كلُّ ابن آدم خطّاءٌ وخيرُهُمو

كلُّ ابن آدم خطّاءٌ وخيرُهُمو

منْ أنفقَ العُمْرَ أوّابًا فما بخِلا

منْ أنفقَ العُمْرَ أوّابًا فما بخِلا

Every son of Adam is prone to error, and the best of them

Every son of Adam is prone to error, and the best of them

is he who spends his life ever repentant, never stinting.

Is he who spent his life continually repentant and not stingy.

ومن بقولِ ابن عبدِالله قالَ فما

ومن بقولِ ابن عبدِالله قالَ فما

اسْتَغنىْ بنَقْصٍ ولا اسْتثنىْ ولا افْتعَلا

اسْتَغنىْ بنَقْصٍ ولا اسْتثنىْ ولا افْتعَلا

And whoever spoke according to the words of the son of Abd Allah did not

And in the words of Ibn Abdillah he said without need

seek sufficiency in deficiency, make exceptions, or fabricate.

Of exception, omission or pretense:

قُلْ لابنِ أُمِّكَ أنَّ الخيرَ آيته

قُلْ لابنِ أُمِّكَ أنَّ الخيرَ آيته

ما وُلّيَ الأمرَ أهلُهُ فمَا خَذَلا

ما وُلّيَ الأمرَ أهلُهُ فمَا خَذَلا

Tell your mother's son that goodness has this sign:

Tell the son of your mother that the sign of good

when those fit for authority are entrusted with it, they do not fail.

Is when the right people are in charge and do not fail.

ما باحتَ التُّربُ قومًا بالّذيْ شمِلا

ما باحتَ التُّربُ قومًا بالّذيْ شمِلا

لو أنّ ماءً من السَّماءِ ما نزَلا

لو أنّ ماءً من السَّماءِ ما نزَلا

The soil would not have revealed to a people what it held,

When has the soil been good to a people that it embraced

had water from the sky not descended.

If rainwater did not come down from the sky?

والماءُ رهنٌ بخيرٍ فيهِ قد أصُلا

والماءُ رهنٌ بخيرٍ فيهِ قد أصُلا

والخيرُ بالخيرِ لا بالشرّ قد جُعِلا

والخيرُ بالخيرِ لا بالشرّ قد جُعِلا

And water is bound to goodness rooted within it,

And water depends on the good in it that was inherent

and goodness has been wrought through goodness, not through evil.

While good through good, not evil, was made a duty.

هل شذَّ تُبّعُ ذو القرنينِ إذْ عدَلا

هل شذَّ تُبّعُ ذو القرنينِ إذْ عدَلا

عمّن أحاطوهُ واحتذوا بهِ مَثلا؟

عمّن أحاطوهُ واحتذوا بهِ مَثلا؟

Did Tubbaʿ, Dhu al-Qarnayn, when he acted justly, differ

Did Tubba the owner of the two horns deviate

from those who surrounded him and followed his example?

From those who surrounded him and followed his example?

هل شذَّ فِرعونُ ذو الأوتادِ حينَ علا

هل شذَّ فِرعونُ ذو الأوتادِ حينَ علا

عمّن أطاعوهُ واختطّوا لهُ السُّبلا؟

عمّن أطاعوهُ واختطّوا لهُ السُّبلا؟

Did Pharaoh, lord of the stakes, when he rose high, differ

Did Pharaoh the owner of the stakes rebel

from those who obeyed him and laid out paths for him?

Against those who obeyed him and paved the roads?

كمْ أغضبَ ابنَ أبي أخٌ قد اعْتقلا

كمْ أغضبَ ابنَ أبي أخٌ قد اعْتقلا

ألسّهلَ والرّوضَ والبيْداءَ والجَبَلا!

ألسّهلَ والرّوضَ والبيْداءَ والجَبَلا!

How often a brother has angered my father's son, having imprisoned

How angry the son of Abu made his brother

the plain, the meadow, the desert, and the mountain!

Who conquered Tihama, meadows, deserts and mountains!

أأغضبَ ابنَ أبي فعلُ الذي جَبِلا

أأغضبَ ابنَ أبي فعلُ الذي جَبِلا

فينا وفيْ جوف رحمِ أمِّنا حُمِلا؟

فينا وفيْ جوف رحمِ أمِّنا حُمِلا؟

Has my father's son been angered by the deed of what was molded

Does the son of Abu anger us for what was inherent

in us and borne in the depths of our mother's womb?

