عُذتُI sought refuge باللهِin God منfrom خِضَمِّthe vast sea of السِّياسَهpolitics
عُذتُ باللهِ من خِضَمِّ السِّياسَه
فَهىَfor it is بحرٌa sea لاnot أستطيعُI am able مِرَاسَهcontending with it
فَهىَ بحرٌ لا أستطيعُ مِرَاسَه
I sought refuge in God from the vast sea of politics;
I seek refuge in God from the turmoil of politics,
for it is a sea I cannot contend with.
It is an ocean I cannot navigate.
ولقدand indeed عَاذَsought refuge بالمُهيمنِin the Guardian قَبلِيbefore me
ولقد عَاذَ بالمُهيمنِ قَبلِي
عَالِمُscholar الشرقِthe East عَبدُservant of مَنthe One who ذَاقَtasted بَاسَهHis might
عَالِمُ الشرقِ عَبدُ مَن ذَاقَ بَاسَه
And indeed, before me, refuge in the Guardian was sought by
The shining scholar of the East sought protection before me,
the scholar of the East, servant of Him whose might he had tasted.
He who if he spoke a word, all would bow their heads at his mention.
قالَhe said وهوَand he was الذِيthe one who إذاwhenever قالَhe uttered قولاًwords
قالَ وهوَ الذِي إذا قالَ قولاً
طأطَأbowed الكلُّeveryone عنِدat ذكرِهthe mention of him رَاسَهhis head
طأطَأ الكلُّ عنِد ذكرِه رَاسَه
He said—and he was such that, whenever he uttered words,
I seek refuge in God from ruling and rulers,
everyone bowed their head at his mention:
For misery is begotten of politics.
عُذتُI sought refuge باللهin God مِنfrom يُسوسَhe governs ومِنand from سَاruled (first part)
عُذتُ بالله مِن يُسوسَ ومِن سَا
سَruled (completion) فإنَّfor indeed الأسَىsorrow سَليلُoffspring of السِّياسَهpolitics
سَ فإنَّ الأسَى سَليلُ السِّياسَه
I sought refuge in God from 'governs' and from 'ruled';
When you examine all words that begin with "S",
for sorrow is the offspring of politics.
You find in them wretchedness and misery.
وإذاand if ماever (emphasis) أمعَنتَyou examine closely فيinto كلِّall مَاthat which جاcame (first part)
وإذا ما أمعَنتَ في كلِّ مَا جا
ءَcame (completion) بِسينٍwith the letter sīn ألفَيتَyou found فيهِin it تَعَاسَهmisery
ءَ بِسينٍ ألفَيتَ فيهِ تَعَاسَه
And if you examine closely everything that comes
Sorrow, illness, misery, and disgrace,
with the letter sīn, you will find misery in it.
All words starting with "S" connote baseness.
فالأسَىfor sorrow والسَّقامُand sickness والبُؤسُand wretchedness والخُسand loss (first part)
فالأسَى والسَّقامُ والبُؤسُ والخُس
رَأنُloss (completion) بالسِّينwith the letter sīn كلُّهَاall of them والخَسَاسَهand baseness
رَأنُ بالسِّين كلُّهَا والخَسَاسَه
For sorrow, sickness, wretchedness, and loss—
So beware of poison and leave good fortune to the clouds,
all contain sīn, as does baseness.
That roamed in the imagination, tracing their shapes.
فاحذَرِso beware of السُّمpoison واترُكِand leave السَّعدَgood fortune للغُمto the naïf (first part)
فاحذَرِ السُّم واترُكِ السَّعدَ للغُم
رِnaïf (completion) الذيwho راحَwent فيinto الخَيَالfantasy اقتباسهhis acquisition
رِ الذي راحَ في الخَيَال اقتباسه
So beware of poison, and leave good fortune to the naïf
He who seeks politics on this earth,
whose acquisition of it has drifted into fantasy.
Is like one who savors the taste of filth.
إنَّindeed مَنwhoever يطلُبِseeks السِّياسَةَpolitics فيon الأرthe earth (first part)
إنَّ مَن يطلُبِ السِّياسَةَ في الأر
ضِearth (completion) كَمَنlike one who يَستَلِذُّrelishes طعمَthe taste of النَّجاسَهfilth
ضِ كَمَن يَستَلِذُّ طعمَ النَّجاسَه
Indeed, whoever seeks politics on the earth
is like one who relishes the taste of filth.
Partial English translation: 14 of 16 Arabic lines translated.