إِن تَجِد بابَ الأَماني مُغلَقاً

إِن تَجِد بابَ الأَماني مُغلَقاً

لا تُكَشِّرْ أَو تَلُم مَن سَكَّرَهْ

لا تُكَشِّرْ أَو تَلُم مَن سَكَّرَهْ

If you find the door of wishes locked,

If you find the door of hopes closed,

do not scowl or blame whoever locked it.

do not scowl or blame whoever shut it.

إِن بَوّاقَ الأَماني مَرِحٌ

إِن بَوّاقَ الأَماني مَرِحٌ

يَبغُضُ اليَأسَ وَيَخشى الكَشَرَهْ

يَبغُضُ اليَأسَ وَيَخشى الكَشَرَهْ

For the gatekeeper of wishes is cheerful;

Indeed, the trumpeter of hopes is merry;

he loathes despair and fears a scowl.

he hates despair and fears a scowl.

يا عَزيزي هَل تَرى الكَشرَةَ قَد

يا عَزيزي هَل تَرى الكَشرَةَ قَد

أَرجَعَت مِن فائِتٍ بَعدَ فَواتِ

أَرجَعَت مِن فائِتٍ بَعدَ فَواتِ

My dear, have you ever seen a scowl

O my dear, do you think a scowl has

bring back what was lost after it had passed,

restored anything lost after it was gone?

بَينَما البَسمَةُ أَدنَت قاصِياً

بَينَما البَسمَةُ أَدنَت قاصِياً

أَوَما جَرَّبَتَ سِحرَ البَسَماتِ

أَوَما جَرَّبَتَ سِحرَ البَسَماتِ

while a smile has drawn someone distant near?

Whereas a smile has brought the distant near.

Have you not tried the magic of smiles?

And have you not tried the magic of smiles?

إِنَّ لِلعَيشِ طَريقَينِ هُما الـ

إِنَّ لِلعَيشِ طَريقَينِ هُما الـ

ـجِدُّ في الضَحكَ وَجِدٌّ في البُكاءْ

ـجِدُّ في الضَحكَ وَجِدٌّ في البُكاءْ

Life indeed has two paths, and they are—

Indeed, life has two paths: they are

earnestness in laughter and earnestness in weeping.

earnestness in laughter and earnestness in weeping.

لا تَقُل أُجبِرتُ في سَرِّهِما

لا تَقُل أُجبِرتُ في سَرِّهِما

فَلَكَ الخيرَةُ فَاِختَر ما تَشاءْ

فَلَكَ الخيرَةُ فَاِختَر ما تَشاءْ

Do not say, “I was forced along either path”;

Do not say, 'I was compelled in their secret';

the choice is yours, so choose as you wish.

for the choice is yours, so choose what you wish.

ثُمَّ ما ساءَكَ مِن هذي الدُنى

ثُمَّ ما ساءَكَ مِن هذي الدُنى

ما الَّذي رَدَّ لَكَ الطَرفَ كَليلا

ما الَّذي رَدَّ لَكَ الطَرفَ كَليلا

What, then, has troubled you in this world?

Then what has troubled you in these worlds?

What is it that has left your gaze weary?

What has made your gaze weary?

إِنَّ دُنياكَ الَّتي تَصنَعُها

إِنَّ دُنياكَ الَّتي تَصنَعُها

فَسَّرَ الأَشياءَ تَفسيراً جَميلا

فَسَّرَ الأَشياءَ تَفسيراً جَميلا

Your world is the one you make;

Indeed, your world is the one you make;

so interpret all things beautifully.

interpret things beautifully.

إِن يَكُن خانَكَ إِلفٌ في الهَوى

إِن يَكُن خانَكَ إِلفٌ في الهَوى

وَتَذَوَّقتَ مَريراً غَدرَهُ

وَتَذَوَّقتَ مَريراً غَدرَهُ

If a beloved companion has betrayed you in love,

If a beloved has betrayed you in love,

and you have tasted the bitterness of his treachery,

and you have tasted his bitter treachery,

فَهوَ أَعفاكَ وَأَخلى عامِداً

فَهوَ أَعفاكَ وَأَخلى عامِداً

شقَّةً في القَلبِ اِسكِن غيرَهُ

شقَّةً في القَلبِ اِسكِن غيرَهُ

then he has freed you and deliberately left vacant

then he has relieved you and deliberately vacated

a chamber in the heart—let someone else dwell there.

an apartment in your heart—let someone else live there.