إِذا لَم تَجودوا وَالأُمورُ بِكُم تَمضي

إِذا لَم تَجودوا وَالأُمورُ بِكُم تَمضي

وَقَد مَلَكَت أَيديكُمُ البَسطَ وَالقَبضا

وَقَد مَلَكَت أَيديكُمُ البَسطَ وَالقَبضا

If you do not give generously while affairs proceed through you,

If you do not give generously while affairs proceed according to your wishes,

And your hands hold the power to give and withhold,

And your hands grasp power to give and withhold,

فَماذا يُرَجَّى مِنكُمُ إِن عَزَلتُمُ

فَماذا يُرَجَّى مِنكُمُ إِن عَزَلتُمُ

وَعَضَّتكُمُ الدُنيا بِأَنيابِها عَضّا

وَعَضَّتكُمُ الدُنيا بِأَنيابِها عَضّا

Then what can be hoped from you if you are dismissed,

Then what can be expected of you if you are deposed,

And the world bites you fiercely with its fangs?

And the world gnaws at you with its teeth,

وتَستَرجِعُ الأَيّامُ ما وَهَبَتكُمُ

وتَستَرجِعُ الأَيّامُ ما وَهَبَتكُمُ

وَمِن عادَةِ الأَيّامِ تَستَرجِعُ القَرضا

وَمِن عادَةِ الأَيّامِ تَستَرجِعُ القَرضا

And the days reclaim what they bestowed on you,

And time reclaims what it gave you,

And it is the days’ custom to reclaim the loan.

For it is the habit of time to reclaim what it lends.