لَعمْركَby your life ليسَthere is not فوقَupon الأرضِthe earth باقِone who endures
لَعمْركَ ليسَ فوقَ الأرضِ باقِ
ولاnor مِمَّاfrom what قَضاهُHe decreed it اللهُGod واقِa protector
ولا مِمَّا قَضاهُ اللهُ واقِ
By your life, none on earth endures,
By your life, nothing on earth remains
Nor any protector against what God has decreed.
Nor what Allah has decreed stays behind
وماand there is no للمَرْءِfor a person حظٌa portion غيرُother than قُوتٍsustenance
وما للمَرْءِ حظٌ غيرُ قُوتٍ
وثَوْبٍand a garment فَوقَهُover it عَقْدُthe knot النِّطاقِthe girdle
وثَوْبٍ فَوقَهُ عَقْدُ النِّطاقِ
And a person's portion is nothing but sustenance
A man has no portion but sustenance
And a garment, with a girdle tied over it.
And a garment covering the waist tie
وماand there is nothing للمَيْتِfor the dead person إلاّexcept قيدُthe measure of باعٍan armspan
وما للمَيْتِ إلاّ قيدُ باعٍ
ولوand even if كانَتْwere لهُfor him أرضُthe land العراقِIraq
ولو كانَتْ لهُ أرضُ العراقِ
And the dead man has only an armspan of earth,
The dead has nothing but a shrouded body
Even if the land of Iraq were his.
Even if he owned the land of Iraq
وكمand how often يمضيpasses الفِراقُparting بلاwithout لِقاءٍa meeting
وكم يمضي الفِراقُ بلا لِقاءٍ
ولكنْand yet لاno لِقاءَmeeting بِلاwithout فِراقِparting
ولكنْ لا لِقاءَ بِلا فِراقِ
How often a parting passes without reunion,
How separation comes without meeting
Yet no meeting comes without a parting.
Yet no meeting comes without parting
أضَلُّmost astray النَّاسِthe people فيin الدُّنياthe world سَبيلاًin path
أضَلُّ النَّاسِ في الدُّنيا سَبيلاً
مُحِبٌّa lover باتَhas become منهاfrom it فيin وِثاقِbonds
مُحِبٌّ باتَ منها في وِثاقِ
The most astray of people in this world
The most lost people in life astray
Is a lover who has fallen into its bonds.
Are lovers spending nights in anguish
وأخسَرُand most wasteful ماwhat يَضيعُis wasted العُمرُone's lifetime فيهِin it
وأخسَرُ ما يَضيعُ العُمرُ فيهِ
فَضولُsurplus المالِwealth تُجمَعُis amassed للرِّفاقِfor companions
فَضولُ المالِ تُجمَعُ للرِّفاقِ
And the greatest waste of a lifetime
The most wasted life is gathering
Is surplus wealth amassed for companions.
Wealth for friends when death is nearing
وأفضلُand the best ماwhat اشتغَلْتَyou occupied yourself بهِwith it كِتابٌa book
وأفضلُ ما اشتغَلْتَ بهِ كِتابٌ
جليلٌgreat نفعُهُits benefit حُلوُsweet المَذاقِthe taste
جليلٌ نفعُهُ حُلوُ المَذاقِ
And the best thing you occupy yourself with is a book,
The best you busy yourself with is a book
Great in benefit and sweet to the taste,
Its profound wisdom sweet to taste
وعِشرةُand companionship حاذقٍa skilled person فطِنٍperceptive حكيمٍwise
وعِشرةُ حاذقٍ فطِنٍ حكيمٍ
يُفيدُكَhe benefits you منfrom مَعانيهِhis insights الدِّقاقِthe subtle ones
يُفيدُكَ من مَعانيهِ الدِّقاقِ
And the company of someone skilled, perceptive, and wise,
And the company of a wise adept
Who imparts to you his subtle insights.
Whose meanings sharpen your intellect
هُناكَthere المجدُglory يَنهَضُrises منfrom خُمُولٍobscurity
هُناكَ المجدُ يَنهَضُ من خُمُولٍ
بصاحبِهِwith its possessor إلىto أعلىthe highest الطِّباقِthe tiers
بصاحبِهِ إلى أعلى الطِّباقِ
There, glory rises from obscurity,
There glory rises from ignominy
Bearing its possessor to the highest tiers.
Lifting its companion to the highest rank
ويُنشيand creates الذِّكرَrenown بينَamong النَّاسِthe people حَتَّىuntil
ويُنشي الذِّكرَ بينَ النَّاسِ حَتَّى
يقومَhe stands بهِthrough it علىon قَدَمٍa foot وساقِand a leg
يقومَ بهِ على قَدَمٍ وساقِ
And creates renown among the people, until
And spreads renown amongst people until
Through it, he stands firmly on his feet.
