فَوَيحَهُم بِئسَ ما رَبّوا وَما حَضَنوا

فَوَيحَهُم بِئسَ ما رَبّوا وَما حَضَنوا

فَهيَ الخَديعَةُ وَالأَضغانُ وَالحَسَدُ

فَهيَ الخَديعَةُ وَالأَضغانُ وَالحَسَدُ

So woe to them! Wretched is what they reared and cradled:

Alas, how poorly they nurtured and cradled their young!

for it is deceit, grudges, and envy.

They are all deceit, rancor and envy,

وَكُلُّنا في مَساعيهِ أَبو لَهبٍ

وَكُلُّنا في مَساعيهِ أَبو لَهبٍ

وَعِرسُهُم لَم يَقَع في جَيدِها مَسَدُ

وَعِرسُهُم لَم يَقَع في جَيدِها مَسَدُ

And each of us is Abu Lahab in his endeavors;

And we are all in our pursuits like Abu Lahab,

and no twisted-fiber rope has settled around their wife's neck.

Whose lineage never attained high status.

وَما الدَنيُّ ذِراعُ الخَودِ نُمرُقُه

وَما الدَنيُّ ذِراعُ الخَودِ نُمرُقُه

مِثلَ السَنيِّ ذِراعَ الجِسرِ يَتَّسِدُ

مِثلَ السَنيِّ ذِراعَ الجِسرِ يَتَّسِدُ

Nor is the base man, whose cushion is a maiden's arm,

This world is not worth the blink of an eyelid that we dote on it,

like the noble man who takes a bridge's arm for his pillow.

Like a temporary bridge we use to cross over.

وَالجِسمُ لِلرَوحِ مِثلُ الرَبعِ تَسكُنُهُ

وَالجِسمُ لِلرَوحِ مِثلُ الرَبعِ تَسكُنُهُ

وَما تُقيمُ إِذا ما خُرِّبَ الجَسَدُ

وَما تُقيمُ إِذا ما خُرِّبَ الجَسَدُ

And the body is to the soul like a dwelling it inhabits;

The body is to the soul like a tent it inhabits

and it does not remain once the body is ruined.

And cannot stand when the body is destroyed.

وَهَكَذا كانَ أَهلُ الأَرضِ مُذ فُطِروا

وَهَكَذا كانَ أَهلُ الأَرضِ مُذ فُطِروا

فَلا يَظُنُّ جَهولٌ أَنَّهُم فَسَدوا

فَلا يَظُنُّ جَهولٌ أَنَّهُم فَسَدوا

And so have earth's people been since they were created;

And so it has been with the people of earth since they were created;

so let no fool suppose that they have grown corrupt.

Let no ignorant man think they have decayed.

ما أَنتَ وَالرَوضَ تَلقى مِن غَمائِمِهِ

ما أَنتَ وَالرَوضَ تَلقى مِن غَمائِمِهِ

فيهِ المَفارِشُ لِلثاوَينَ وَالوَسَدُ

فيهِ المَفارِشُ لِلثاوَينَ وَالوَسَدُ

What have you to do with the meadow? From its clouds you find

You and the meadow receive no showers from the clouds

within it bedding for those who stay, and pillows.

Wherein are bedding for the wanderers and pillows.

كَأَنَّما شُبَّ في أَقطارِهِ قُطُرٌ

كَأَنَّما شُبَّ في أَقطارِهِ قُطُرٌ

بِالغَيثِ أَن بالَ فيهِ الثَورُ وَالأَسَدُ

بِالغَيثِ أَن بالَ فيهِ الثَورُ وَالأَسَدُ

As though aloeswood were kindled throughout its reaches

As if the rain clouds in their regions were pierced

by rain, because the Bull and the Lion had urinated there.

So that the bull and lion Drink their fill of water.

أَهلُ البَسيطَةِ في هَمٍّ حَياتُهُمُ

أَهلُ البَسيطَةِ في هَمٍّ حَياتُهُمُ

وَلا يُفارِقُ أَهلَ النَجدَةِ النَجَدُ

وَلا يُفارِقُ أَهلَ النَجدَةِ النَجَدُ

The people of the earth spend their lives in distress;

The people of the desert are anxious in their lives,

and the sweat of toil never leaves the valiant.

And separation never leaves the people of Najd.