إِذا اِستَتبَعَت نَفسُ امرِئ نَفسَ غَيرِهِ

إِذا اِستَتبَعَت نَفسُ امرِئ نَفسَ غَيرِهِ

فَتلكَ لَها عزٌّ وَهَذي لَها ذُلُّ

فَتلكَ لَها عزٌّ وَهَذي لَها ذُلُّ

If one man’s soul makes another’s soul follow in its train,

If a person's soul makes another's soul follow it,

the former has glory, while the latter has humiliation.

then the former has honor, and the latter humiliation.

كفى بِكَ نَقصاً أَنَّ غَيرك حاكِمٌ

كفى بِكَ نَقصاً أَنَّ غَيرك حاكِمٌ

عَلَيكَ فَلا عَقدٌ إِلَيكَ وَلا حَلُّ

عَلَيكَ فَلا عَقدٌ إِلَيكَ وَلا حَلُّ

It is shortcoming enough in you that another should rule

It is flaw enough in you that another rules

over you—so neither binding nor loosing is yours.

over you, so neither binding nor unbinding is yours to decide.