In us and in the womb of our mother while carried?

ألا يرىْ أنّه بالنفسِ قد شُغِلا؟

ألا يرىْ أنّه بالنفسِ قد شُغِلا؟

أقبِحْ بها علةً إنْ كانَ قدْ غفَلا

أقبِحْ بها علةً إنْ كانَ قدْ غفَلا

Does he not see that he is absorbed in himself?

Does he not see that he is preoccupied with himself?

How ugly an affliction this is, if he has been heedless!

How ugly the illness if he was unknowingly misguided!

أما اشتكى الحُمقُ منّا حين بانَ لهُ

أما اشتكى الحُمقُ منّا حين بانَ لهُ

أنْ لا شفاءَ لهُ منّا فما احْتمَلا

أنْ لا شفاءَ لهُ منّا فما احْتمَلا

Did not folly complain of us when it became clear to it

Has ignorance from us complained when it became clear to it

that no cure for it lay with us, and it could bear no more?

That we have no cure for it and it cannot endure?

أليسَ يعلمُ أنّ الجهلَ منهَلُنا؟

أليسَ يعلمُ أنّ الجهلَ منهَلُنا؟

والعلمُ ما جفَّ بلْ بغيرِنا شُغلا!

والعلمُ ما جفَّ بلْ بغيرِنا شُغلا!

Does he not know that ignorance is our wellspring?

Does it not know that ignorance is our spring?

And knowledge has not dried up—it is occupied with others!

While knowledge did not dry up but was busy without us!

والكِذْبُ موسِرُنا والصِّدقُ مُفقرِنا

والكِذْبُ موسِرُنا والصِّدقُ مُفقرِنا

والمالُ مطمحُنا بهِ اللّئيمُ علا

والمالُ مطمحُنا بهِ اللّئيمُ علا

And falsehood enriches us, while truth impoverishes us;

Lying enriches us while truth makes us poor

and wealth is our ambition; through it the base man rises.

And wealth is our aspiration which the wicked climbed up.

والعسْرُ صائدُنا واليُسْرُ مُطلِقنا

والعسْرُ صائدُنا واليُسْرُ مُطلِقنا

والموتُ مُنقذنا أكرِمْ بمن عدَلا

والموتُ مُنقذنا أكرِمْ بمن عدَلا

And hardship is our hunter, and ease our liberator;

Hardship hunts us while ease sets us free

and death is our rescuer—how noble is one who acts justly!

And death saves us, so bless the one who was just!

والهجْرُ أطولُنا والوصْلُ أقصرُنا

والهجْرُ أطولُنا والوصْلُ أقصرُنا

والبغْضُ أسمنُنا والحبُّ قد نحَلا

والبغْضُ أسمنُنا والحبُّ قد نحَلا

And estrangement is the longest among us, and union the shortest;

Estrangement is our longest state while companionship is briefest,

and hatred is the fattest among us, while love has grown thin.

Hatred fattens us while love has given freely.

والعِرضُ أرْخَصُنا والعرَضُ ممتُعنا

والعِرضُ أرْخَصُنا والعرَضُ ممتُعنا

والعيْبُ من ثوبِهِ المشقوقُ ما خَجِلا

والعيْبُ من ثوبِهِ المشقوقُ ما خَجِلا

And honor is the cheapest among us, and worldly goods our delight;

Chastity is cheapest for us while honor is pleasurable,

and disgrace feels no shame at its torn garment.

And the fault of one whose garment is torn is not shy.

والبئرُ غالبُنا والرّملُ مُعْجزُنا

والبئرُ غالبُنا والرّملُ مُعْجزُنا

والطّفلُ ضاعَ وربُّ البيتِ ما حَفَلا

والطّفلُ ضاعَ وربُّ البيتِ ما حَفَلا

And the well overcomes us, and the sand renders us helpless;

The well defeats us and the sand dunes stop us,

and the child is lost, while the master of the house pays no heed.

The child is lost while the owner of the house does not care.

والهمُّ أكثرُنا إنْ أحصيَتْ مُهَجٌ

والهمُّ أكثرُنا إنْ أحصيَتْ مُهَجٌ

والرأسُ في مهدِهِ شيبًا قدِ اشْتعَلا

والرأسُ في مهدِهِ شيبًا قدِ اشْتعَلا

And sorrow is the most numerous among us, if souls are counted;

Worries are most of us, if you count the perturbed,

and the head in its cradle has blazed with gray hair.

