1. أَحمُدُكَ اللَهَ وَأُطري الأَنبِياء

    مَصدَرَ الحِكمَةِ طُرّاً وَالضِياء

    I praise You, O God, and extol the prophets,

    The source of all wisdom and light.

  2. وَلَهُ الشُكرُ عَلى نُعمى الوُجود

    وَعَلى ما نِلتُ مِن فَضلٍ وَجود

    To Him belongs thanks for the blessing of existence,

    And for the bounty and generosity I have received.

  3. اُعبُدِ اللَهَ بِعَقلٍ يا بُنَيَّ

    وَبِقَلبٍ مِن رَجاءِ اللَهِ حَي

    Worship God with reason, my dear son,

    And with a heart alive through hope in God.

  4. اُرجُهُ تُعطَ مَقاليدَ الفَلَك

    وَاِخشَهُ خَشيَةَ مَن فيهِ هَلَك

    Hope in Him, and you will be given the keys of the heavens;

    And fear Him as one who has perished in Him.

  5. اُنظُرِ المُلكَ وَأَكبِر ما خَلَق

    وَتَمَتَّع فيهِ مِن خَيرٍ رَزَق

    Behold His dominion and revere what He has created;

    And enjoy within it the good He has provided.

  6. أَنتَ في الكَونِ مَحَلُّ التَكرِمَه

    كُلُّ شَيءٍ لَكَ عَبدٌ أَو أَمَه

    You are the recipient of honor in the universe;

    Everything is your bondsman or bondswoman.

  7. سُخِّرَ العالَمُ مِن أَرضٍ وَماء

    لَكَ وَالريحُ وَما تَحتَ السَماء

    The world—earth and water—has been subjected

    To you, as have the wind and everything beneath the sky.

  8. اُذكُرِ الآيَةَ إِذ أَنتَ جَنين

    لَكَ في الظُلمَةِ لِلنورِ حَنين

    Recall the sign when you were an embryo,

    Longing for light within the darkness.

  9. كُلَّ يَومٍ لَكَ شَأنٌ في الظُلَم

    حارَ فيهِ كُلُّ بُقراطٍ عَلَم

    Each day you underwent a change in the darkness,

    Baffling every eminent Hippocrates.

  10. كانَ في جَنبِكَ شَيءٌ مِن عَلَقَ

    حينَ مَسَّتهُ يَدُ اللَهِ خَفَق

    Within your side was something of clotted blood;

    When God's hand touched it, it began to beat.

  11. صارَ حِسّاً وَحَياةً بَعدَما

    كانَ في الأَضلاعِ لَحماً وَدَما

    It became sensation and life, after

    Being flesh and blood within the ribs.

  12. دَقَّ كَالناقوسِ وَسطَ الهَيكَل

    في اِنتِفاضٍ كَاِنتِفاضِ البُلبُل

    It beat like a bell in the midst of a temple,

    Quivering like the quivering of a nightingale.

  13. قُل لِمَن طَبَّبَ أَو مَن نَجَّما

    صَنعَةُ اللَهِ وَلَكِن زِغتُما

    Say to the physician or the astrologer:

    God's handiwork—and yet you two have strayed.

  14. آمِنا بِاللَهِ إيمانَ العَجوز

    إِنَّ غَيرَ اللَهِ عَقلاً لا يَجوز

    Believe in God with an old woman's faith;

    Indeed, reason admits none but God.

  15. أَيُّها الطالِبُ لِلعِلمِ اِستَمِع

    خَيرَ ما في طَلَبِ العِلمِ جُمِع

    O seeker of knowledge, listen

    To the best counsel gathered on seeking knowledge.

  16. هُوَ إِن أوتيتَهُ أَسنى النِعَم

    هَل تَرى الجُهّالَ إِلّا كَالنَعَم

    If you are granted it, it is the loftiest blessing;

    Do you see the ignorant as anything but cattle?

  17. اُطلُبِ العِلمَ لِذاتِ العِلمِ لا

    لِظُهورٍ باطِلٍ بَينَ المَلا

    Seek knowledge for knowledge's own sake, not

    For hollow prominence among the crowd.

  18. عِندَ أَهلِ العِلمِ لِلعِلمِ مَذاق

    فَإِذا فاتَكَ هَذا فَاِفتِراق

    For people of learning, knowledge has a flavor;

    If that taste eludes you, then part ways.

