إِنّيindeed I عَرَفتُI have learned مِنَof الإِنسانِman ماwhat كاناhe has been
إِنّي عَرَفتُ مِنَ الإِنسانِ ما كانا
فَلَستُso I do not أَحمَدُpraise بَعدَafter اليَومِtoday إِنساناa human being
فَلَستُ أَحمَدُ بَعدَ اليَومِ إِنسانا
Indeed, I have learned what man is like;
I have known mankind as never before,
I have come to know the truth of man for what it is, / So after this day, I shall praise no human being.
So from this day onward I shall praise no human being.
So I shall not again think well of man.
I tested him when strong: he was a lion, fierce to manage, / And when weak, a serpent lurking in the dust.
بَلَوتُهُI tested him وَهوَand he مُشتَدُّmighty القِوىin strength أَسَداًa lion
بَلَوتُهُ وَهوَ مُشتَدُّ القِوى أَسَداً
صَعبِdifficult المِراسِto handle وَعِندَand at الضَعفِweakness ثُعباناa serpent
صَعبِ المِراسِ وَعِندَ الضَعفِ ثُعبانا
I have tested him: at the height of his strength, a lion,
I tested him when he was mighty and a lion,
He became so accustomed to evil that if his hand / Inadvertently reached for good, he would spend the night in regret.
Hard to tame, and in weakness, a serpent.
Difficult to handle and a serpent when weak.
Fear him when he is powerful, and fear him when powerless, / For tyranny and treachery exist whether he prevails or submits.
تَعَوَّدَhe grew accustomed to الشَرَّevil حَتّىeven لَوif نَبَتstrayed يَدُهُhis hand
تَعَوَّدَ الشَرَّ حَتّى لَو نَبَت يَدُهُ
عَنهُfrom it إِلىtoward الخَيرِgood سَهواًinadvertently باتَhe spent the night حَسراناregretful
عَنهُ إِلى الخَيرِ سَهواً باتَ حَسرانا
He grew so used to evil that, even if his hand strayed
He grew accustomed to evil till, if he did
Murder is a heinous, unforgivable sin, / Yet man, at times, finds reasons to forgive the slaughter.
From it toward good by mistake, he would spend the night regretful.
Good by chance, he repented having done so.
He made lawful for himself the killing of grazing beasts, / And birds too—yet murder is murder wherever it is found.
خِفهُfear him قَديراًpowerful وَخَفهُand fear him لاno اِقتِدارَpower لَهُfor him
خِفهُ قَديراً وَخَفهُ لا اِقتِدارَ لَهُ
فَالظُلمُfor oppression وَالغَدرُand treachery إِمّاwhether عَزَّhe was mighty أَوor هاناhe was lowly
فَالظُلمُ وَالغَدرُ إِمّا عَزَّ أَو هانا
Fear him when powerful, and fear him when he has no power;
I feared him when able and despised him when helpless,
He gave the desert wolf a taste of his betrayal, / So the beast remains, through all its days, watchful and awake.
For his are oppression and treachery, whether mighty or lowly.
So wrong and treachery were his valor or shame.
He scared the birds away until they do not touch down near him, / Except as fleeting dreams visit a heavy sleeper.
القَتلُkilling ذَنبٌa sin شَنيعٌheinous غَيرُnot مُغتَفَرٍforgiven
القَتلُ ذَنبٌ شَنيعٌ غَيرُ مُغتَفَرٍ
وَالقَتلُand killing يَغفُرَهُforgives it الإِنسانُman أَحياناsometimes
وَالقَتلُ يَغفُرَهُ الإِنسانُ أَحيانا
Killing is a heinous, unforgivable sin,
Killing is a heinous sin beyond forgiveness,
His joy lies in the weeping of the multitude for his sake, / And his sorrow is to witness another’s eyes filled with delight.
Yet man sometimes forgives killing.
Yet killing man forgives at times.
As if Glory were a god that cannot be moved to mercy / Unless souls are offered up to it as a sacrifice.
أَحَلَّhe made lawful قَتلَkilling نُفوسِlives السائِماتِgrazing beasts لَهُfor himself
أَحَلَّ قَتلَ نُفوسِ السائِماتِ لَهُ
وَالطَيرُand birds وَالقَتلُand killing قَتلٌkilling حَيثَماwherever كاناit was
وَالطَيرُ وَالقَتلُ قَتلٌ حَيثَما كانا
He made it lawful for himself to take the lives of grazing beasts
He made lawful the slaughter of blameless souls,
It is he who robbed the world of its cheerful smile, / And went about filling it with anxiety and grief.
