يا غافلينَ عن الأمرِ الذي خُلِقُوا

يا غافلينَ عن الأمرِ الذي خُلِقُوا

له أفيقُوا فللنُّوَّامِ هَبَّاتُ

له أفيقُوا فللنُّوَّامِ هَبَّاتُ

O you heedless of the purpose you were created

O you who are heedless of the purpose for which you were created!

for, awaken! Even sleepers have their awakenings.

Awaken, for sleep is the refuge of the negligent.

مَاذَا السُّكونُ إلى دُنيا حَوادِثُها

مَاذَا السُّكونُ إلى دُنيا حَوادِثُها

لَها على الخلقِ غَدْواتٌ وعَدْوَاتُ

لَها على الخلقِ غَدْواتٌ وعَدْوَاتُ

Why feel secure in a world whose calamities

What is this stillness towards a world whose events

make morning raids and assaults upon creation?

Assail people morning and night?

كيف البقاءُ بدارٍ للفناءِ بها

كيف البقاءُ بدارٍ للفناءِ بها

على الخلائِق كرَّاتٌ وغاراتُ

على الخلائِق كرَّاتٌ وغاراتُ

How can one endure in a dwelling where death

How can one remain in a house destined for ruin

makes repeated charges and raids upon all creatures?

When assaults and raids befall the people again and again?

وأنتَ يا أيّها المغرورُ مالَك في الدْ

وأنتَ يا أيّها المغرورُ مالَك في الدْ

دُنيَا من الناسِ غيرَ البعدِ مَنْجَاةُ

دُنيَا من الناسِ غيرَ البعدِ مَنْجَاةُ

And you, O deluded one, have nothing in this

As for you, O deluded one, you have no escape from people

world to save you from people but keeping your distance.

Except remoteness and estrangement.

يسرُّكَ البِشرُ منهم حينَ تُبْصِرُهم

يسرُّكَ البِشرُ منهم حينَ تُبْصِرُهم

ولو خَبَرْتَ لساءَتْكَ الطَّوِيَّاتُ

ولو خَبَرْتَ لساءَتْكَ الطَّوِيَّاتُ

Their cheerfulness delights you when you see them,

You are made happy by them when you see them,

but if you knew them well, their hidden intentions would distress you.

Yet if you experienced their vicissitudes, you would be wearied.

فاقطع حِبالكَ من كلِ الأنامِ فهمْ

فاقطع حِبالكَ من كلِ الأنامِ فهمْ

في كلِ حالاتِ مَنْ دانَوْا حِبالاتُ

في كلِ حالاتِ مَنْ دانَوْا حِبالاتُ

So cut your ties with all humankind, for they

So sever your ties from all mankind, for they

are snares in every circumstance for those they approach.

Are ever changing in all their states.

واحذَرْ من النّاسِ إنّي قد خَبَرْتُهُمُ

واحذَرْ من النّاسِ إنّي قد خَبَرْتُهُمُ

ولا يغرَنَّكَ خِبٌّ فيه إِخبَاتُ

ولا يغرَنَّكَ خِبٌّ فيه إِخبَاتُ

And beware of people; I have tested them.

And beware of people, for I have experienced them,

And let no cunning man with a humble manner deceive you.

And do not let a cunning one deceive you by his guile.

لا تَرْجُهُم في مُلِمّاتِ الزّمانِ فما

لا تَرْجُهُم في مُلِمّاتِ الزّمانِ فما

تُلِمُّ إلاَّ مِنَ النَّاسِ المُلِمَّاتُ

تُلِمُّ إلاَّ مِنَ النَّاسِ المُلِمَّاتُ

Do not count on them in time's calamities, for

Do not expect loyalty from them in the afflictions of time, for

calamities come only from people.

Only afflictions come from people in times of stress.

وكلّهمْ وهُمُ الأحياءُ إن بُعِثُوا

وكلّهمْ وهُمُ الأحياءُ إن بُعِثُوا

على الحياءِ وفعلِ الخيرِ أمواتُ

على الحياءِ وفعلِ الخيرِ أمواتُ

And all of them, though alive, if called

And all of the people, though alive, if brought to life

to modesty and good deeds, are dead.

Are dead to modesty and doing good.

وقد سمِعْنا بأنَّ الأرضَ كانَ بِهَا

وقد سمِعْنا بأنَّ الأرضَ كانَ بِهَا

ناسٌ كرامٌ ولكن قيلَ قد مَاتوا

ناسٌ كرامٌ ولكن قيلَ قد مَاتوا

And we have heard that on earth there once were

We have heard that the earth once contained

generous people, but it was said they had died.

Noble people, but it was said they passed away.

ولستُ أدري صحيحاً ما تَضَمَّنَت ال

ولستُ أدري صحيحاً ما تَضَمَّنَت ال

كُتْبُ القديمةُ أمْ فيهَا ضَمَانَاتُ

كُتْبُ القديمةُ أمْ فيهَا ضَمَانَاتُ

Nor do I know whether what is contained in the

I do not know if what the ancient

ancient books is sound, or whether there are infirmities in them.

Books contained is true, or just falsehoods.

وأغلبُ الظَّنِ أنَّ القومَ قد جَمَعُوا

وأغلبُ الظَّنِ أنَّ القومَ قد جَمَعُوا

للبَاخلينَ حديثَ البُهْت أي هَاتُوا

للبَاخلينَ حديثَ البُهْت أي هَاتُوا

And most likely, those people have compiled

And most likely, those people gathered

for misers a tale of falsehood—meaning, 'Give!'

For the misers the hadith: give it here!

لو كانَ ما جمَعُوا يَبْقَى لَهُمْ لَقَضَتْ

لو كانَ ما جمَعُوا يَبْقَى لَهُمْ لَقَضَتْ

علَيهِمُ بالمُواساةِ المروءاتُ

علَيهِمُ بالمُواساةِ المروءاتُ

If what they amassed were theirs to keep, they would be obliged

If what they gathered lasted for them, it would have put

by noble virtues to share it with others.

An end to them, out of compassion the virtues.

فكيفَ وهْي عَوَارٍ تُسْتَرَدُّ وأَفْ

فكيفَ وهْي عَوَارٍ تُسْتَرَدُّ وأَفْ

يَاءٌ تُنقِّلُها في النَّاسِ دَوْلاتُ

يَاءٌ تُنقِّلُها في النَّاسِ دَوْلاتُ

How, then, when they are loans to be reclaimed, and

How so, when it is fleeting, reclaimed,

shadows shifted among people by turns of fortune?

While opprobrium shifts it between people as fortunes shift?