مُنايَ مِن دُنيايَ هاتي الَّتي

مُنايَ مِن دُنيايَ هاتي الَّتي

تَسلَحُ بِالرِزقِ عَلى غَيري

تَسلَحُ بِالرِزقِ عَلى غَيري

My wishes from this world of mine, which

My longing for the life I had,

My wish from this world of mine—bring that

Shits sustenance onto others, not me:

With blessings for others, not for me,

Which bestows ample provision upon others:

الجَردَقُ الحاضِرُ مَع بضعةٍ

الجَردَقُ الحاضِرُ مَع بضعةٍ

مِن ماعِز رخصَ ومن طير

مِن ماعِز رخصَ ومن طير

Flatbread at hand, with a morsel

A spare tent and some goats, cheaply bought,

A fresh loaf of bread, ready at hand,

Of tender goat and of fowl;

And birds, a murmuring jar filled up,

With a cut of tender goat meat and of fowl;

وَجَرة تهدر ملآنة

وَجَرة تهدر ملآنة

تَحكي قَراةَ القَسِّ في الدَيرِ

تَحكي قَراةَ القَسِّ في الدَيرِ

And a full jar, gurgling,

Telling tales of monks in the monastery,

And a jug that gurgles when filled to the brim,

Mimicking the priest's recitation in the monastery;

A wide loose coat, a fine embroidered gown,

Mimicking the priest's recitation in the monastery;

وَجبّة دَكناءُ فَضفاضَةٌ

وَجبّة دَكناءُ فَضفاضَةٌ

وَطَيلَسانُ حَسن النيرِ

وَطَيلَسانُ حَسن النيرِ

And a dark, loose-fitting robe,

A gray mare, fast and smooth in her gait,

A robe of dark hue, loose and comfortable,

And a shawl with a fine border;

Taking me swiftly through the lands,

And a shawl of fine weave and elegant texture;

وَبَغلَةٌ شَهباءُ طَيّارَة

وَبَغلَةٌ شَهباءُ طَيّارَة

تَطوي لِيَ البُلدان في السيرِ

تَطوي لِيَ البُلدان في السيرِ

And a gray she-mule, swift as flight,

A full wineskin with old wine,

A gray mule, swift as a bird in flight,

Folding up the lands for me as she travels;

Why recall what pains me now?

Folding the lands beneath me as she travels;

وَبَدرَة مملوءَةً عَسجَداً

وَبَدرَة مملوءَةً عَسجَداً

ما بِالَّذي أَذكُرُ مِن ضيرِ

ما بِالَّذي أَذكُرُ مِن ضيرِ

And a moneybag filled with gold—

A house in the best part of town,

A purse stuffed full of glittering gold—

There is no harm in what I mention;

Known for good and ill fortune,

There is no harm in the things that I list;

وَمَنزِلٌ في خَيرِ ما جيرَة

وَمَنزِلٌ في خَيرِ ما جيرَة

قَد عَرَفوا بِالخَيرِ والمَيرِ

قَد عَرَفوا بِالخَيرِ والمَيرِ

And a home among the very best neighbors,

A friend who stays with me always,

A home set among the very best of neighbors,

Known for kindness and providing food;

As close as a purse tied to a belt,

Known for their kindness and generosity of food;

وَصاحِبٌ يَلزَمُني دَهرُهُ

وَصاحِبٌ يَلزَمُني دَهرُهُ

مِثلَ لُزومِ الكيسِ لِلسيرِ

مِثلَ لُزومِ الكيسِ لِلسيرِ

And a companion who stays by me all his life,

One whose understanding pleases me,

A companion who cleaves to me all his days,

As a purse stays fast to its strap;

High-minded in doing good,

Like the attachment of the purse to its strap;

مُساعِدٌ يَعجِبُني فَهمُهُ

مُساعِدٌ يَعجِبُني فَهمُهُ

مُرتَفِعُ الهَمَّةِ في الخَيرِ

مُرتَفِعُ الهَمَّةِ في الخَيرِ

A helper whose understanding pleases me,

How many a lad mature in appearance

An assistant whose understanding delights me,

Lofty in his resolve to do good.

Is duller in a gathering than a blind man!

Of high ambition in the pursuit of good;

كَم مِن فَتىً تَبَصَّرَ ذا هَيئَةٍ

كَم مِن فَتىً تَبَصَّرَ ذا هَيئَةٍ

أَبَلَدَ في المَجَلِسِ مِن عيرِ

أَبَلَدَ في المَجَلِسِ مِن عيرِ

How many a youth you see, of fine appearance,

For how often one sees a youth of grand appearance,

Yet duller in company than an ass!

Who proves duller in the assembly than an ass.