And birds; yet killing is killing, wherever it occurs.
While killing birds or beasts is killing anywhere.
Do not choose him for a friend, even if you burden him with favors; / He will turn against you, even while offering you thanks.
أَذاقَhe made taste ذِئبَthe wolf الفَلاthe wilderness مِنof غَدرِهِhis treachery طُرُفاًremarkable examples
أَذاقَ ذِئبَ الفَلا مِن غَدرِهِ طُرُفاً
فَلاso does not يَزالُcease مَدىthroughout الأَيّامِthe days يَقظاناwatchful
فَلا يَزالُ مَدى الأَيّامِ يَقظانا
He made the wilderness wolf taste samples of his treachery,
He made the wolf taste his guile and treachery
They said, "The descendant of clay has ascended." I replied to them, / "Now, indeed, the misery of the world is complete."
So it stays watchful through all its days.
So that he remains sleepless all his days.
For iron, when it softens, becomes a blade, / So be on your guard against him when he turns soft.
وَنَفَّرَand he frightened away الطَيرَthe birds حَتّىuntil ماnot تُلِمُّthey come بِهِnear him
وَنَفَّرَ الطَيرَ حَتّى ما تُلِمُّ بِهِ
إِلّاexcept كَماas اِعتادَتِhabitually visit الأَحلامُdreams وَسناناa drowsy person
إِلّا كَما اِعتادَتِ الأَحلامُ وَسنانا
And he frightened the birds away, so they come near him
He frightened the birds that they never alight
Man is a beast, but the beauty of his outward form / Made the one who named him 'human' forget his calamities.
Only as dreams are wont to visit someone half-asleep.
Save as customary in dreams and sleep.
He waged war on religion, fearing its restraints, / As if between mankind and faith there lies an ancient feud.
سُرورُهُhis joy فيin بُكاءِweeping الأَكثَرينَmost people لَهُfor him
سُرورُهُ في بُكاءِ الأَكثَرينَ لَهُ
وَحُزنُهُand his sorrow أَنthat تَرىsee عَيناهُhis eyes جَذلاناsomeone joyful
وَحُزنُهُ أَن تَرى عَيناهُ جَذلانا
His joy lies in most people's weeping for him,
His joy is in the weeping of the majority,
He sought to demolish what the Merciful had built, / Yet what the Merciful built was never a mere structure of stone.
And his sorrow is for his eyes to see someone joyful.
And his grief that his eyes see no abjectness.
I am seized by wonder at his strange affair: / Does he increase in ingratitude whenever he increases in knowledge?
كَأَنَّماas though المَجدُglory رَبٌّa god لَيسَdoes not يَعطِفُهُhe wins him over
كَأَنَّما المَجدُ رَبٌّ لَيسَ يَعطِفُهُ
إِلّاexcept إِذاwhen قَدَّمَhe offered الأَرواحَsouls قُرباناas a sacrifice
إِلّا إِذا قَدَّمَ الأَرواحَ قُربانا
As though glory were a god he cannot win over
As if glory is a Lord appeased only
And whenever the world yields to him and he holds its reins, / He yields to sin in absolute tyranny.
Unless he offers souls in sacrifice.
By offering souls and lives as sacrifice.
He hopes for perfection from the world, but how can he / Attain perfection from the world when he has no faith?
هُوَhe الَّذيthe one who سَلَبَrobbed الدُنياthe world بَشاشَتَهاits cheer
هُوَ الَّذي سَلَبَ الدُنيا بَشاشَتَها
وَراحَand he began يَملَءُهاfilling it هَمّاًworry وَأَحزاناand sorrows
وَراحَ يَملَءُها هَمّاً وَأَحزانا
He is the one who robbed the world of its cheer,
He who robbed the world of happiness
If a man dons every garment the earth provides, / Yet shuns the garment of faith, he returns naked.
And set about filling it with worry and sorrows.
And filled it with anxiety and sorrow.
Faith is the life which, if it departs a body, / Leaves the corpse more alive in feeling than the man.
