1. Life has taught me to accept
All its colors with consent and acceptance

2. And I saw contentment alleviate burdens for me
And cast veils on misfortunes

3. And he who is inspired to be content
Is never envious or grudging forever

4. I am content with all that Allah has written
And I give abundant thanks to Him

5. I am content with every type of people
Whether I meet the vile or the noble

6. I do not fear the harm of the vile
Nor will I ask the noble for favors

7. Allah has given me a spacious heart, so I do not
Accept any substitute for love and affection

8. In my heart there is room for every guest
So be a cheerful or tiresome guest

9. He who thinks contentment is out of weakness
Or sees it as evidence of hypocrisy, has gone astray

10. Contentment is a blessing from Allah,
Only a few of His servants have been fortunate to attain it

11. Contentment indicates innocence and faith in Allah as helper and guardian
Life has taught me that it has two flavors

12. Bitter and sweetly palatable
So I have become accustomed to both its states

13. And I am familiar with change and transition
O people, we all drink the cups

14. Whether acrid or fresh and pleasing
We are like a garden, lush then withered

15. We are like stars, rising and setting
We are like winds, raging then calm

16. We are like clouds, withholding then pouring
We are like suspicions, true or false

17. We are like fortune, just or betraying
Life may joke with me and show

18. The mockeries of creation, group after group
I see them as lessons and morals

19. While others see them as mighty calamities
People have delved into deceiving themselves

20. And gone astray in perception and minds
They worshipped status, beauty, and eyes

21. Of desires and smooth cheeks
The feeble writer attains status and money

22. But remains a confused chatterer
While the strong deviant attains status and money

23. And is more rightly guided and his words more upright
And when the wine's effect becomes apparent on them

24. They show humility or pretend piety
And recite the Chapter of Infatuation

25. And sing it and show reverence to Quran and Bible
They do not desire a deferred reward from Allah

26. Indeed, man was hasty
An affliction has engulfed cities and villages

27. It did not spare youth or elders
And if you stand up for preaching they say

28. You are no lord nor were you sent as a messenger
Have you seen those who deny the religion

29. And do not fear the difficult Reckoning?
Most people judge others

30. While they can hardly be just judges
So how often they called a miser generous!

31. And how often they called a generous one a miser!
And how often they enriched the worthless!

32. And how often they ignored the discreet shy one!
How many a free honorable woman they accused

33. And how many promiscuous ones they portrayed as virgins!
And hands cut off unjustly, and a thief

34. Whose palms they kiss
And a prisoner they poured wrath upon

35. And a prisoner pampered with favoritism
Most of those who imitated the West in principles

36. Did wrong in imitating and portraying
We have taken the bad from them, and taken

37. Little of the good things except a small amount
The day the West told the lie of Israel

38. All our lives since then have been like April fools
They spread moral filth wholesale, so we spread it

39. In detailed writings with meticulous detail
Life has taught me that passion is a torrent—so who can hold back floods?

40. Then it said: And good remains in the universe
Rather, I see the good inherent in it as something time-honored

41. If you see evil spreading rampant, try to endure:
God does not love the hopeless despondent

42. And the struggle between opposites goes on
And time folds one generation after another

43. And days continue displaying
Their two colors to people, morning and evening

44. So yesterday's disgraced becomes today's dignified
And yesterday's dignified becomes today's disgraced

45. And the ailing may get up healthy
While the healthy may collapse, sick

46. A starving person may crave a lifetime of comfort
While a satiated one hastens departure

47. And close relatives continue begetting
One who destroys his kin with his immorality

48. And the peace anthem is followed by
Brutal marauders who legislate murder and killing

49. And human rights are but a slogan—
Experts in fraud, falsification, and misleading

50. Scenes my eyes never wander upon
Nor my mind ponder without feeling baffled

51. My companions said: we see you complaining of wounds—
Where is the melody of sweet beautiful contentment?

52. I said: as for the wounds of my soul,
I have accustomed them to heal with contentment's balm

53. Except that silence about my nation's wounds
Is nothing but despicable failure to aid

54. I cannot be content for a nation that raised me
With deficient manners and insignificant ability

55. I cannot be content with it divided by mutual envy
I cannot be content with indolence or stagnation

56. I want it to have honor and glory
And a sword drawn against enemies

57. Life has taught me that if I live
Only for myself, I will live as a contemptible weakling

58. Life has taught me, however much knowledge I gain
I will remain ignorant