ذُو الفَضل في دُنياهُ مَحسودُ

ذُو الفَضل في دُنياهُ مَحسودُ

وكلُّ مَن يُحْسَدُ مَقصودُ

وكلُّ مَن يُحْسَدُ مَقصودُ

A man of merit is envied in his worldly life.

The virtuous in this life are envied

And everyone who is envied is targeted.

And all who are envied have purpose

والعُودُ لَولا عَبَقٌ طَيِّبٌ

والعُودُ لَولا عَبَقٌ طَيِّبٌ

من عَرْفِهِ ما أُحرِقِ العُودُ

من عَرْفِهِ ما أُحرِقِ العُودُ

And aloeswood—were it not for the pleasant aroma

And wood, without its sweet scent

of its fragrance—would not be burned.

Would not be burned, the wood

فافطَنْ لِما قلتُ فأنتَ امْروٌ

فافطَنْ لِما قلتُ فأنتَ امْروٌ

مِن وَصفِهِ الفِطنَةُ والجُودُ

مِن وَصفِهِ الفِطنَةُ والجُودُ

So heed what I have said, for you are a man

So be aware of what I have said, you are generous

whose qualities include discernment and generosity.

Wisdom and generosity described in you

لكُلِّ امرئٍ منَا نفوسٌ ثلاثَةٌ

لكُلِّ امرئٍ منَا نفوسٌ ثلاثَةٌ

يعارِض بعْضاً بعضُها في المقَاصِدِ

يعارِض بعْضاً بعضُها في المقَاصِدِ

Each of us has three souls.

For each person among us, there are three selves

Some oppose others in their aims.

Each struggles against the other in its aims

فنَفْسُ تمنّيهِ وأخرى تَلومُهُ

فنَفْسُ تمنّيهِ وأخرى تَلومُهُ

وثالِثَةٌ تَهديهِ نَحوَ المرَاشِدِ

وثالِثَةٌ تَهديهِ نَحوَ المرَاشِدِ

So one soul fills him with hopes, and another reproaches him,

One self desires, another blames

and a third guides him toward right paths.

And a third guides towards wisdom