do not control.
لَمnot تَقتَنواyou acquired مَجداًglory وَأَصبَحتُمُand you have become
لَم تَقتَنوا مَجداً وَأَصبَحتُمُ
قِنَّslaves فُروجٍgenitals لَكُمof yours أَوor بُطونbellies
قِنَّ فُروجٍ لَكُم أَو بُطون
You have gained no glory, and have become
slaves to your own genitals or bellies.