ما أَسمَجَ النُسكَ بِسَآلِ

ما أَسمَجَ النُسكَ بِسَآلِ

وَأَقبَحَ البُخلَ بذي المالِ

وَأَقبَحَ البُخلَ بذي المالِ

How repugnant is piety in a persistent beggar!

How ugly is asceticism in one who asks,

And how ugly is miserliness in a wealthy man!

And how ugly is miserliness in one who is wealthy,

وَأَقبَحَ الثَروَةَ ما لَم تَكُن

وَأَقبَحَ الثَروَةَ ما لَم تَكُن

عِندَ أَخي جودٍ وَإِفضالِ

عِندَ أَخي جودٍ وَإِفضالِ

And how ugly is wealth, unless it is

And how ugly is wealth that is not

with a man of generosity and bounty.

With a brother of generosity and favor.

وَالحِرصُ مِن شَرِّ أَداةِ الفَتى

وَالحِرصُ مِن شَرِّ أَداةِ الفَتى

لا خَيرَ في الحِرصِ عَلى حالِ

لا خَيرَ في الحِرصِ عَلى حالِ

And greed is among a young man's worst tools;

And greed is the worst trait of a young man -

there is no good in greed under any circumstances.

There is no good in greed no matter the state.

مَن باتَ مُحتاجاً إِلى أَهلِهِ

مَن باتَ مُحتاجاً إِلى أَهلِهِ

هانَ عَلى اِبنِ العَمِّ وَالخالِ

هانَ عَلى اِبنِ العَمِّ وَالخالِ

Whoever spends the night dependent on his family

He who sleeps needing his family

is held in contempt by his paternal cousin and maternal uncle.

Is disdained by the son of uncle and aunt.

ما وَقَعَ الواقِعُ في وَرطَةٍ

ما وَقَعَ الواقِعُ في وَرطَةٍ

أَزرى بِهِ مِن رِقَّةِ الحالِ

أَزرى بِهِ مِن رِقَّةِ الحالِ

No one has fallen into a predicament

No one has fallen into hardship

more degrading to him than poverty.

More burdensome than poverty.