وَكَمand how many بائِعٍa seller ديناًfaith بِدُنياfor worldly gain يَرومُهاhe seeks it
وَكَم بائِعٍ ديناً بِدُنيا يَرومُها
فَلَمyet did not تَحصَلِmaterialize الدُنياworldly gain وَلَمand did not يَسلَمِremain intact الدينُthe faith
فَلَم تَحصَلِ الدُنيا وَلَم يَسلَمِ الدينُ
How many a man has sold his faith for the world he craves,
And how many a man sells his faith for the worldly gain he seeks,
yet the world goes ungained, and his faith does not survive.
Yet neither obtains that worldly gain nor keeps his faith intact.
وَلوand even if حَصَلَتit were attained ماnot فازَhe succeeded مِنهاfrom it بِطائِلٍwith anything worthwhile
وَلو حَصَلَت ما فازَ مِنها بِطائِلٍ
وَأَصبَحَand he became مَفتوناًenthralled بِهاby it وَهوَwhile he is مَغبونُa loser in the bargain
وَأَصبَحَ مَفتوناً بِها وَهوَ مَغبونُ
And even had he gained it, he would have won nothing of worth from it,
And even if he obtained it, he would gain nothing worthwhile from it,
but ended bewitched by it—cheated in the bargain.
And would become enthralled by it, a loser in the bargain.
