راعَتكَ دُنياكَ مِن ريعَ الفُؤادُ وَما

راعَتكَ دُنياكَ مِن ريعَ الفُؤادُ وَما

راعَتكَ في العَيشِ مِن حُسنِ المُراعاةِ

راعَتكَ في العَيشِ مِن حُسنِ المُراعاةِ

Your world has frightened you—as in 'the heart was frightened'—and has not

Your world cared for you with the plentitude of affection, yet cared not for you in life with kindness and regard,

cared for you in life with kindly care.

As if today a servant seeks a maid from a night when both worked hard in cooperation,

كَأَنَّما اليَومُ عَبدٌ طالِبٌ أَمَةً

كَأَنَّما اليَومُ عَبدٌ طالِبٌ أَمَةً

مِن لَيلَةٍ قَد أَجَدّا في المُساعاةِ

مِن لَيلَةٍ قَد أَجَدّا في المُساعاةِ

As though the day were a slave seeking a slave-girl

Yet your wicked mother did not protect you through any cause; rather she lost you in all kinds of ways,

in the form of night; both have striven hard in fornication.

Dwellings are built for finite lifetimes, demolished by time in breaths and hours,

وَأُمُّكَ السوءُ لَم تَحفَظكَ في سَبَبٍ

وَأُمُّكَ السوءُ لَم تَحفَظكَ في سَبَبٍ

لا بَل أَضاعَتكَ أَصنافَ الإِضاعاتِ

لا بَل أَضاعَتكَ أَصنافَ الإِضاعاتِ

And your wicked mother has not protected you in any way;

If you want to meet Iblis submitting with the sword striking, then go to the groups,

No—rather, she has neglected you in every manner of neglect.

You will find them in contradictory sayings, deviating from the truth, and secrets being divulged,

تَبني المَنازِلَ أَعمارٌ مُهَدَّمَةٌ

تَبني المَنازِلَ أَعمارٌ مُهَدَّمَةٌ

مِنَ الزَمانِ بِأَنفاسٍ وَساعاتِ

مِنَ الزَمانِ بِأَنفاسٍ وَساعاتِ

Lifetimes build dwellings while themselves being demolished

They undertake immoralities even if sincere, and obeying their whims,

by time, breath by breath and hour by hour.

They said, and we said, claims that bring us no benefit, except harm and disputing in litigation,

إِن شِئتَ إِبليسَ أَن تَلقاهُ مُنصَلِتاً

إِن شِئتَ إِبليسَ أَن تَلقاهُ مُنصَلِتاً

بِالسَيفِ يَضرِبُ فَاِعمِد لِلجَماعاتِ

بِالسَيفِ يَضرِبُ فَاِعمِد لِلجَماعاتِ

If you wish to meet Iblis, brandishing

People earned through their bodies, so they degraded their souls with sins in their occupations,

a sword and striking, then make for the gatherings.

And they sought provision through mouths, so they strove in attracting benefits through prose or rhyme.

تَجِدهُمُ في أَقاويلٍ مُخالِفَةٍ

تَجِدهُمُ في أَقاويلٍ مُخالِفَةٍ

وَجهَ الصَوابِ وَأَسرارٍ مُذاعاتِ

وَجهَ الصَوابِ وَأَسرارٍ مُذاعاتِ

You will find them amid sayings that contradict

the right course, and secrets made public.

يُباكِرونَ بِأَلبابٍ وَإِن خَلُصَت

يُباكِرونَ بِأَلبابٍ وَإِن خَلُصَت

مَعصِيَّةٍ وَبِأَهواءٍ مُطاعاتِ

مَعصِيَّةٍ وَبِأَهواءٍ مُطاعاتِ

They rise early with minds that, even if pure,

are disobeyed, and with desires that are obeyed.

قالوا وَقُلنا دَعاوٍ ما تُفيدُ لَنا

قالوا وَقُلنا دَعاوٍ ما تُفيدُ لَنا

إِلّا الأَذى وَاِختِصاماً في المُداعاةِ

إِلّا الأَذى وَاِختِصاماً في المُداعاةِ

They said, and we said—claims that bring us nothing

but harm and contention over rival claims.

تَكَسَّبَ الناسُ بِالأَجسامِ فَاِمتَهَنوا

تَكَسَّبَ الناسُ بِالأَجسامِ فَاِمتَهَنوا

أَرواحَهُم بِالرَزايا في الصِناعاتِ

أَرواحَهُم بِالرَزايا في الصِناعاتِ

People earned their living with their bodies, and so debased

their souls through afflictions in their trades.

وَحاوَلوا الرِزقَ بِالأَفواهِ فَاِجتَهَدوا

وَحاوَلوا الرِزقَ بِالأَفواهِ فَاِجتَهَدوا

في جَذبِ نَفعٍ بِنَظمٍ أَو سِجاعاتِ

في جَذبِ نَفعٍ بِنَظمٍ أَو سِجاعاتِ

And they sought livelihood with their mouths, so they strove

to draw profit through verse or rhymed prose.