أهلpeople of الموائدthe tables منfrom فتاتيهاtheir crumbs
أهل الموائد من فتاتيها
People of the tables, from their crumbs,
Those at the tables should share their crumbs
With the ants, though their gift be small
جودواgive generously علىto الشلااكينthe ragged poor منfrom قلa little
جودوا على الشلااكين من قل
Give generously to the ragged poor, however little.
Do not begrudge giving, though it be little
Some crumbs are the ant's store
لاdo not تمنعواwithhold جوداًa gift لقلتهbecause of its smallness
لا تمنعوا جوداً لقلته
Do not withhold a gift because it is small:
If you succeed in an adventure
Give credit to fate and grace
بعضsome الفتاتthe crumbs ذخيرةprovision النملthe ants
بعض الفتات ذخيرة النمل
A few crumbs are the ants' provision.
Not every intelligent person is victorious
How many a loser by his intellect's deceit
اذاif نجحتمyou succeed فيin مغامرةٍa venture
اذا نجحتم في مغامرةٍ
If you succeed in a venture,
O you fascinated by the world's allurements
Your world is not without its thorns
دينواacknowledge your debt إلىto الأقدارfate بالفضلfor the favor
دينوا إلى الأقدار بالفضل
Acknowledge your debt to fate for its favor.
Consider the poor and their past
How many a wretch was once exalted
ماnot كلevery ذيpossessing عقلٍreason بمنتصرٍvictorious
ما كل ذي عقلٍ بمنتصرٍ
Not everyone with reason is victorious;
If God has blessed you with favor
Thank Him with kindness to your family
كمhow many خاسرٍa loser منthrough خدعةِthe deception of العقلreason
كم خاسرٍ من خدعةِ العقل
How many have lost through reason's deception!
And hold to the limits of law as supererogation
And drink from the spring of duty and extra
ياO خائلاproud strutter بمفاتنِin the charms of الدنياthe world
يا خائلا بمفاتنِ الدنيا
O you who glory in the world's charms,
Do not give yourself all it desires
And benefit your loved ones, for you are for all
دنياكyour world لاnot تخلوis free منof الختلdeceit
دنياك لا تخلو من الختل
Your world is not free of deceit.
When you are safe, count your blessings with thanks
And when you promise, forgive the delay
محصscrutinize منamong البؤساءthe wretched ماضيهمtheir past
محص من البؤساء ماضيهم
Scrutinize the past of the wretched:
Bread and clothes are enough in life
So be content, spurning humiliation
كمhow many بائسٍa wretch واختالand strutted proudly منfrom قبلbefore
كم بائسٍ واختال من قبل
How many a wretch once strutted proudly!
The universe is but a stage of wonders
And man passes through like a shadow
فإذاso if حباكgrants you اللَهGod نعمتهHis blessing
فإذا حباك اللَه نعمته
So if God grants you His blessing,
Beware idleness and passion
And take example from the bees
فاشكرthen thank لهto Him بالبرthrough kindness فيtoward الأهلthe family
فاشكر له بالبر في الأهل
Then thank Him through kindness to your family.
Mixing with the heedless is a slippery slope
That the negligent and erring may avoid
والزمand keep to حدودthe bounds of الشرعsacred law نافلةًas added devotion
والزم حدود الشرع نافلةً
And keep to the bounds of sacred law as an added act of devotion,
How much treasure did we lose in regret
As I lingered, infatuated, toward death
واشربand drink معينَthe flowing spring of الفرضِobligatory worship والنفلِand voluntary worship
واشرب معينَ الفرضِ والنفلِ
And drink from the flowing spring of obligatory and voluntary worship.
Indulgence is the bridle of the foolish
While you have the choice, so take the best path
لاdo not تعطِgrant نفسكyour soul كلevery مطلبهاits desire
لا تعطِ نفسك كل مطلبها
Do not grant your soul its every desire,
وأنفعand benefit ذويكyour kin فأنتfor you للكلِّfor everyone
وأنفع ذويك فأنت للكلِّ
And help your kin, for you belong to all.
وإذاand if سلمتyou are safe فزكِّthen give alms محتسباًseeking God's reward
وإذا سلمت فزكِّ محتسباً
And if you are safe, give alms, seeking God's reward.
وإذاand if وعدتyou promise فعفthen refrain عنfrom مطلdelay
وإذا وعدت فعف عن مطل
And if you promise, refrain from delay.
خبزٌbread وثوبٌand a garment فيin الحياةِlife غنىsufficiency
خبزٌ وثوبٌ في الحياةِ غنى
Bread and a garment are wealth enough in life;
فاعتزso find dignity بالتقوىthrough piety عنaway from الذلِhumiliation
فاعتز بالتقوى عن الذلِ
So find dignity in piety, above humiliation.
ماnot الكونthe universe إلاexcept مسرحاًa stage عجباًwondrous
ما الكون إلا مسرحاً عجباً
The universe is but a wondrous stage,
ويمرand passes فيهِin it المرءُa person كالظلlike a shadow
ويمر فيهِ المرءُ كالظل
And a person passes through it like a shadow.
إحذرbeware كفيتmay you be spared بطالةًidleness وهوىًand caprice
إحذر كفيت بطالةً وهوىً
Beware of idleness and caprice—may you be spared them.
واستمثلand take as examples المثلاتthe cautionary lessons فيin النحلthe bees
واستمثل المثلات في النحل
And take to heart the lessons found in the bees.
وخلاطُand mingling with أهلthe people of الغيerror مدرجةًa pathway
وخلاطُ أهل الغي مدرجةً
And mingling with the misguided is a path
لتنكبto the straying of الغفلانthe heedless one والزللand stumbling
لتنكب الغفلان والزلل
For the heedless to stray and stumble.
كمhow many منof متاعa pleasure فاتhas passed حسرتهregret for it
كم من متاع فات حسرته
How many a pleasure has passed, while regret for it
ظللتcast a shadow معwith المفتونthe beguiled one للأجلuntil the appointed end
ظللت مع المفتون للأجل
Has shadowed the beguiled until life's end.
والمترفونand the pampered rich لزامهمtheir inseparable companion سفهٌfolly
والمترفون لزامهم سفهٌ
And folly is the constant companion of the pampered rich;
ولكand yours is الخيارthe choice فوالِso befriend أوولِّor turn away
ولك الخيار فوالِ أوولِّ
And the choice is yours: befriend them or turn away.
Partial English translation: 16 of 32 Arabic lines translated.