سُلطانُكَyour ruler النارُfire إِنif تَعدِلacts justly فَنافِعَةٌthen it is beneficial
سُلطانُكَ النارُ إِن تَعدِل فَنافِعَةٌ
وَإِنand if تَجُرacts unjustly فَلَهاthen it has ضَيرٌharm وَإِحراقُand burning
وَإِن تَجُر فَلَها ضَيرٌ وَإِحراقُ
Your ruler is fire: if it acts justly, it is beneficial;
Your rule is fire, if just it benefits
But if it acts unjustly, it brings harm and burning.
Yet if oppressive, it harms and burns
وَقُربَهُand nearness to him اللُجُّthe deep sea إِنif أَعطاكَgives you فائِدَةًa benefit
وَقُربَهُ اللُجُّ إِن أَعطاكَ فائِدَةً
فَلَيسَthen not يُؤمَنُcan be felt safe from إِهلاكٌdestruction وَإِغراقُand drowning
فَلَيسَ يُؤمَنُ إِهلاكٌ وَإِغراقُ
And nearness to him is the deep sea: even if it offers you benefit,
And the sea, though it gives you gain
There is still no safety from destruction and drowning.
Its drowning and sinking cannot be fully trusted
وَالمالُand wealth رِزقٌprovision فَمَنso whoever يُدرِكهُobtains it يَحظَenjoys good fortune بِهِthrough it
وَالمالُ رِزقٌ فَمَن يُدرِكهُ يَحظَ بِهِ
وَلَيسَand not يُغنيكَenriches you إِشآمٌjourneying to Syria وَإِعراقُand journeying to Iraq
وَلَيسَ يُغنيكَ إِشآمٌ وَإِعراقُ
And wealth is provision: whoever obtains it enjoys it;
Wealth is sustenance, he who attains it profits
And journeying to Syria and Iraq will not enrich you.
Not satisfied by coveting and forcing it out
وَالحَقُّand truth كَالشَمسِlike the sun وارَتهاconcealed it حَنادِسُهاits deep darkness
وَالحَقُّ كَالشَمسِ وارَتها حَنادِسُها
فَماso there is no لَهاfor it فيin عُيونِthe eyes of الناسِpeople إِشراقُradiance
فَما لَها في عُيونِ الناسِ إِشراقُ
And truth is like the sun, concealed by its deep darkness;
Truth is like the sun, and its adversaries are its shadows
So it has no radiance in people's eyes.
It needs no eyes to behold its rising