إِذا مَدَحوا آدَمِيّاً مَدَح

إِذا مَدَحوا آدَمِيّاً مَدَح

تُ مَولى المَوالي وَرَبَّ الأُمَم

تُ مَولى المَوالي وَرَبَّ الأُمَم

When they praise a mortal, I praise

When they praise a human being, they praise

the Master of masters and Lord of nations.

The Master of masters and Lord of nations

وَذاكَ الغَنِيُّ عَنِ المادِحينَ

وَذاكَ الغَنِيُّ عَنِ المادِحينَ

وَلَكِن لِنَفسي عَقَدتُ الذِمَم

وَلَكِن لِنَفسي عَقَدتُ الذِمَم

And He has no need of those who praise,

While He is self-sufficient, without need for praise

but for my own sake I have made covenants.

Yet I blame myself

لَهُ سَجَدَ الشامِخُ المُشمَخِرُّ

لَهُ سَجَدَ الشامِخُ المُشمَخِرُّ

علَى ما بِعرينِهِ مِن شَمَم

علَى ما بِعرينِهِ مِن شَمَم

To Him the lofty, towering one bowed down,

To Him bowed the towering, perfumed one

despite the proud tilt of his nose.

Despite what his den contained of stench

وَمَغفِرَةُ اللَهِ مَرجُوَّةٌ

وَمَغفِرَةُ اللَهِ مَرجُوَّةٌ

إِذا حُبِسَت أَعظُمي في الرِمَم

إِذا حُبِسَت أَعظُمي في الرِمَم

And God's forgiveness is hoped for

And God's forgiveness is hoped for

when my bones are confined among decayed remains,

When my bones are buried in the sand

مُجاوِرَ قَومٍ تَمَشّى الفَنا

مُجاوِرَ قَومٍ تَمَشّى الفَنا

ءُ ما بَينَ أَقدامِهِم وَالقِمَم

ءُ ما بَينَ أَقدامِهِم وَالقِمَم

beside a people through whom decay has crept

Associating with a people whom death walked among

between their feet and the crowns of their heads.

Between their feet and graves

فَيا لَيتَني هامِدٌ لا أَقومُ

فَيا لَيتَني هامِدٌ لا أَقومُ

إِذا نَهَضوا يَنفُضونَ اللِمَم

إِذا نَهَضوا يَنفُضونَ اللِمَم

Oh, would that I lay lifeless, never to rise,

Oh, if only I were laid down, unable to rise

when they rise, shaking out their locks,

When they rise, shaking off the burdens

وَنادى المُنادي عَلى غَفلَةٍ

وَنادى المُنادي عَلى غَفلَةٍ

فَلَم يَبقَ في أُذُنٍ مِن صَمَم

فَلَم يَبقَ في أُذُنٍ مِن صَمَم

and the herald calls out, taking them unawares,

And the caller called out in heedlessness

so no deafness remains in any ear.

So no ear retained deafness

وَجاءَت صَحائِفُ قَد ضُمِّنَت

وَجاءَت صَحائِفُ قَد ضُمِّنَت

كَبائِرَ آثامِهِم وَاللِمَم

كَبائِرَ آثامِهِم وَاللِمَم

And scrolls arrive, already filled with

And the pages came inscribed

their major sins and their lesser offenses.

With their major sins and faults

فَلَيتَ العُقوبَةَ تَحريقَةٌ

فَلَيتَ العُقوبَةَ تَحريقَةٌ

فَصاروا رَماداً بِها أَو حُمَم

فَصاروا رَماداً بِها أَو حُمَم

If only the punishment were a single burning,

If only the punishment were a burning

so they would become ash or charcoal through it.

So they would become ashes or charred embers through it

رَأَيتُ بَني الدَهرِ في غَفلَةٍ

رَأَيتُ بَني الدَهرِ في غَفلَةٍ

وَلَيسَت جَهالَتُهُم بِالأُمَم

وَلَيسَت جَهالَتُهُم بِالأُمَم

I saw the sons of time in heedlessness,

I saw the people of life in heedlessness

and their ignorance is no small matter.

Their ignorance is not that of nations

فَنُسكُ أُناسٍ لِضَعفِ العُقولِ

فَنُسكُ أُناسٍ لِضَعفِ العُقولِ

وَنُسكُ أُناسٍ لِبُعدِ الهِمَم

وَنُسكُ أُناسٍ لِبُعدِ الهِمَم

So some people's devotion comes from weakness of mind,

Some people's devotion is due to weak minds

and others' devotion from far-reaching aspirations.

Some people's devotion is due to lofty aspirations