يقولون أَبْقِ المالَ واجمعْه مُمْسِكاً

يقولون أَبْقِ المالَ واجمعْه مُمْسِكاً

فعِزُّ الفَتى في أن يَجُمَّ ثراؤُهُ

فعِزُّ الفَتى في أن يَجُمَّ ثراؤُهُ

They say, 'Preserve your wealth and amass it, withholding it;

They say, "Keep your money, hoard it closely held"

for a young man's honor lies in his wealth growing abundant.'

For the pride of a man is in his wealth amassed

فقلت كلانا لا محالةَ هالكٌ

فقلت كلانا لا محالةَ هالكٌ

فأهوَنُ عندي من فنائِي فناؤهُ

فأهوَنُ عندي من فنائِي فناؤهُ

So I said, 'Both of us will inevitably perish;

I said, "We both shall die, that cannot be repelled"

so its perishing is easier for me to bear than my own.

So to me, its loss seems lighter than my death forecast

وإِنَّ بقاءَ المالِ بعديَ نافعٌ

وإِنَّ بقاءَ المالِ بعديَ نافعٌ

لمن كان بعدي في الزمان بقاؤهُ

لمن كان بعدي في الزمان بقاؤهُ

And wealth remaining after me is indeed useful

And money kept after me will benefit

to whoever lives on after me as time passes.

Who comes later in time, if it stays unsurpassed

ثراءُ الفتى من دون إِنفاقِه له

ثراءُ الفتى من دون إِنفاقِه له

فسادٌ وإِنفاقُ الثَّراء نَماؤهُ

فسادٌ وإِنفاقُ الثَّراء نَماؤهُ

A young man's wealth, without his spending it, is for him

A man's riches without spending are decay

ruin; and spending wealth makes it grow.

While spending riches makes them grow robust and vast

فأَنفِقْ فإِن العينَ يركُدُ ماؤُها

فأَنفِقْ فإِن العينَ يركُدُ ماؤُها

فيأسَنُ والمنزوحُ يعذُبُ ماؤهُ

فيأسَنُ والمنزوحُ يعذُبُ ماؤهُ

So spend, for a spring's water stagnates

So spend, for still water stales, becomes distastefully stale

and turns foul, while the water of a spring drawn from grows sweet.'

While flowing water stays fresh, tastes sweet, and will not go to waste