أباO Abu (father of) تُرابٍTurab (dust) دهرُناour age جاهلٌignorant
أبا تُرابٍ دهرُنا جاهلٌ
يَرفعelevates للشِّبهِbecause of resemblance ذَوِيthose possessing الجهْلِignorance
يَرفع للشِّبهِ ذَوِي الجهْلِ
O Abu Turab, ours is an ignorant age:
O Abu Turab, our age is ignorant:
on a mere semblance, it elevates the ignorant.
it elevates the ignorant for their resemblance to itself.
كأنّهas though it were المِيزانُthe balance يعلُوrises بهon it
كأنّه المِيزانُ يعلُو به
ذوone possessing النّقْصِdeficiency عنabove رُتبةِthe rank of ذيone possessing الفضلِmerit
ذو النّقْصِ عن رُتبةِ ذي الفضلِ
It is as though it were a balance, by which
It is like a balance, on which rises
the deficient man rises above the station of the worthy.
one of lesser worth above the rank of one with merit.
وماand not يضِرُّharms العزلُdismissal مَنone who لمhas not يَزَلْceased to be
وما يضِرُّ العزلُ مَن لم يَزَلْ
منbecause of فضلِهِhis excellence الباهِرِdazzling فيin شُغلِoccupation
من فضلِهِ الباهِرِ في شُغلِ
Dismissal cannot harm a man who always remains
And dismissal does not harm one who has always been
employed through his resplendent merit.
kept busy by his dazzling excellence.
