قَد يُنصِفُ القَومُ في الأَشياءِ سَيِّدَهُم

قَد يُنصِفُ القَومُ في الأَشياءِ سَيِّدَهُم

وَلَو أَطاقوا لَهُ ريباً لَرابوهُ

وَلَو أَطاقوا لَهُ ريباً لَرابوهُ

The people may treat their lord fairly in matters,

The people may be fair to their leader in some matters

yet if they could trouble him, they would.

And if they could find fault, they would find fault

لَم يَقدِروا أَن يُلاقوهُ بِسَيِّئَةٍ

لَم يَقدِروا أَن يُلاقوهُ بِسَيِّئَةٍ

مِنَ الكَلامِ فَلَمّا غابَ عابوهُ

مِنَ الكَلامِ فَلَمّا غابَ عابوهُ

They could not confront him with anything unkind

They were not able to face him with any evil

in speech; but when he was absent, they disparaged him.

In speech, so when he was absent they found fault

تَحَدَّثوا بِمَخازيهِ مُكَتَّمَةً

تَحَدَّثوا بِمَخازيهِ مُكَتَّمَةً

وَقابَلوهُ بِإِجلالٍ وَهابوهُ

وَقابَلوهُ بِإِجلالٍ وَهابوهُ

They spoke of his shameful deeds in secret,

They spoke of his hidden weaknesses

and met him with reverence and feared him.

And faced him with reverence, in awe of him

وَكَم أَرادوا لَهُ كَيداً بِيَومِ رَدىً

وَكَم أَرادوا لَهُ كَيداً بِيَومِ رَدىً

مِنَ الزَمانِ وَلَكِن ما أَصابوهُ

مِنَ الزَمانِ وَلَكِن ما أَصابوهُ

And how often they sought to plot against him on a day of doom

And how much they intended harm for him in days of misfortune

in the course of time, yet they never struck him.

From time, but they did not reach him

أَكدى فَلاموهُ لَمّا قَلَّ نائِلُهُ

أَكدى فَلاموهُ لَمّا قَلَّ نائِلُهُ

وَلَو حَبا الوَفرُ زاروهُ وَنابوهُ

وَلَو حَبا الوَفرُ زاروهُ وَنابوهُ

He grew poor, so they blamed him when his bounty dwindled.

When his good fortune waned, they blamed him

And had wealth crept his way, they would have visited him and kept returning.

And if abundance had continued, they would have visited and turned to him

صَبراً قَليلاً فَإِنَّ المَوتَ آخِذُهُ

صَبراً قَليلاً فَإِنَّ المَوتَ آخِذُهُ

وَما يُخَلَّفُ لا صَقرٌ وَلابوهُ

وَما يُخَلَّفُ لا صَقرٌ وَلابوهُ

Be patient a little, for death will take him,

Have a little patience, for death will take him

and neither falcon nor owl is spared.

And nothing remains - neither hawk nor toes

لَبّى الغنِيَّ بَنو حَوّاءَ مِن طَمَعٍ

لَبّى الغنِيَّ بَنو حَوّاءَ مِن طَمَعٍ

وَلَو دَعاهُم فَقيرٌ ما أَجابوهُ

وَلَو دَعاهُم فَقيرٌ ما أَجابوهُ

The sons of Eve answered the rich man out of greed,

The sons of Eve answered the call of the rich man out of greed

but if a poor man called them, they would not answer him.

And if a poor man called them, they would not answer him