While the head in its cradle has turned white with burning.

والدّينُ غائبُنا واللّهوُ حاضِرُنا

والدّينُ غائبُنا واللّهوُ حاضِرُنا

والموتُ جارٌ وقلبُ الشّيخِ ما وَجِلا

والموتُ جارٌ وقلبُ الشّيخِ ما وَجِلا

And faith is absent among us, while amusement is present;

Debt is absent from us while nonsense is present,

and death is a neighbor, yet the old man's heart feels no fear.

And death is a neighbor while the sheikh's heart is not anxious.

منّي سلامٌ إليكَ يا ابنَ منْ عرِبوا

منّي سلامٌ إليكَ يا ابنَ منْ عرِبوا

أنظرْ إليكَ لِكيْ تستَكْشفَ العِلَلا

أنظرْ إليكَ لِكيْ تستَكْشفَ العِلَلا

Peace from me to you, O son of those who were Arabs.

From me greetings to you, O son of those who Arabized,

Look at yourself, so that you may uncover the ailments.

Look into yourself so that you may uncover the defects.

فرعونُ لنْ ينجليْ ما دامَ أشجعُنا

فرعونُ لنْ ينجليْ ما دامَ أشجعُنا

حرفٌ له ننسبُ القتلَ وما قَتلا

حرفٌ له ننسبُ القتلَ وما قَتلا

Pharaoh will not disappear so long as the bravest among us

Pharaoh will not go away as long as our bravest

is a letter to which we ascribe killing, though it has not killed.

Attribute killing to him though he did not kill.

 فرعونُ لن ينجليْ ما دامَ عالُمُنا

فرعونُ لن ينجليْ ما دامَ عالُمُنا

يستلزمُ القتلَ "شرعًا" كلّما سُئِلا

يستلزمُ القتلَ "شرعًا" كلّما سُئِلا

Pharaoh will not disappear so long as our scholar

Pharaoh will not go away as long as our scholar

requires killing as "religious law" whenever he is asked.

Sanctions killing “legally” whenever asked.

ويسألُ الغيْرُ ما جرىْ لعالمِنا

ويسألُ الغيْرُ ما جرىْ لعالمِنا

أفتنةٌ هيَ أمْ تراهُ قد خَبِلا؟

أفتنةٌ هيَ أمْ تراهُ قد خَبِلا؟

And others ask what has happened to our scholar:

And others ask what happened to our scholar,

Is it a trial, or do you think he has gone mad?

Is it misguidance or do you think he is deranged?

ما انفكّ يتلوْ عليْنا الذّكرَ مُنفعِلا

ما انفكّ يتلوْ عليْنا الذّكرَ مُنفعِلا

معْ أنّه للشياطينِ قدِ امْتَثلا

معْ أنّه للشياطينِ قدِ امْتَثلا

He keeps reciting the Reminder to us in agitation,

He did not stop reciting scripture to us emotionally

although he has submitted to the devils.

While he was obeying the devils.

فرعونُ لن ينْجليْ ما دام سيّدنا

فرعونُ لن ينْجليْ ما دام سيّدنا

يردُّ بالقتل غدرًا كلّما ثَمِلا

يردُّ بالقتل غدرًا كلّما ثَمِلا

Pharaoh will not disappear so long as our master

Pharaoh will not go away as long as our master

responds treacherously with killing whenever he gets drunk.

Responds with murder to betrayal whenever it swells.

أعظِمْ بهِ فارسًا ما منْ خُزَعْبلةٍ

أعظِمْ بهِ فارسًا ما منْ خُزَعْبلةٍ

إلا وصيّره من بثّها البَطَلا!

إلا وصيّره من بثّها البَطَلا!

How great a knight he is! There is no absurd tale

He made great every knight - there is no Khizrabla

but whoever spreads it makes him the hero!

Except he made him a hero by instigating war!

وليسَ في الغربِ أدناهُ وما بعُدا

وليسَ في الغربِ أدناهُ وما بعُدا

أضحوكةٌ ما بدا في متنِها حَمَلا!

أضحوكةٌ ما بدا في متنِها حَمَلا!

And in the West, near and far, there is no

And in the West there is no one weaker or farther away

joke in whose telling he has not appeared as a lamb!

