إذا حوى فاضلٌ ذو هِمَّةٍ نَشَبا

إذا حوى فاضلٌ ذو هِمَّةٍ نَشَبا

بنى به لبنيه بعدهُ رتبا

بنى به لبنيه بعدهُ رتبا

If a virtuous man of ambition acquires wealth,

When an honorable man of high resolve grows up

with it he builds standing for his sons after him.

He builds with it ranks for his sons after him

ومن سعى يطلب العليا بلا سببٍ

ومن سعى يطلب العليا بلا سببٍ

من ثروةٍ وغنى أعياهُ ما طلبا

من ثروةٍ وغنى أعياهُ ما طلبا

And whoever strives for eminence without the means

And he who strives to seek the heights without cause

of wealth and affluence is defeated by what he seeks.

Of wealth and riches, his quest exhausts him

أما ترى النار والعلياءُ مركزُها

أما ترى النار والعلياءُ مركزُها

لا ترتقي صُعداً إن لم تجد حطبا

لا ترتقي صُعداً إن لم تجد حطبا

Do you not see that fire, whose station is on high,

Do you not see that fire, though its place is on high

does not rise upward unless it finds firewood?

Cannot climb upwards, if it finds no fuel