لاdo not تَصطَفيهِchoose him as a friend وَإِنand even if أَثقَلَتهُyou burdened him مِنَناًfavors
لا تَصطَفيهِ وَإِن أَثقَلَتهُ مِنَناً
يَعدوhe attacks عَلَيكَagainst you وَإِنand even if أَولاكَhe bestowed on you شُكراناgratitude
يَعدو عَلَيكَ وَإِن أَولاكَ شُكرانا
Do not take him for a friend, even if you weigh him down with favors;
Do not choose him even if he loads you with favours,
It is the light that erases darkness, so whoever / Is not guided by its brilliance remains forever lost.
He will attack you, even if he has offered you thanks.
He will trespass against you though you thank him.
It is the clear spring, sweet to approach; whoever / Does not drink from it remains thirsty for all time.
قالواthey said تَرقّىhas progressed سَليلُthe offspring of الطينِclay قُلتُI said لَهُمto them
قالوا تَرقّى سَليلُ الطينِ قُلتُ لَهُم
الآنَnow تَمَّis complete شَقاءُthe misery of العالَمِthe world الآناnow
الآنَ تَمَّ شَقاءُ العالَمِ الآنا
They said, 'The offspring of clay has progressed.' I told them:
They said man had progressed, I told them
The squanderer is not the one who wastes his wealth, / The true squanderer is the one who fails to preserve his faith.
Now the world's misery is complete—now!
The misfortune of the world was now complete.
The blind man is not he who ends his day without sight; / For I see, among those with eyes, the truly blind.
إِنَّindeed الحَديدَiron إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle لانَsoftened صارَbecame مُدىًknives
إِنَّ الحَديدَ إِذا ما لانَ صارَ مُدىً
فَكُنso be عَلىon حَذَرٍguard مِنهُagainst it إِذاwhen لاناit softened
فَكُن عَلى حَذَرٍ مِنهُ إِذا لانا
Indeed, iron, when it softens, turns into knives;
When iron becomes pliant it yields,
So beware of it when it grows soft.
So beware of it when it yields.
وَالمَرءُand man وَحشٌa beast وَلَكِنand yet حُسنُthe beauty of صورَتِهِhis form
وَالمَرءُ وَحشٌ وَلَكِن حُسنُ صورَتِهِ
أَنسىmade forget بَلاياهُhis calamities مَنwhoever سَمّاهُcalled him إِنساناhuman
أَنسى بَلاياهُ مَن سَمّاهُ إِنسانا
Man is a beast, but the beauty of his form
Man is a wild beast though his shapely form
Made whoever called him human forget the calamities he brings.
Makes forget his afflictions those who name him man.
قَدindeed حارَبَhe fought الدينَreligion خَوفاًfor fear مِنof زَواجِرِهِits restraints
قَد حارَبَ الدينَ خَوفاً مِن زَواجِرِهِ
كَأَنَّas though بَينَbetween الوَرىmankind وَالدينِand religion عُدواناenmity
كَأَنَّ بَينَ الوَرى وَالدينِ عُدوانا
He has fought religion for fear of its restraints,
He fought religion fearing its restrictions
As though there were enmity between mankind and religion.
As if religion and world were in conflict.
وَرامَand he sought يَهدِمُto demolish ماwhat الرَحمَنُthe Merciful شَيَّدَهُbuilt it
وَرامَ يَهدِمُ ما الرَحمَنُ شَيَّدَهُ
وَلَيسَand is not ماwhat شَيَّدَbuilt الرَحمَنُthe Merciful بُنياناa building
وَلَيسَ ما شَيَّدَ الرَحمَنُ بُنيانا
And he sought to tear down what the Merciful had built,
He wanted to destroy what Ar-Rahman had erected
Yet what the Merciful built is not a building.
Though nothing Ar-Rahman erects can be destroyed.
إِنّيindeed I لَيَأخُذُنيindeed seizes me مِنat أَمرِهِhis conduct عَجَبٌwonder
إِنّي لَيَأخُذُني مِن أَمرِهِ عَجَبٌ
أَكُلَّماis it that whenever زادَhe increased عِلماًin knowledge زادَhe increased كُفراناin faithlessness
أَكُلَّما زادَ عِلماً زادَ كُفرانا
Truly, wonder seizes me at his conduct:
I am filled with wonder at his way;
Does he grow more faithless whenever he grows in knowledge?
The more his knowledge, the more his unbelief grew.
وَكُلَّماand whenever اِنقادَتِsubmitted الدُنياthe world وَصارَand became لَهُhis
وَكُلَّما اِنقادَتِ الدُنيا وَصارَ لَهُ
زِمامُهاits reins اِنقادَhe submitted لِلآثامِto sins طُغياناin rebellious excess
زِمامُها اِنقادَ لِلآثامِ طُغيانا
And whenever the world submits to him and he gains
The more the world submitted to him
Its reins, he yields to sins in defiant excess.
