منwhoever عوَّدaccustoms الناسpeople خيرًاto kindness طالبوهthey demand of him بهfor it
من عوَّد الناس خيرًا طالبوه به
كأنهas though it were الدَّينthe debt يُلوىis deferred بالمعاذيرwith excuses
كأنه الدَّين يُلوى بالمعاذير
Whoever accustoms people to kindness, they demand it of him,
Those who urged good were pressured to repeat
As though it were a debt whose payment is deferred with excuses.
As if it were owed, though they pled to excuse
ومنand whoever تعقَّبهمpursues them شرًّاwith harm فأمهلهمthen grants them respite
ومن تعقَّبهم شرًّا فأمهلهم
يومًاfor a day تقبَّلaccepts منهمfrom them أجرthe reward of مشكورone who is thanked
يومًا تقبَّل منهم أجر مشكور
And whoever pursues them with harm, then grants them respite
Yet if their wrongs you tracked undeterred
For a day, accepts their thanks as his reward.
Pause to accept their regret with grace assured
لاno رأيdiscernment للناسfor people فيconcerning نفعbenefit ولاnor ضررharm
لا رأي للناس في نفع ولا ضرر
وماand not لهمfor them قطever منany حكمjudgment وتقديرand appreciation
وما لهم قط من حكم وتقدير
People have no discernment concerning benefit or harm,
People cannot foresee what may help or hurt
Nor do they ever have judgment or appreciation.
Nor can they ever possess wisdom's perfect word
Sol 6.1