إِذا ما جِئتُها قَد بِعتُ عِذقاً

إِذا ما جِئتُها قَد بِعتُ عِذقاً

تُعانِقُ أَو تُقَبِّلُ أَو تَفدّى

تُعانِقُ أَو تُقَبِّلُ أَو تَفدّى

Whenever I came to her, having sold a date palm,

When I come to her, having sold my pride

she would embrace me, or kiss me, or offer herself as my ransom.

She may embrace me, or kiss me, or pay my price

أَهَنتُ المالَ في الشَهَواتِ حَتّى

أَهَنتُ المالَ في الشَهَواتِ حَتّى

أَصارَتني أَسيَفاً عَبدَ عَبدِ

أَصارَتني أَسيَفاً عَبدَ عَبدِ

I squandered wealth on pleasures until

I wasted my wealth on lusts until

they reduced me to a servant, a slave of a slave.

I became a sword, slave of a slave

فَمَن نالَ الغِنى فَليَصطَنِعهُ

فَمَن نالَ الغِنى فَليَصطَنِعهُ

صَنيعَتَهُ وَيَجهَدَ كُلَّ جُهدِ

صَنيعَتَهُ وَيَجهَدَ كُلَّ جُهدِ

So whoever attains wealth, let him nurture it

So he who gains riches should use them

as his own protégé, and strive with all his might.

As he sees fit, exerting all his effort

أُعلِمُكُم وَقَد أَردَيتُ نَفسي

أُعلِمُكُم وَقَد أَردَيتُ نَفسي

فَمَن أَهدى سَبيلَ الرُشدِ بَعدي

فَمَن أَهدى سَبيلَ الرُشدِ بَعدي

I tell you this, having brought myself to ruin:

I tell you, though I've lost myself

who after me can better guide along the path of sound judgment?

Whoever after me shows the right way