قالَ الغُراب وَقَد رَأى كَلَفَ الوَرى

قالَ الغُراب وَقَد رَأى كَلَفَ الوَرى

وَهُيامَهُم بِالبُلبُلِ الصَدّاحِ

وَهُيامَهُم بِالبُلبُلِ الصَدّاحِ

The crow said, having seen people's infatuation

The raven saw the toil of the people,

The crow spoke, having seen mankind’s infatuation,

And their ardor for the melodious nightingale:

And their bustle with the chirping bulbul.

And their desperate love for the chanting nightingale:

لِمَ لا تَهيمُ بِيَ المَسامِعُ مِثلَهُ

لِمَ لا تَهيمُ بِيَ المَسامِعُ مِثلَهُ

ما الفَرقُ بَينَ جَناحِه وَجَناحي

ما الفَرقُ بَينَ جَناحِه وَجَناحي

Why are ears not enamored of me as they are of him?

Why do not the ears bustle for me like it?

"Why do ears not fall in love with me as they do with him?

What difference is there between his wing and mine?

What is the difference between its wing and my wing?

What difference is there between his wing and mine?

إِنّي أَشَدُّ قِوى وَأَمضى مِخلَباً

إِنّي أَشَدُّ قِوى وَأَمضى مِخلَباً

فَعَلى ما نامَ الناسُ عَن تَمداحي

فَعَلى ما نامَ الناسُ عَن تَمداحي

Indeed, I am greater in strength and sharper of claw;

I am stronger and sharper of claw,

I am possessed of mightier strength and sharper talons,

So why have people slumbered, neglecting to praise me?

Yet people sleep unstirred by my praise.

So why does the world slumber, neglecting my praise?"

أَمُفَرِّقَ الأَحبابِ عَن أَحبابِهِم

أَمُفَرِّقَ الأَحبابِ عَن أَحبابِهِم

وَمُكَدِّرَ اللَذات وَالأَفراحِ

وَمُكَدِّرَ اللَذات وَالأَفراحِ

O you who part lovers from their beloveds,

Do I separate lovers from their beloved?

O you who scatters lovers from their beloveds,

And spoil pleasures and joys:

And embitter joys and delights?

And muddies the purity of pleasures and joys:

كَم في السَوائِلِ مِن شَبيهٍ لِلطَلا

كَم في السَوائِلِ مِن شَبيهٍ لِلطَلا

فَعَلى ما لَيسَ لَها مَقامَ الراحِ

فَعَلى ما لَيسَ لَها مَقامَ الراحِ

How many liquids resemble wine!

How many things resemble marks,

How many fluids bear the resemblance of wine,

So why do they not hold wine's rank?

Yet have no lasting place or peace.

Yet hold not the high station of the vintage?

لَيسَ الحُظوظُ مِنَ الجُسوم وَشَكلِها

لَيسَ الحُظوظُ مِنَ الجُسوم وَشَكلِها

السِرُّ كُلُّ السِرِّ في الأَرواحِ

السِرُّ كُلُّ السِرِّ في الأَرواحِ

Good fortune does not come from bodies and their shape;

Beauty lies not in forms and features.

Good fortune comes not from bodies nor their forms;

The secret—the whole secret—lies in souls.

The real secret is all in the spirit.

The secret—the entire secret—lies within the souls.

وَالصَوتُ مِن نِعَمِ السَماء وَلَم تَكُن

وَالصَوتُ مِن نِعَمِ السَماء وَلَم تَكُن

تَرضى السَما إِلّا عَنِ الصَلاحِ

تَرضى السَما إِلّا عَنِ الصَلاحِ

And the voice is among heaven's blessings, and never has

The voice is a blessing from the heavens, but

A voice is among the blessings of Heaven, and Heaven

Heaven been pleased with anything but goodness.

The heavens approve only what is good.

Is never pleased with anything but the righteous.

حَكَمَ القَضاءُ فَإِن نَقَمتَ عَلى القَضا

حَكَمَ القَضاءُ فَإِن نَقَمتَ عَلى القَضا

فَاِضرِب بِعُنقِكَ مُديَةَ الذَبّاحِ

فَاِضرِب بِعُنقِكَ مُديَةَ الذَبّاحِ

Fate has decreed; so if you resent fate,

Fate has judged, so if you blame fate,

Destiny has ruled, so if you resent the decree,

Then strike the slaughterer's knife with your neck.

Take your complaint to the butcher's blade.

Then strike your neck against the slaughterer’s knife.