  19. طَلَبُ المَحرومِ لِلعِلمِ سُدى

    لَيسَ لِلأَعمى عَلى الضَوءِ هُدى

    The unendowed seek knowledge in vain;

    Light offers no guidance to the blind.

  20. فَإِذا فاتَكَ تَوفيقُ العَليم

    فَاِمتَنِع عَن كُلِّ تَحصيلٍ عَقيم

    If the All-Knowing's favor eludes you,

    Refrain from every fruitless course of study.

  21. وَاِطلُبِ الرِزقَ هُنا أَو هَهُنا

    كَم مَعَ الجَهلِ يَسارٌ وَغِنى

    And seek a livelihood here or there;

    How often ease and wealth accompany ignorance!

  22. كُلُّ ما عَلَّمَكَ الدَهرُ اِعلَمِ

    التَجاريبُ عُلومُ الفَهِمِ

    Learn all that time has taught you:

    Experience is the discerning person's learning.

  23. إِنَّما الأَيّامُ وَالعَيشُ كِتاب

    كُلَّ يَومٍ فيهِ لِلعِبرَةِ باب

    Days and life are but a book,

    With a chapter for instruction every day.

  24. إِن رُزِقتَ العِلمَ زِنهُ بِالبَيان

    ما يُفيدُ العَقلُ إِن عَيَّ اللِسان

    If granted knowledge, adorn it with eloquence;

    What use is intellect if the tongue falters?

  25. كَم عَليمٍ سَقَطَ العِيُّ بِهِ

    مُظلِمٌ لا تَهتَدي في كُتبِهِ

    How many a scholar has been brought low by inarticulacy,

    Obscure—you find no guidance in his books!

  26. وَأَديبٍ فاتَهُ العِلمُ فَما

    جاءَ بِالحِكمَةِ فيما نَظَما

    And many a man of letters, lacking knowledge, never

    Brought wisdom into what he composed in verse.

  27. إِنَّ لِلعِلمِ جَميعاً فَلسَفَه

    مَن تَغِب عَنهُ تَفُتهُ المَعرِفَه

    All knowledge has a philosophy;

    Whoever lacks it misses understanding.

  28. اِقرَإِ التاريخَ إِذ فيهِ العِبَر

    ضاعَ قَومٌ لَيسَ يَدرونَ الخَبَر

    Read history, for it holds lessons;

    A people ignorant of the past has come to ruin.

  29. كُن إِلى المَوتِ عَلى حُبِّ الوَطَن

    مَن يَخُن أَوطانَهُ يَوماً يُخَن

    Remain devoted to your homeland until death;

    Whoever betrays his homelands will one day be betrayed.

  30. وَطَنُ المَرءِ جَماهُ المُفتَدى

    يَذكُرُ المِنَّةَ مِنهُ وَاليَدا

    A person's homeland is his sanctuary, worth sacrifice;

    He remembers its favor and its helping hand.

  31. قَد عَرَفتَ الدارَ وَالأَهلَ بِهِ

    كُلُّ حُبٍّ شُعبَةٌ مِن حُبِّهِ

    Through it you have known home and family;

    Every love is a branch of love for it.

  32. هُوَ مَحبوبُكَ بادٍ مُحتَجِب

    يَعرِفُ الشَوقَ لَهُ مَن يَغتَرِب

    It is your beloved, visible yet veiled;

    Those who live abroad know the longing for it.

  33. لَكَ مِنهُ في الصِبا مَهدٌ رَحيم

    فَإِذا وُريتَ فَالقَبرُ الكَريم

    From it you have a tender cradle in childhood,

    And, when buried, a noble grave.

  34. كَم عَزيزٍ عِندَكَ اِستَودَعتَهُ

    وَعُهودٍ بَعدَكَ اِستَرعَيتَهُ

    How many dear ones you have entrusted to it,

    And covenants you have charged it to safeguard after you!

  35. وَدَفينٍ لَكَ فيهِ كَرُما

    تَذرِفُ الدَمعَ لِذِكراهُ دَما

    And many a noble one of yours lies buried there,

    For whose memory you shed tears of blood.

  36. كُن نَشيطاً عامِلاً جَمَّ الأَمَل

    إِنَّما الصِحَّةُ وَالرِزقُ العَمَل

    Be energetic, hard-working, and full of hope;

    Health and livelihood lie in work.