And he held its reins, the more tyrannical he grew.
يَرجوhe hopes for الكَمالَperfection مِنَfrom الدُنياthe world وَكَيفَand how لَهُfor him
يَرجو الكَمالَ مِنَ الدُنيا وَكَيفَ لَهُ
نَيلُattainment of الكَمالِperfection مِنَfrom الدُنياthe world وَماand not داناhe embraced faith
نَيلُ الكَمالِ مِنَ الدُنيا وَما دانا
He hopes for perfection from the world; but how can he
He hopes for perfection from the world, but how
Attain perfection from the world when he has embraced no faith?
Can he attain perfection from it, base as it is?
إِذاif اِرتَدىput on المَرءُa man ماwhat فيon الأَرضِthe earth مِنof بُرُدٍcloaks
إِذا اِرتَدى المَرءُ ما في الأَرضِ مِن بُرُدٍ
وَعافَand rejected لِلدينِfor religion بُرداًa cloak عادَbecame عُرياناnaked
وَعافَ لِلدينِ بُرداً عادَ عُريانا
If a man wears all the cloaks upon the earth
If a man puts on all the wool in the world,
But rejects religion's cloak, he ends up naked.
Yet abandons religion's raiment, he is naked.
هُوَit الحَياةُlife الَّتيwhich ماnever غادَرَتleft جَسداًa body
هُوَ الحَياةُ الَّتي ما غادَرَت جَسداً
إِلّاexcept اِغتَدىbecame امَيتُthe dead person أَحياmore alive مِنهُthan it وِجداناin conscience
إِلّا اِغتَدى امَيتُ أَحيا مِنهُ وِجدانا
It is the life that never leaves a body
It is the life which, when it leaves a body,
Without the dead becoming more alive in conscience than that body.
Allows the living to plunder the dead.
وَهوَand it الضِياءُthe light الَّذيthat يَمحوerases الظَلامَdarkness فَمَنso whoever
وَهوَ الضِياءُ الَّذي يَمحو الظَلامَ فَمَن
لاdoes not يَهتَديfind guidance بِسَناهُby its radiance ظَلَّremains حَيراناbewildered
لا يَهتَدي بِسَناهُ ظَلَّ حَيرانا
And it is the light that erases darkness; so whoever
It is the light wiping out darkness, so he who
Does not follow its radiance remains bewildered.
Is not guided by its splendor remains in maze.
وَالمَنهَلُand the spring الرائِقُclear العَذبُsweet الوُرودِcoming to drink فَمَنso whoever
وَالمَنهَلُ الرائِقُ العَذبُ الوُرودِ فَمَن
لاdoes not يَستَقيdraw water مِنهُfrom it دامَremains الدَهرَforever عَطشاناthirsty
لا يَستَقي مِنهُ دامَ الدَهرَ عَطشانا
And the clear spring, sweet to drink from; so whoever
The fresh, sweet spring from which to drink,
Does not draw water from it stays thirsty forever.
So he who draws not from it lives thirsty forever.
لَيسَis not المُبَذِّرُthe squanderer مَنthe one who يَقليdespises دَراهِمَهُhis dirhams
لَيسَ المُبَذِّرُ مَن يَقلي دَراهِمَهُ
إِنَّindeed المُبَذِّرَthe squanderer مَنthe one who لِلدينِfor religion ماnot صاناpreserved
إِنَّ المُبَذِّرَ مَن لِلدينِ ما صانا
The squanderer is not the one who despises his dirhams;
Not he who spends his coins is a squanderer,
The squanderer is the one who has not preserved religion.
But he who gives no heed to Faith squanders.
لَيسَis not الكَفيفُthe blind person الَّذيthe one who أَمسىbecame بِلاwithout بَصَرٍsight
لَيسَ الكَفيفُ الَّذي أَمسى بِلا بَصَرٍ
إِنّيindeed I أَرىsee مِنamong ذَويthose possessing الأَبصارِsight عُمياناblind people
إِنّي أَرى مِن ذَوي الأَبصارِ عُميانا
The blind man is not the one left without sight;
Not he who lost his sight is the blind,
Indeed, I see blind people among those who have sight.
For I see among those with sight many blind.
Partial English translation: 26 of 52 Arabic lines translated.