إذا لك مطلب أضحى ثقيلا

إذا لك مطلب أضحى ثقيلا

عليك بمنة فاتركه حتما

عليك بمنة فاتركه حتما

If something you seek becomes burdensome

If you have a request that has become burdensome

to you through a favor held over you, abandon it outright.

You must leave it with a favor and surely abandon it

وعزّ النفس من هون وذلّ

وعزّ النفس من هون وذلّ

وعللها بأمّا ثم أمّا

وعللها بأمّا ثم أمّا

And preserve your soul's dignity against abasement and humiliation,

And let your soul be dignified from humiliation and disgrace

and soothe it with 'as for...' and then 'as for...'.

And console it by saying "if only, then if only"

فمطل النفس أولى من غريم

فمطل النفس أولى من غريم

تماطله إذا طالبك غرما

تماطله إذا طالبك غرما

For putting off your soul is better than putting off a creditor

To crave from the soul is better than from an enemy

whom you stall when he demands payment from you.

Delay him if he demands from you a debt

تيمم ان لحقك أذى ومنّ

تيمم ان لحقك أذى ومنّ

ولا تقضى مع إيجادك ألما

ولا تقضى مع إيجادك ألما

Perform dry ablution if harm and reproaches for favors befall you,

Be tolerant if harm afflicts you

and do not have your need fulfilled at the cost of causing yourself pain.

And do not fulfill while you are suffering pain

فذا في الدين فضلاً عن سواه

فذا في الدين فضلاً عن سواه

فدع سلما إذا عافتك سلمى

فدع سلما إذا عافتك سلمى

This applies in religion, to say nothing of anything else.

So this, in religion, is superior to anything else

So abandon reconciliation if Salma spurns you.

So leave safely when safe are your two forearms

فمت بالصبر إن الصبر أولى

فمت بالصبر إن الصبر أولى

ولا تدنو إلى عمرو وأسما

ولا تدنو إلى عمرو وأسما

Then die with patience, for patience is preferable,

Die with patience, for patience is best

and do not draw near to Amr and Asma.

And do not go near to Amr and Asma

فلولا الصبر ما نيلت معالي

فلولا الصبر ما نيلت معالي

فقدر علاك ما استطعت عزما

فقدر علاك ما استطعت عزما

For without patience, lofty ranks would never be attained.

For if not for patience, you will not attain heights

For your stature is measured by the resolve you can muster.

So accept what ability you had determination

فثق باللَه خالق كلّ شيء

فثق باللَه خالق كلّ شيء

بكل الكائنات أحاط علما

بكل الكائنات أحاط علما

So trust in God, the Creator of all things;

And trust in God, Creator of all things

He encompasses all beings in knowledge.

With all creatures He has encompassed knowledge

ففي قدرته كم شاهدت أمرا

ففي قدرته كم شاهدت أمرا

أتاك بعكس ما أوهمت وهما

أتاك بعكس ما أوهمت وهما

For through His power you have witnessed many an event

For in His power how much have you witnessed something

that came to you contrary to what you had fancied.

That came to you opposite of what imagination assumed

وكم في غيب ربي من عجيب

وكم في غيب ربي من عجيب

بضدّ قياس عقلاء وحكما

بضدّ قياس عقلاء وحكما

And how many marvels lie in my Lord's unseen realm,

And how much in my Lord's unseen is of wonders

contrary to the reasoning of the rational and the wise!

Contrary to the reasoning of scholars and wisdom

نواصيهم بأمر اللَه يقضى

نواصيهم بأمر اللَه يقضى

بما شاء فيهم حسنا وذما

بما شاء فيهم حسنا وذما

Their forelocks are under God's command; judgment is passed

Their foreheads by God's command He judges

as He wills concerning them, favorably or with censure.

What He willed for them of good and bad

فاطلبه ولا تطلب سواه

فاطلبه ولا تطلب سواه

فليس يمنّ ان والاك نعما

فليس يمنّ ان والاك نعما

So seek Him, and seek no one besides Him,

So seek Him and do not seek other than Him

for He does not hold favors over you if He showers you with blessings.

For no one grants favors if not for Him