Who became a laughing stock the moment he carried a burden!

فرعونُ لن ينجليْ ما دمنَ نِسوتُنا

فرعونُ لن ينجليْ ما دمنَ نِسوتُنا

يلِدْنهُ والجسومُ تكتسيْ الحُللا

يلِدْنهُ والجسومُ تكتسيْ الحُللا

Pharaoh will not disappear so long as our women

Pharaoh will not go away as long as our women

give birth to him, while bodies clothe themselves in finery.

Give birth to him while bodies are adorned in gowns.

فرعونُ لن ينْجليْ ما دامَ موقِفُنا

فرعونُ لن ينْجليْ ما دامَ موقِفُنا

منْ كلّ مُختلفٍ بأنّهُ جَهِلا

منْ كلّ مُختلفٍ بأنّهُ جَهِلا

Pharaoh will not disappear so long as our stance

Pharaoh will not go away as long as our stance

toward everyone who differs is that he is ignorant.

Towards anyone different is that he is ignorant.

فرعونُ يسْكُنُها قهْرًا ويسكُنكَا

فرعونُ يسْكُنُها قهْرًا ويسكُنكَا

جهْلًا ولوْ متَّ أو ماتتْ لما ارتحَلا

جهْلًا ولوْ متَّ أو ماتتْ لما ارتحَلا

Pharaoh dwells in her by force, and dwells in you

Pharaoh forcibly inhabits it and ignorance inhabits you

through ignorance; even if you died or she died, he would not leave.

Whether he died or passed away, he would not have left.

فانظرْ إليها ترَ الإنسان مُغتَصبًا

فانظرْ إليها ترَ الإنسان مُغتَصبًا

وانظرْ إليك ترَ الفرعونَ مُكتملا

وانظرْ إليك ترَ الفرعونَ مُكتملا

So look at her: you will see the human being violated;

Look at the human being oppressed and look at yourself

and look at yourself: you will see Pharaoh fully formed.

Seeing Pharaoh completed.

فرعونُ لولاهُ تاريخُك ما اكتملا

فرعونُ لولاهُ تاريخُك ما اكتملا

إنْ يخْلُ مِنهُ فلنْ تلقىْ لهُ بَدَلا

إنْ يخْلُ مِنهُ فلنْ تلقىْ لهُ بَدَلا

Pharaoh—without him your history would not be complete;

Pharaoh, without him your history would not be completed,

if it is empty of him, you will find no replacement for him.

If missing from it, you will not find a replacement.

ربّاهُ لا بحرَ في قلبٍ فيغرقهُ

ربّاهُ لا بحرَ في قلبٍ فيغرقهُ

ولا ابنَ عمرانَ كي يُبقي لنا أمَلا

ولا ابنَ عمرانَ كي يُبقي لنا أمَلا

O my Lord, there is no sea in a heart to drown him,

God raised him not in a sea to drown him

nor a son of Imran to preserve hope for us.

Nor Moses to keep hope alive for us.

هذا دعاءٌ دعا به لِسانُكَ لَيْ

هذا دعاءٌ دعا به لِسانُكَ لَيْ

تهُ دعا قلبُكَ الّذي قسا وقلَى

تهُ دعا قلبُكَ الّذي قسا وقلَى

This is a prayer your tongue has uttered—if only

This is a prayer your tongue prayed but did not

your heart, which has hardened and hated, had uttered it.

Come from a heart that hardened and burned.

هذي شعوبٌ إذا ما اصْطدتها بدنًى

هذي شعوبٌ إذا ما اصْطدتها بدنًى

شرَّتْ وأغنتْ حديثَ الناسِ والجدَلا

شرَّتْ وأغنتْ حديثَ الناسِ والجدَلا

These are peoples: whenever you snare them with base things,

These are people, if you hunt them with slander

they turn wicked and enrich people's talk and debate.

They scatter and sing the talk of the people and disputes.

وصارَ ما أنْجَبتْ نساؤُها فُرُعا

وصارَ ما أنْجَبتْ نساؤُها فُرُعا

تُحتزُّ أرؤسُها فدىً لِمَنْ قتَلا

تُحتزُّ أرؤسُها فدىً لِمَنْ قتَلا

And what their women bore became branches,

And what their women begot become knights

whose heads are severed as a sacrifice for the one who killed.

Whose heads are held ransom for he who killed.