  37. كُلُّ ما أَتقَنتَ مَحبوبٌ وَجيه

    مُتقَنُ الأَعمالِ سِرُّ اللَهِ فيه

    Whatever you perfect is loved and esteemed;

    In perfected work lies God's secret.

  38. يُقبِلُ الناسُ عَلى الشَيءِ الحَسَن

    كُلُّ شَيءٍ بِجَزاءٍ وَثَمَن

    People turn toward what is beautiful;

    Everything has its recompense and price.

  39. اِنظُرِ الآثارَ ما أَزيَنَها

    قَد حَباها الخُلدَ مَن أَتقَنَها

    Look at the monuments—how beautiful they are!

    Those who perfected them bestowed immortality on them.

  40. تِلكَ آثارُ بَني مِصرَ الأُوَل

    أَتقَنوا الصَنعَةَ حَتّى في الجُعَل

    Those are the monuments of Egypt's earliest sons;

    They perfected their craft, even in the scarab.

  41. أَيُّها التاجِرُ بُلِّغتَ الأَرَب

    طالِعُ التاجِرِ في حُسنِ الأَدَب

    O merchant, may you attain your desire;

    The merchant's good fortune lies in good manners.

  42. بابُ حانوتِكَ بابُ الرازِقِ

    لا تُفارِق بابَهُ أَو فارِقِ

    Your shop's door is the Provider's door;

    Do not forsake His door—or leave altogether.

  43. وَاِحتَرِم في بابِهِ مَن دَخَلا

    كُلُّهُم مِنهُ رَسولٌ وَصَلا

    And honor whoever enters at His door;

    Each is a messenger come from Him.

  44. تاجِرُ القَومِ صَدوقٌ وَأَمين

    لَفظَةٌ مِن فيهِ لِلقَومِ يَمين

    The people's merchant is truthful and trustworthy;

    To them, a word from his mouth is an oath.

  45. إِنَّ لِلإِقدامِ ناساً كَالأُسُد

    فَتَشَبَّه إِنَّ مَن يُقدِم يَسُد

    There are men of bold resolve like lions;

    Imitate them: whoever dares will lead.

  46. مِنهُمو كُلُّ فَتىً سادَ وَشاد

    مِنهُمو إِسكَندَرٌ وَاِبنُ زِياد

    Among them is every youth who led and built;

    Among them are Alexander and Ibn Ziyad.

  47. وَشُجاعُ النَفسِ مِنهُم في الكُروب

    كَشُجاعِ القَلبِ في وَقتِ الحُروب

    And the brave of soul among them, amid distress,

    Are like the brave of heart in times of war.

  48. وابِلٌ سُقراطُ وَالشُجعانُ طَل

    إِنَّما مَن يَنصُرُ الحَقَّ البَطَل

    Socrates is a downpour; the brave are dew;

    The true hero is the one who champions truth.

  49. هُم جَمالُ الدَهرِ حيناً بَعدَ حين

    مِن غُزاةٍ أَو دُعاةٍ مُصلِحين

    They are the adornment of time, age after age,

    Whether warriors or advocates of reform.

  50. لَهُمُ مِن هَيبَةٍ عِندَ الأُمَم

    ما لِراعي غَنَمٍ عِندَ الغَنَم

    They command among nations the awe

    That a shepherd commands among his sheep.

  51. قُل إِذا خاطَبتَ غَيرَ المُسلِمين

    لَكُمو دينٌ رَضيتُم وَلِيَ دين

    Say, when you address non-Muslims:

    You have a faith you have accepted, and I have mine.

  52. خَلِّ لِلدَيّانِ فيهِم شانَهُ

    إِنَّهُ أَولى بِهِم سُبحانَهُ

    Leave the Judge to His dealings with them;

    He has the greater claim upon them—glory be to Him.

  53. كُلُّ حالٍ صائِرٌ يَوماً لِضِدّ

    فَدَعِ الأَقدارَ تجري وَاِستَعَدّ

    Every condition will one day turn to its opposite;

    Let destinies run their course, and be prepared.

  54. فَلَكٌ بِالسَعدِ وَالنَحسِ يَدور

    لا تُعارِض أَبَداً مَجرى الأُمور

    A sphere revolves with good fortune and ill;

    Never oppose the course of events.

  55. قُل إِذا شِئتَ صُروفٌ وَغِيَر

    وَإِذا شِئتَ قَضاءٌ وَقَدَر

    Call it, if you wish, vicissitudes and change,

    Or, if you wish, decree and destiny.

