إِذا المَرءُ لَم يَرضَ ما أَمكَنَهُ

إِذا المَرءُ لَم يَرضَ ما أَمكَنَهُ

وَلَم يَأتِ مِن أَمرِهِ أَزيَنَه

وَلَم يَأتِ مِن أَمرِهِ أَزيَنَه

If a man is not content with what is possible for him,

When a man is not pleased with what he is able,

If a man is not content with what is within his grasp,

and does not do what is most fitting in his affairs,

And does not do what most becomes him,

And does not pursue the most virtuous course in his affairs,

وَأَعجَبُ بِالعُجبِ فَاِقتادَهُ

وَأَعجَبُ بِالعُجبِ فَاِقتادَهُ

وَتاهَ بِهِ التِّيهِ فَاِستَحسَنَهُ

وَتاهَ بِهِ التِّيهِ فَاِستَحسَنَهُ

and is taken with conceit, so it leads him,

And is full of self-admiration, which leads him astray,

But is seduced by vanity, allowing it to lead him,

and pride leads him astray, so he approves of it,

And wanders lost in confusion he thinks is right,

And wanders in arrogance, yet deems it pleasing,

فَدَعهُ فَقَد ساءَ تَدبيرُهُ

فَدَعهُ فَقَد ساءَ تَدبيرُهُ

سَيَضحَكُ يَوماً وَيَبكي سَنَه

سَيَضحَكُ يَوماً وَيَبكي سَنَه

then leave him, for his judgment is poor.

Leave him alone - his planning is his own ruin.

Then leave him be, for his judgment is surely wretched;

He will laugh for a day and weep for a year.

One day he will laugh, another he will weep out his years.

He will laugh for a day, and weep for a year.