أنا لو أردتُ أن أكونَ مُعلِّما

أنا لو أردتُ أن أكونَ مُعلِّما

لكنتُ ولكنّ الجهولَ تعلَّما

لكنتُ ولكنّ الجهولَ تعلَّما

Had I wished to be a teacher,

If I had wanted to be a teacher

I would have been one, but the ignoramus became learned.

I would have been, but the ignorant learned

وما عندَهُ من الجهالةِ نافعٌ

وما عندَهُ من الجهالةِ نافعٌ

لقومٍ يرونَ العلْمَ مالًا ودِرْهَما

لقومٍ يرونَ العلْمَ مالًا ودِرْهَما

And the ignorance he has is useful

And he who has no useful ignorance

For people who see knowledge as money and a dirham,

For people who see knowledge as money and coins

وبيتًا مُفخّمًا ولبسًا مُهندَمًا

وبيتًا مُفخّمًا ولبسًا مُهندَمًا

وعيشًا مُنعّمًا وشأْنا مُعظَّما

وعيشًا مُنعّمًا وشأْنا مُعظَّما

And a lavish house, and neat clothing,

And a luxurious house and tattered clothes

And a luxurious life, and exalted status.

And a pampered life and an exalted status

وعِلميْ لطالبِ الغِنى ليسَ لازِمًا

وعِلميْ لطالبِ الغِنى ليسَ لازِمًا

لذا فأنا في سرِّهِ لستُ مَغْنَما

لذا فأنا في سرِّهِ لستُ مَغْنَما

And my knowledge is not necessary for the seeker of wealth;

And my knowledge for the seeker of wealth is not essential

So, in his private thoughts, I am no source of gain.

So for him, secretly I am not a treasure

أنا لو أردتُ أن أكونَ مُغنِّيا

أنا لو أردتُ أن أكونَ مُغنِّيا

لكنتُ ولكنّ الغرابَ ترنَّما

لكنتُ ولكنّ الغرابَ ترنَّما

Had I wished to be a singer,

If I had wanted to be a singer

I would have been one, but the crow warbled.

I would have been, but the raven sang

وما عندهُ من المشاهدِ ممتعٌ

وما عندهُ من المشاهدِ ممتعٌ

لقومٍ يرونَ الفنَّ جسمًا تضرّما

لقومٍ يرونَ الفنَّ جسمًا تضرّما

And the spectacles he has are entertaining

And he who has no enjoyable sights

For people who see art as a body ablaze,

For people who see art as a covetous body

وعرصًا مُقوَّمًا بنهْدينِ وُرِّما

وعرصًا مُقوَّمًا بنهْدينِ وُرِّما

ليُطفيْ جَهنّما ويرجعَ فاحِما

ليُطفيْ جَهنّما ويرجعَ فاحِما

And a pimp propped up by two swollen breasts,

And a tamed composition with breasts and a harem

To extinguish Hell and return coal-black.

To quench hell and return steaming

وفنِّيْ لطالبِ الهوىْ ليسَ مُلهِما

وفنِّيْ لطالبِ الهوىْ ليسَ مُلهِما

لذا فأنا في دربِهِ لستُ مَعْلَما

لذا فأنا في دربِهِ لستُ مَعْلَما

And my art does not inspire the seeker of desire;

And my art for the seeker of lust is not inspiring

So, on his path, I am no landmark.

So on his path, I am not known

أنا لو أردتُ أنْ أكونَ مُعمَّما

أنا لو أردتُ أنْ أكونَ مُعمَّما

لكنتُ ولكنّ الكذوبَ تعمَّما

لكنتُ ولكنّ الكذوبَ تعمَّما

Had I wished to be a turbaned man,

If I had wanted to be a cleric

I would have been one, but the habitual liar donned a turban.

I would have been, but lies became clerical

وما عندهُ منَ البراهينَ مُقنعٌ

وما عندهُ منَ البراهينَ مُقنعٌ

لقومٍ يروْنَ في التديُّن سُلَّما

لقومٍ يروْنَ في التديُّن سُلَّما

And the proofs he has are convincing

And he who has no convincing proofs

For people who see religiosity as a ladder,

For people who see ladders to heaven in religion

وسيفًا مُصَمِّمًا ورأيًا مُعمَّما

وسيفًا مُصَمِّمًا ورأيًا مُعمَّما

ونجلًا مُقدَّمًا وجنسًا مُنظَّما

ونجلًا مُقدَّمًا وجنسًا مُنظَّما

And a sword that cuts through, and an opinion made universal,

And a determined sword and an opinion made clerical

And a son given precedence, and regulated sex.

And a son put forward and sex made orderly

ودينيْ لطالبِ الدُّنى ليسَ مَنْسِما

ودينيْ لطالبِ الدُّنى ليسَ مَنْسِما

لذا فأنا في شرعِهِ لستُ مُسْلِما

لذا فأنا في شرعِهِ لستُ مُسْلِما

And my faith is no path for the seeker of worldly things;

And my religion for the seeker of the lowly is not binding

So, under his law, I am not a Muslim.

So in its law, I am not a Muslim

أنا لو أردتُ أنْ أكونَ مُزَعَّما

أنا لو أردتُ أنْ أكونَ مُزَعَّما

لكنتُ ولكنَّ السّروقَ تزعَّما

لكنتُ ولكنَّ السّروقَ تزعَّما

Had I wished to be made a leader,

If I had wanted to be a ruler

I would have been one, but the habitual thief became a leader.

I would have been, but theft ruled

وما عندهُ من السّياسةِ ناجعٌ

وما عندهُ من السّياسةِ ناجعٌ

لقومٍ يرونَ في السياسةِ مَنْجَما

لقومٍ يرونَ في السياسةِ مَنْجَما

And his politics are effective

And he who has no useful politics

For people who see politics as a mine.

For people who see a star in politics

وإنّي لمصّاصِ الدّما لستُ داعمًا

وإنّي لمصّاصِ الدّما لستُ داعمًا

لذا فاتّباعي َصارَ فعلًا مُجَرَّما

لذا فاتّباعي َصارَ فعلًا مُجَرَّما

And indeed, I am no supporter of the bloodsucker;

And I am not a supporter of bloodsuckers

So following me has become an act deemed criminal.

So my leadership became a criminal act