عجبا للزمان مع أهليه

فانظروا ماجرى وما صار فيه

How strange the age, with its people!

So look at what has happened and what has come to pass in it.

هل سمعت أو رأيت خيرا به لا

تنظر أو تسمع الأكل كريه

Have you heard or seen any good in it? No—

You see or hear only what is repugnant [reading uncertain].

عطل العلم بطل الشرع فيه

والتقى قد ذهب ومن يبتغيه

Learning is neglected; the sacred law has lost its force there.

Piety has gone—and who seeks it?

من أمرت او نهيت قال مجيبا

عادتي عادتي كذا ملاقيه

Whoever you commanded or forbade said in reply,

“My custom! My custom!”—such is how you meet him.

ما أتركنها ولو نموت جميعا

ما أقبل الشرع ما استمع قائليه

“I will not abandon it, even if we all die.

I do not accept the sacred law; I do not listen to its proclaimers.”

قال من يسمعون قد قال صدقا

هذه عادة لمه تؤذيه

Those listening said, “He has spoken the truth.

This is a custom; why do you hurt him?

قد ورثها من أمه وأبيه

أتريدون تغيير ما الناس فيه

He inherited it from his mother and father.

Do you want to change what people follow?

والعوائد أحكامها نافذات

فدعونا من قول كل فقيه

And customs’ rulings are binding,

So spare us every jurist’s words.”

أيها الناس دين الإسلام أم دين

الطواغيت أنتم تابعيه

O people, is it the religion of Islam or the religion

Of false gods that you follow?

فاتباع الهوى هوان وخزى

وسيجنى ثماره زارعيه

For following desire is humiliation and disgrace,

And its sowers will reap its fruits.

لإحياء تبت يداه وسحقا

ثم بعد إله مع ناصريه

For reviving [it]—may his hands perish, and destruction upon him! [opening uncertain]

Then banishment for him, with his supporters [reading uncertain].

قاتل الله من يشيد بناه

أهلك الله كل من يرتديه

May God strike down whoever raises its edifice!

May God destroy everyone who wears it!

عجبا للزمان يزداد سوأ

كل يوم أشر من سابقيه

How strange the age, growing ever worse!

Each day is worse than those before it.

آه يا حسرتي وكربي وخرني

من تناصر كل شخص سفيه

Ah, my regret, my anguish, and my grief [last word uncertain],

At the mutual support of every foolish person!

موت زران أردت فالموت عندي

صار للحر خير ما يقتنيه

Death, visit if you wish; for death, to me,

Has become the best thing a free man can possess.

أيها المرء إن أردت المعالي

فاتبع سبل من يكن سالكيه

O man, if you seek lofty attainments,

Then follow the paths of those who tread them.

فالمعالي غوالي المهر ليست

بالتجاهل ولا بكبر وتيه

For lofty attainments demand a costly bridal dower; they are not won

By feigned ignorance, nor by arrogance and conceit.

والمقام الرفيع والعز أجمع

في اتباع الرسول يامقتفيه

And exalted standing and honor in full

Lie in following the Messenger, O follower of his footsteps.

قلبي السوء كم توانى وتلهو

فاحذر الموت قبل أن تحتسيه

My wicked heart, how often you dally and play!

So beware of death before you sip it.

واترك الناس والذي هم عليه

ليس تجزي بما هم كاسبيه

And leave people and the ways they follow;

You are not requited for what they earn.

الأمان الأمان يارب إني

هارب جئت مطلبي فاعطنيه

Protection! Protection, O Lord! I am

Fleeing; I have come—grant me what I seek.

ثم وفق لماتحب وترضى

ناظم القول مع جميع ذويه

Then grant success in what You love and approve

To the composer of these words, together with all his kin.

وصلاة تخص خير البرايا

والصحاب والآل مع تابعيه

And blessings reserved for the best of creation,

And the Companions and family, together with his followers,

وسلام ماقال قائل وانشد

عجبا للزمان مع أهليه

And peace, so long as a speaker speaks and recites:

How strange the age, with its people!

ياعمر بن براهم كيف تطلب وصيه

من فتى همه كسب الأمور الدنيه

O Umar ibn Brahim, how can you seek counsel

From a youth whose concern is acquiring base things?

ماله فعل خير لا ولا حسن نيه

ما هو إلا مخرب ظاهره والطويه

He does no good—no, nor has he any good intention.

He is nothing but ruined, in his outward self and inward heart.

ماترى يا عمر في شأن هذى القضيه

هل لها من دوا من قبل تأتي المنيه

What do you think, O Umar, about this matter?

Is there any cure for it before death comes?

أو دعا من محب صدق مشفق عليه

يدع لي في ظلام أو صباح أو عشيه

Or a prayer from one who truly loves him and feels compassion for him,

Who prays for me in darkness, or morning, or evening—

دعوة ذي ترده للأمور العليه

والتقى والهدايه والطريق السويه

A prayer that restores him to lofty pursuits,

And piety, guidance, and the straight path,

والسلوك على مله نويره نقيه

هياهيا عسى نفحه من الله قويه

And walking according to a radiant, pure faith.

Come, come! Perhaps a mighty breath from God—

فضل من ربنا نمحو الخلال الرديه

كلها كلها ماعاد تبقى بقيه

A grace from our Lord, through which we erase vile traits,

All of them, all of them, with no remnant left.

ثم نكسى ونحظى بالصفات السنيه

ثم نستقي شراب القوم شربه هنيه

Then we are clothed and blessed with lofty qualities,

Then we draw the people’s drink—a pleasant draught.

والختام الحسن يانعم تلك العطيه

ياسميع الدعا ياسامعا للشكيه

And a good ending—what a fine gift that is!

O Hearer of prayer, O Listener to complaint,

كثرة أوزارنا يارينا والخطيه

شيء جليه وشيء منها غميضة خفيه

Our burdens and sins are many, O our Lord [reading uncertain]—

Some are evident, and some of them obscure and hidden.

فاغفر الكل ياكاشف لكل رزيه

يارحيما بنا ياكنزنا والخبيه

So forgive them all, O You who dispel every calamity.

O You merciful to us, O our treasure and hidden store,

عافنا واعف عنا واكف كل أذيه

واكشف الجور عنا والبلاو والبليه

Grant us well-being, pardon us, and ward off every harm.

And lift oppression from us, and affliction and calamity.

واعطنا السؤل والمأمور والأمنيه

بالنبي المشفع في الورى والبريه

And grant us our request, what is commanded, and our wish,

Through the Prophet, whose intercession is accepted among mankind and creation.