  56. وَاِعمَلِ الخَيرَ فَإِن عِشتَ لَقي

    طَيِّبَ الحَمدِ وَإِن مُتَّ بَقي

    And do good: if you live, it will win

    Fine praise; if you die, it will endure.

  57. مَن يَمُت عَن مِنَّةٍ عِندَ يَتيم

    فَرَحيمٌ سَوفَ يُجزى مِن رَحيم

    Whoever dies leaving a favor with an orphan

    Is merciful, and will be rewarded by the Merciful.

  58. كُن كَريماً إِن رَأى جُرحاً أَسا

    وَتَعَهَّد وَتَوَلَّ البُوَسا

    Be generous: heal a wound whenever you see one;

    And watch over and care for the wretched.

  59. وَاِسخُ في الشِدَّةِ وَاِزدَد في الرَخاء

    كُلُّ خُلقٍ فاضِلٍ دونَ السَخاء

    Give generously in hardship, and give more in ease;

    Every noble virtue ranks below generosity.

  60. فَبِهِ كُلُّ بَلاءٍ يُدفَعُ

    لَستَ تَدري في غَدٍ ما يَقَعُ

    Through it every calamity is warded off;

    You do not know what will happen tomorrow.

  61. جامِلِ الناسَ تَحُز رِقَّ الجَميع

    رُبَّ قَيدٍ مِن جَميلٍ وَصَنيع

    Be courteous to people, and win them all as bondsmen;

    Many a shackle is made of kindness and favor.

  62. عامِلِ الكُلَّ بِإِحسانٍ تُحَب

    فَقَديماً جَمَّلَ المَرءَ الأَدَب

    Treat everyone kindly, and you will be loved;

    Good manners have long adorned a person.

  63. وَتَجَنَّب كُلَّ خُلقٍ لَم يَرُق

    إِنَّ ضيقَ الرِزقِ مِن ضيقِ الخُلُق

    Avoid every trait that is unpleasing;

    A narrow livelihood comes from a narrow character.

  64. وَتَواضَع في اِرتِفاعٍ تُعتَبَر

    فَهُما ضِدّانِ كِبَرٌ وَكِبَر

    Be humble in high station, and you will be esteemed;

    For they are opposites: greatness and pride.

  65. كُلُّ حَيٍّ ما خَلا اللَهَ يَموت

    فَاِترُكِ الكِبرَ لَهُ وَالجَبَروت

    Every living being except God will die;

    Leave grandeur and absolute power to Him.

  66. وَأَرِح جَنبَكَ مِن داءِ الحَسَد

    كَم حَسودٍ قَد تَوَفّاهُ الكَمَد

    Give yourself rest from the sickness of envy;

    How many an envious person has died of grief!

  67. وَإِذا أُغضِبتَ فَاِغضَب لِعَظيم

    شَرَفٍ قَد مُسَّ أَو عِرضٍ كَريم

    And if angered, be angry for lofty

    Honor affronted, or noble reputation.

  68. وَتَجَنَّب في الصَغيراتِ الغَضَب

    إِنَّهُ كَالنارِ وَالرُشدُ الَحطَب

    Avoid anger over trifles;

    It is like fire, with sound judgment as its fuel.

  69. اِطلُبِ الحَقَّ بِرِفقٍ تُحمَدِ

    طالِبُ الحَقِّ بِعُنفٍ مُعتَدِ

    Seek your right gently, and you will be praised;

    One who seeks his right violently is a transgressor.

  70. وَاِعصِ في أَكثَرِ ما تَأتي الهَوى

    كَم مُطيعٍ لِهَوى النَفسِ هَوى

    And in most of what you do, defy desire;

    How many who obeyed their soul's desire have fallen!

  71. اُذكُرِ المَوتَ وَلا تَفزَع فَمَن

    يَحقِرِ المَوتَ يَنَل رِقَّ الزَمَن

    Remember death, and do not panic, for whoever

    Scorns death will make time his slave.

  72. أَحبِبِ الطِفلَ وَإِن لَم يَكُ لَك

    إِنَّما الطِفلُ عَلى الأَرضِ مَلَك

    Love the child, even if he is not yours;

    A child is but an angel on earth.

  73. هُوَ لُطفُ اللَهِ لَو تَعلَمُهُ

    رَحِمَ اللَهُ اِمرَءاً يَرحَمُهُ

    He is God's kindness, if you but knew it;

    May God have mercy on whoever has mercy on him.