He stands tall, steady on feet and legs
مضَىhas passed away ذِكرُthe fame الملوكِthe kings بكُلِّin every عَصرٍage
مضَى ذِكرُ الملوكِ بكُلِّ عَصرٍ
وذكرand the fame السُّوقةِthe common folk العلماءِthe scholars باقِendures
وذكر السُّوقةِ العلماءِ باقِ
The fame of kings has passed away in every age,
Kings' renown in every age has passed
While the fame of learned commoners endures.
While scholars' renown remains intact
وكمand how often علمٍlearning جنىreaped مالاًwealth وجاهاًand prestige
وكم علمٍ جنى مالاً وجاهاً
وكمand how often مالٍwealth جَنَىreaped حربَwarfare السِّباقِrivalry
وكم مالٍ جَنَى حربَ السِّباقِ
How often learning has reaped wealth and prestige,
How much knowledge produced wealth and status
And how often wealth has reaped the warfare of rivalry!
And how much wealth brought loss in rivalry
وماand what نَفعُuse الدَّراهمِthe dirhams معwith جَهُولٍan ignoramus
وما نَفعُ الدَّراهمِ مع جَهُولٍ
يُباعُis sold بدِرهمٍfor a dirham وقتَat the time of النَّفَاقِbrisk trade
يُباعُ بدِرهمٍ وقتَ النَّفَاقِ
What use are dirhams to an ignoramus,
No benefit in coins with an ignorant man
Who sells for one dirham when the market is brisk?
Sold for a coin when tribulations strike
إذاif حُمِلَis carried النُّضارُpure gold علىon نياقٍshe-camels
إذا حُمِلَ النُّضارُ على نياقٍ
فأيُّthen what الفخرِglory يُحسَبُis credited للنِّياقِto the she-camels
فأيُّ الفخرِ يُحسَبُ للنِّياقِ
If pure gold is carried on she-camels,
If the delicate is carried on a camel
What glory, then, is credited to the she-camels?
Which then is the pride, the camel or the freight?
وأقبَحُand the ugliest ماwhat يكونُexists غِنَىwealth بخيلٍa miser
وأقبَحُ ما يكونُ غِنَى بخيلٍ
يَغَصُّhe chokes وماؤُهُwhile his water مِلءُenough to fill الزِّقاقِthe waterskins
يَغَصُّ وماؤُهُ مِلءُ الزِّقاقِ
The ugliest thing of all is a miser's wealth:
The ugliest is the wealth of a miser
He chokes, though his water fills the waterskins.
Whose water fills the street gutters
إذاif مَلَكَتْpossess يداهُhis two hands الفَلسَthe copper coin أمسَىhe becomes
إذا مَلَكَتْ يداهُ الفَلسَ أمسَى
رقيقاًa slave ليسَnot يطمَعُhe hopes فيfor العَتاقِfreedom
رقيقاً ليسَ يطمَعُ في العَتاقِ
If his hands possess a copper coin, he becomes
When destitution seized his hands, he became
A slave who has no hope of freedom.
Submissive, no more hoping for ransom
ألاtake heed ياO جامعَhoarder الأموالِwealth هَلاّwhy have you not
ألا يا جامعَ الأموالِ هَلاّ
جَمَعْتَyou amassed لهاfor it زَماناًtime لاِفتِراقِfor parting
جَمَعْتَ لها زَماناً لاِفتِراقِ
O hoarder of wealth, why have you not
Oh you who hoard riches, why not
Hoarded time for it, in which to part with it?
Gather for a time free of separation?
رأيتُكَI saw you تَطلُبُyou seek الأَبحارَthe seas جَهلاًin ignorance
رأيتُكَ تَطلُبُ الأَبحارَ جَهلاً
وأنتَwhile you تكادُalmost تغرَقُdrown فيin السَّواقيthe irrigation channels
وأنتَ تكادُ تغرَقُ في السَّواقي
I have seen you seeking seas in ignorance,
I saw you seek the oceans foolishly
Though you almost drown in irrigation channels.
While you nearly drown in gutters
إذاif أحرزتَyou secured مالَthe wealth الأرضِthe earth طُرّاًall
إذا أحرزتَ مالَ الأرضِ طُرّاً
فماthen there is no لَكَfor you فوقَbeyond عَيْشكَyour subsistence منany تَراقِadvancement
فما لَكَ فوقَ عَيْشكَ من تَراقِ
If you secured all the wealth of the earth,
If you quickly gain the world's riches
You gain no advancement beyond your sustenance.
What enjoyment remains for you?
أتأكلُdo you eat كُلَّevery يومٍday ألْفَa thousand كَبْشٍram
أتأكلُ كُلَّ يومٍ ألْفَ كَبْشٍ
وتَلبَسُand you wear ألفَa thousand طاقٍgarments فوقَover طاقِa garment
وتَلبَسُ ألفَ طاقٍ فوقَ طاقِ
Do you eat a thousand rams each day,
Eating a thousand sheep each day
And wear a thousand garments, one atop another?
