النَفسُ تَجزَع أَن تَكونَ فَقيرَةً

النَفسُ تَجزَع أَن تَكونَ فَقيرَةً

وَالفَقرُ خَيرٌ مِن غِنىً يُطغيها

وَالفَقرُ خَيرٌ مِن غِنىً يُطغيها

The soul dreads being poor.

The soul is averse to being poor,

The soul frets in fear at the thought of being poor,

And poverty is better than wealth that makes it transgress.

Yet poverty is better than wealth that leads it astray.

Yet poverty is better than wealth that makes it arrogant.

وَغِنى النَفوسِ هُوَ الكَفافُ وَإِن أَبَت

وَغِنى النَفوسِ هُوَ الكَفافُ وَإِن أَبَت

فَجَميعُ ما في الأَرضِ لا يَكفيها

فَجَميعُ ما في الأَرضِ لا يَكفيها

And the wealth of souls is having enough; and if the soul refuses,

The wealth of souls is but contentment, though it refuse,

The wealth of the self is sufficiency, even if it resists,

then all that is on earth will not suffice it.

For all that is on earth cannot satisfy it.

For all that the earth contains would not suffice it.