اللَهُ أَعلى يَداً وَأَكبَر

اللَهُ أَعلى يَداً وَأَكبَر

وَالحَقُّ فيما قَضى وَقَدَّر

وَالحَقُّ فيما قَضى وَقَدَّر

God is mightier in power and greater;

God's hand is highest, and He is greatest.

and truth lies in all that He decrees and ordains.

And what He has decreed and ordained is right.

وَلَيسَ لِلمَرءِ ما تَمَنّى

وَلَيسَ لِلمَرءِ ما تَمَنّى

وَلَيسَ لِلمَرءِ ما تَخَيَّر

وَلَيسَ لِلمَرءِ ما تَخَيَّر

A man does not possess all that he wishes for,

Nor does a person have whatever he wishes for,

nor does a man possess all that he chooses.

Nor does a person have whatever he chooses.

هَوَّن عَلَيكَ الأُمورَ وَاِعلَم

هَوَّن عَلَيكَ الأُمورَ وَاِعلَم

أَنَّ لَها مَورِداً وَمَصدَر

أَنَّ لَها مَورِداً وَمَصدَر

Take matters lightly, and know

Take matters lightly, and know

that they have a place of arrival and a place of departure.

That they have a way in and a way out.

وَاِصبِر إِذا ما بُليتَ يَوماً

وَاِصبِر إِذا ما بُليتَ يَوماً

فَإِنَّ ما قَد سَلِمتَ أَكثَر

فَإِنَّ ما قَد سَلِمتَ أَكثَر

Be patient if one day you are afflicted,

And be patient if you are afflicted one day,

for what you have been spared is surely far more.

For what you have been spared is greater.

ما كُلُّ ذي نِعمَةٍ مُجازىً

ما كُلُّ ذي نِعمَةٍ مُجازىً

كَم مُنعِمٍ لا يَزالُ يُكفَر

كَم مُنعِمٍ لا يَزالُ يُكفَر

Not every giver of bounty is repaid;

Not every benefactor is repaid;

how many a benefactor is continually met with ingratitude.

How many a benefactor is continually met with ingratitude!

يا بُؤسَ لِلناسِ ما دَهاهُم

يا بُؤسَ لِلناسِ ما دَهاهُم

صاروا وَما يُنكِرونَ مُنكَر

صاروا وَما يُنكِرونَ مُنكَر

Alas for mankind—what has befallen them!

Alas for people! What has befallen them?

They have become such that they condemn no wrong.

They have come to denounce no wrongdoing.

يا أَيُّها الأَشيَبُ الَّذي قَد

يا أَيُّها الأَشيَبُ الَّذي قَد

حَذَّرَهُ شَيبُهُ وَأَنذَر

حَذَّرَهُ شَيبُهُ وَأَنذَر

O gray-haired man, whom already

O gray-haired man, who has already

his gray hair has cautioned and forewarned:

Been cautioned and forewarned by his gray hair:

خُذ ما صَفا مِن جَميعِ أَمرِ ال

خُذ ما صَفا مِن جَميعِ أَمرِ ال

دُنيا وَدَع عَنكَ ما تَكَدَّر

دُنيا وَدَع عَنكَ ما تَكَدَّر

Take whatever is clear from all the affairs of this

Take what is clear from all the affairs of the

world, and leave aside whatever grows turbid.

World, and set aside what has turned turbid.

وَاِلطُف لِكُلِّ اِمرِئٍ بِرِفقٍ

وَاِلطُف لِكُلِّ اِمرِئٍ بِرِفقٍ

وَاِقبَل مِنَ الناسِ ما تَيَسَّر

وَاِقبَل مِنَ الناسِ ما تَيَسَّر

Be kind to every person, with gentleness,

And treat every person with gentle kindness,

and accept from people whatever comes readily.

And accept from people whatever comes easily.

فَإِنَّما المَرءُ مِن زُجاجٍ

فَإِنَّما المَرءُ مِن زُجاجٍ

إِن لَم تَرَفَّق بِهِ تَكَسَّر

إِن لَم تَرَفَّق بِهِ تَكَسَّر

For man is made of nothing but glass:

For a person is nothing but glass;

if you do not treat him gently, he shatters.

If you are not gentle with him, he shatters.

وَكُلُّ ذي سَكرَةٍ فَأَعمى

وَكُلُّ ذي سَكرَةٍ فَأَعمى

حَتّى إِذا ما أَفاقَ أَبصَر

حَتّى إِذا ما أَفاقَ أَبصَر

Everyone in a stupor is blind,

And everyone in a drunken stupor is blind,

until, when he comes to, he sees.

Until, when he sobers, he sees.

اِرضَ المَنايا لِكُلِّ طاغٍ

اِرضَ المَنايا لِكُلِّ طاغٍ

وَاِرضَ المَنايا لِمَن تَجَبَّر

وَاِرضَ المَنايا لِمَن تَجَبَّر

Accept that death awaits every tyrant,

Be content with death for every tyrant,

and that death awaits whoever grows overbearing.

And be content with death for whoever acts arrogantly.

يا رُبَّ ذي أَعظَمٍ رُفاتٍ

يا رُبَّ ذي أَعظَمٍ رُفاتٍ

كانَ إِذا ما مَشى تَبَخَّر

كانَ إِذا ما مَشى تَبَخَّر

Ah, how many a man once possessed of bones is now mere remains,

Ah, how many a man whose bones are dust

though once he strutted whenever he walked.

Once strutted whenever he walked!

في المَوتِ شُغلٌ لِكُلِّ حَيٍّ

في المَوتِ شُغلٌ لِكُلِّ حَيٍّ

وَأَيُّ شُغلٍ لِمَن تَفَكَّر

وَأَيُّ شُغلٍ لِمَن تَفَكَّر

Death holds concern enough for every living soul—

Death is a preoccupation for every living being,

and what a concern it is for one who reflects!

And what a preoccupation for whoever reflects!