Wearing a thousand coats upon coats
فَضولُsurplus المالwealth ذاهبةٌis wasted جُزافاًwithout measure
فَضولُ المال ذاهبةٌ جُزافاً
كماءٍlike water صُبَّwas poured فيinto كأسٍa cup دِهاقِbrimming
كماءٍ صُبَّ في كأسٍ دِهاقِ
Surplus wealth is squandered without measure,
Excess wealth is lost heedlessly
Like water poured into a brimming cup:
Like water poured in a broken cup
يَفيضُit overflows سُدىًin vain وقدand may يسطوassail عليهاupon it
يَفيضُ سُدىً وقد يسطو عليها
فينُقِصُand so diminishes مِلأهاits contents عندَduring انِدفاقِgushing
فينُقِصُ مِلأها عندَ انِدفاقِ
It overflows in vain, and may even assail the cup,
Spilling fruitlessly, as it may be seized
Diminishing its contents as it gushes out.
Diminishing its fill when bursting out
مَضَتhave passed دُوَلُthe reigns العُلومِthe sciences الزُّهرِradiant قِدْماًlong ago
مَضَت دُوَلُ العُلومِ الزُّهرِ قِدْماً
وقامتْand arose دَولةُthe reign الصُّفرِyellow coins الرِّقاقِthin
وقامتْ دَولةُ الصُّفرِ الرِّقاقِ
The reigns of radiant learning passed away long ago,
The states of sciences have passed away
And the reign of thin yellow coins arose.
And the state of empty drums has stood
وأبرَزَتِand has bared الخَلاعَةُlicentiousness مِعصَميْهاher two wrists
وأبرَزَتِ الخَلاعَةُ مِعصَميْها
وباتَand has become الجَهْلُignorance ممدُودَoutspread الرِّواقِthe canopy
وباتَ الجَهْلُ ممدُودَ الرِّواقِ
And licentiousness has bared both her wrists,
Immorality has shown its forearms
And ignorance's canopy now lies outspread.
And ignorance lies sprawled in the hallway
فأصبَحَso now يَدَّعيclaims بالسَّبقِprecedence جَهلاًin ignorance
فأصبَحَ يَدَّعي بالسَّبقِ جَهلاً
زَعانِفُriffraff يَعجزونَare unable عَنِto اللحاقِcatch up
زَعانِفُ يَعجزونَ عَنِ اللحاقِ
Now, in ignorance, the lead is claimed
So ignorance claims precedence foolishly
By riffraff unable to catch up.
While the incapable struggle to catch up
إذاwhen هَلَكَتْhave perished رِجالُthe men الحَيِّthe clan أضحَىit comes to pass
إذا هَلَكَتْ رِجالُ الحَيِّ أضحَى
صَبيُّa boy القومِthe people يحلِفُswears بالطَّلاقِby divorce
صَبيُّ القومِ يحلِفُ بالطَّلاقِ
When the men of the clan die, it comes to this:
When the men of substance die out
A boy of the tribe swears by divorce.
The people's boy swears by divorce
أسَرُّthe happiest النَّاسِthe people فيin الدُّنياthe world جَهولٌan ignoramus
أسَرُّ النَّاسِ في الدُّنيا جَهولٌ
يُفَكِّرُhe thinks فيabout اصطباحٍmorning drinking واغتِباقِand evening drinking
يُفَكِّرُ في اصطباحٍ واغتِباقِ
The happiest person in the world is an ignoramus,
The most secretive people in life
Who thinks of morning and evening drinking.
Are fools planning their mornings and evenings
وأتعَبُهمand the weariest of them رئيسٌa leader كلَّevery يومٍday
وأتعَبُهم رئيسٌ كلَّ يومٍ
يكونُhe is لكلِّfor every ملسوعٍone stung كراقِlike a charm-reciting healer
يكونُ لكلِّ ملسوعٍ كراقِ
And the weariest is a leader who, every day,
And the most tired is a leader each day
Acts like a charm-reciting healer for everyone stung.
Who must please every grumbling grouch
وأيسرُand the easiest كلِّof all موتٍdeath موتُthe death of عبدٍa servant
وأيسرُ كلِّ موتٍ موتُ عبدٍ
فقيرٍpoor زاهدٍascetic حَسَنgentle السِّياقِdying
فقيرٍ زاهدٍ حَسَن السِّياقِ
And the easiest death of all is that of a servant,
The easiest death is a poor servant
Poor, ascetic, with a gentle passing.
Ascetic, of fair conduct
فليسَfor there is no لهُfor him علىover ماwhat فاتَhas passed حُزنٌgrief
فليسَ لهُ على ما فاتَ حُزنٌ
وليسَand he is not بخائفٍat all afraid ممَّاof what يُلاقيhe will encounter
وليسَ بخائفٍ ممَّا يُلاقي
For he has no grief over what has passed,
He feels no sorrow for what is past
Nor is he afraid of what he will encounter.
Nor fear of what he will encounter
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.