وَما طَلَبُ المَعيشَةِ بِالتَمَنّي

وَما طَلَبُ المَعيشَةِ بِالتَمَنّي

وَلَكِن أَلقِ دَلوَكَ في الدِلاءِ

وَلَكِن أَلقِ دَلوَكَ في الدِلاءِ

Livelihood is not won by wishful thinking;

Seeking a livelihood is not a matter of wishing,

rather, cast your bucket among the buckets.

But cast your bucket among the buckets.

تَجِئكَ بِمَلئِها طَوراً وَطَوراً

تَجِئكَ بِمَلئِها طَوراً وَطَوراً

تَجِئكَ بِحَمأَةٍ وَقَليلِ ماءِ

تَجِئكَ بِحَمأَةٍ وَقَليلِ ماءِ

At times it comes back to you filled to the brim, and at others

It comes to you full at times, and at times

it comes back to you with mire and a little water.

It comes to you with dark mud and little water.

وَلا تَقعُد عَلى كَسَلِ التَمَنّي

وَلا تَقعُد عَلى كَسَلِ التَمَنّي

تُحيلُ عَلى المَقادِرِ وَالقَضاءِ

تُحيلُ عَلى المَقادِرِ وَالقَضاءِ

Do not sit idle in the sloth of wishing,

And do not sit in idle wishing,

laying it all upon destiny and divine decree.

Shifting responsibility to destiny and divine decree.

فَإِنَّ مقادِرَ الرَحمَنِ تَجري

فَإِنَّ مقادِرَ الرَحمَنِ تَجري

بِأَرزاقِ الرِجالِ مِنَ السَماءِ

بِأَرزاقِ الرِجالِ مِنَ السَماءِ

For the All-Merciful’s decrees carry on their course,

For the decrees of the Most Merciful flow

bearing men’s allotted sustenance down from heaven,

With men's sustenance from heaven,

مُقَدَّرَةً بِقَبضٍ أَو بِبَسطٍ

مُقَدَّرَةً بِقَبضٍ أَو بِبَسطٍ

وَعَجزُ المَرءِ أَسبابُ البَلاءِ

وَعَجزُ المَرءِ أَسبابُ البَلاءِ

measured out in scarcity or abundance.

Allotted in scarcity or abundance;

A man’s failure to act is a cause of affliction.

And a person's incapacity gives rise to affliction.

وَبَعضُ الرِزقِ في دعَةٍ وَخَفضٍ

وَبَعضُ الرِزقِ في دعَةٍ وَخَفضٍ

وَبَعضُ الرِزقَ يُكسَبُ بِالعَناءِ

وَبَعضُ الرِزقَ يُكسَبُ بِالعَناءِ

Some livelihood comes with ease and comfort,

And some sustenance comes in ease and comfort,

and some livelihood is earned through toil.

And some sustenance is earned through toil.