  74. عَطفَةٌ مِنهُ عَلى لُعبَتِهِ

    تُخرِجُ المَحزونَ مِن كُربَتِهِ

    A tender gesture from him toward his toy

    Draws the sorrowful out of his distress.

  75. وَحَديثٌ ساعَةَ الضيقِ مَعَه

    يَملَلأُ العَيشَ نَعيماً وَسَعَه

    And a talk with him in an hour of hardship

    Fills life with bliss and ease.

  76. يا مُديمَ الصَومِ في الشَهرِ الكَريم

    صُم عَنِ الغيبَةِ يَوماً وَالنَميم

    O you who keep fasting in the noble month,

    Fast one day from backbiting and tale-bearing.

  77. وَإِذا صَلَّيتَ خَف مَن تَعبُدُ

    كَم مُصَلٍّ ضَجَّ مِنهُ المَسجِدُ

    And when you pray, fear the One you worship;

    How many a worshipper has made the mosque complain of him!

  78. وَاِجعَلِ الحَجَّ إِلى أُمِّ القُرى

    غِبَّ حَجٍّ لِبُيوتِ الفُقَرا

    Make your pilgrimage to the Mother of Cities

    Follow a pilgrimage to the homes of the poor.

  79. هَكَذا طَهَ وَمَن كانَ مَعَه

    مِن وَقارِ اللَهِ أَلّا تَخدَعَه

    Thus did Taha and those who were with him;

    Reverence for God means not deceiving Him.

  80. وَتَسَمَّح وَتَوَسَّع في الزَكاه

    إِنَّها مَحبوبَةٌ عِندَ الإِلَه

    Be liberal and generous in almsgiving;

    It is beloved of God.

  81. فَرَضَ البِرَّ بِها فَرضُ حَكيم

    فَإِذا ما زِدتَ فَاللَهُ كَريم

    He ordained benevolence through it—a wise one's ordinance;

    And if you give more, God is generous.

  82. لَيسَ لي في طِبِّ جالينوسَ باع

    بَيدَ أَنَّ العَيشَ دَرسٌ وَاِطِّلاع

    I have no mastery of Galen's medicine,

    Yet life is study and observation.

  83. اِحذَرِ التُخمَةَ إِن كُنتَ فَهِم

    إِنَّ عِزرائيلَ في حَلقِ النَهِم

    Beware of surfeit, if you are discerning;

    Azrael is in the glutton's throat.

  84. وَاِتَّقِ البَردَ فَكَم خَلقٍ قَتَل

    مَن تَوَقّاهُ اِتَّقى نِصفَ العِلَل

    Guard against the cold; how many people it has killed!

    Whoever avoids it avoids half of all ailments.

  85. اِتَّخِذ سُكناكَ في تَلقِ الجَواء

    بَينَ شَمسٍ وَنَباتٍ وَهَواء

    Make your dwelling in the open country,

    Amid sunshine, vegetation, and air.

  86. خَيمَةٌ في البيدِ خَيرٌ مِن قُصور

    تَبخَلُ الشَمسُ عَلَيها بِالمُرور

    A tent in the desert is better than palaces

    To which the sun grudges its visits.

  87. في غَدٍ تَأوي إِلى قَفرٍ حَلِك

    يَستَوي الصُعلوكُ فيهِ وَالمَلِك

    Tomorrow you will take shelter in a dark wilderness,

    Where pauper and king are equal.

  88. وَاِترُكِ الخَمرَ لِمَشغوفٍ بِها

    لا يَرى مَندوحَةً عَن شُربِها

    Leave wine to one enthralled by it,

    Who sees no escape from drinking it.

  89. لا تُنادِم غَيرَ مَأمونٍ كَريم

    إِنَّ عَقلَ البَعضِ في كَفِّ النَديم

    Keep no boon companion but one trustworthy and noble;

    Some people's reason is in their companion's hand.

  90. وَعَنِ المَيسِرِ ما اِسطَعتَ اِبتَعِد

    فَهوَ سُلُّ المالِ بَل سُلُّ الكَبِد

    And keep away from gambling as much as you can;

    It is a wasting disease of wealth—of the liver, rather.

  91. وَتَعَشَّق وَتَعَفَّف وَاِتَّقِ

    مادَرى اللَذَّةَ مَن لَم يَعشَقِ

    And love passionately, remain chaste, and fear God;

    Whoever has not loved has not known pleasure.