دعونيleave me be إنَّindeed سريmy secret اليوtoday (opening fragment)
دعوني إنَّ سري اليو
مَtoday (closing fragment) أنthat ليسَthere is not ليfor me سرُّa secret
مَ أن ليسَ لي سرُّ
Leave me be: my secret today
Let me; my secret today
is that I have no secret.
Is that I have no secret
وماand nothing يعجبُis remarkable منabout أمريmy affairs
وما يعجبُ من أمري
سوىexcept أنthat ليسَthere is not ليfor me أمرُany affair
سوى أن ليسَ لي أمرُ
And nothing about my affairs is remarkable
And nothing surprises me
except that I have no affairs.
Except that I have no surprise
فعُواso heed ماwhat قرأتْhas read عينيmy eye
فعُوا ما قرأتْ عيني
فإنَّfor indeed كتابهاits book الصدرُthe breast
فإنَّ كتابها الصدرُ
So heed what my eye has read,
Pass what my eyes have read
for its book is the breast.
For their book is the chest
لقدindeed عُلّمتُI was taught أمرَthe ways of الناpeople (opening fragment)
لقد عُلّمتُ أمرَ النا
سِpeople (closing fragment) مذsince علمنيtaught me الدهرُTime
سِ مذ علمني الدهرُ
I have indeed been taught the ways of people
I was taught people's affairs
since Time taught me.
Since time taught me
وعنديand in my view أنَّthat جهلَignorance of الالشرِevil (duplicated article)
وعندي أنَّ جهلَ الالشرِ
فيamong الناسِpeople هوit الشرُّevil
في الناسِ هو الشرُّ
And in my view, ignorance of evil
And I believe that people's ignorance
among people is itself evil.
Is the real evil
وتركُand forsaking الفكرِthought فيماabout what تشdesires (opening fragment)
وتركُ الفكرِ فيما تش
تهيdesires (closing fragment) النفسُthe soul هوit الفكرُthought
تهي النفسُ هو الفكرُ
And forsaking thought about what
And leaving thought about what
the soul desires is thought itself.
The soul desires is thought
حلاtasted sweet الموتُdeath لمنto whoever لمdid not يدknow (opening fragment)
حلا الموتُ لمن لم يد
رِknow (closing fragment) أنَّthat مذاقهُits taste مرُّbitter
رِ أنَّ مذاقهُ مرُّ
Death tasted sweet to whoever did not know
Death is sweet for those who don't know
that its taste is bitter.
That its taste is bitter