تَرَدَّ رِداءَ الصَبرِ عِندَ النَوائِبِ

تَرَدَّ رِداءَ الصَبرِ عِندَ النَوائِبِ

تَنَل مِن جَميلِ الصَبرِ حُسنَ العَواقِبِ

تَنَل مِن جَميلِ الصَبرِ حُسنَ العَواقِبِ

Put on the cloak of patience when calamities strike;

Don the cloak of patience when calamities strike,

Through beautiful patience, you will attain good outcomes.

And through beautiful patience, you shall attain the finest outcomes.

وَكُن صاحِباً لِلحِلمِ في كُلِّ مَشهَدٍ

وَكُن صاحِباً لِلحِلمِ في كُلِّ مَشهَدٍ

فَما الحِلمُ إِلّا خَيرُ خِدنٍ وَصاحِبِ

فَما الحِلمُ إِلّا خَيرُ خِدنٍ وَصاحِبِ

And be a companion to forbearance in every setting;

Be a companion to forbearance in every situation,

For forbearance is the finest close friend and companion.

For forbearance is truly the best of friends and comrades.

وَكُن حافِظاً عَهدَ الصَديقِ وَراعِياً

وَكُن حافِظاً عَهدَ الصَديقِ وَراعِياً

تَذُق مِن كَمالِ الحِفظِ صَفوَ المَشارِبِ

تَذُق مِن كَمالِ الحِفظِ صَفوَ المَشارِبِ

And keep a friend's covenant and safeguard it;

Guard the covenant of friendship and tend to it with care,

Through perfect fidelity, you will taste the purest draughts.

That from the perfection of loyalty, you may taste the purest draughts.

وَكُن شاكِراً لِلّهِ في كُلِّ نِعمَةٍ

وَكُن شاكِراً لِلّهِ في كُلِّ نِعمَةٍ

يَثِبكَ عَلى النُعمى جَزيلَ المَواهِبِ

يَثِبكَ عَلى النُعمى جَزيلَ المَواهِبِ

And be grateful to God for every blessing;

Be thankful to God for every blessing bestowed,

He will reward your thanks for His bounty with abundant gifts.

And He shall reward your gratitude with abundant gifts.

وَما المَرءُ إِلّا حَيثُ يَجعَلُ نَفسَهُ

وَما المَرءُ إِلّا حَيثُ يَجعَلُ نَفسَهُ

فَكُن طالِباً في الناسِ أَعلى المَراتِبِ

فَكُن طالِباً في الناسِ أَعلى المَراتِبِ

And a person is only where he places himself;

For a man is defined only by the station in which he places himself,

So seek the highest ranks among people.

So seek, among all people, the highest of ranks.

وَكُن طالِباً لِلرِزقِ مِن بابِ حِلَّةٍ

وَكُن طالِباً لِلرِزقِ مِن بابِ حِلَّةٍ

يُضاعَف عَلَيكَ الرِزقُ مِن كُلِّ جانِبِ

يُضاعَف عَلَيكَ الرِزقُ مِن كُلِّ جانِبِ

And seek livelihood through the door of lawfulness;

Seek your livelihood only through lawful gates,

Livelihood will be multiplied for you from every side.

And your provision shall be multiplied from every side.

وَصُن مِنكَ ماءَ الوَجهِ لا تَبذُلَنَّهُ

وَصُن مِنكَ ماءَ الوَجهِ لا تَبذُلَنَّهُ

وَلا تَسألِ الأَرذالَ فَضلَ الرَغائِبِ

وَلا تَسألِ الأَرذالَ فَضلَ الرَغائِبِ

And guard the water of your face—your dignity; never give it away.

Preserve your dignity—spill not the water of your face—

And do not ask the ignoble for the favors you desire.

And never ask the vile for favors or desires.

وَكُن مُوجِباً حَقَّ الصَديقِ إِذا أَتى

وَكُن مُوجِباً حَقَّ الصَديقِ إِذا أَتى

إِلَيكَ بِبرٍ صادِقٍ مِنكَ واجِبِ

إِلَيكَ بِبرٍ صادِقٍ مِنكَ واجِبِ

And honor a friend's due when he comes

Be dutiful in fulfilling the rights of a friend when he comes,

To you, by offering sincere kindness that is your duty.

Seeking sincere kindness, which you are bound to provide.

وُكُن حافِظاً لِلوالِدَينِ وَناصِراً

وُكُن حافِظاً لِلوالِدَينِ وَناصِراً

لِجارِكَ ذي التَقوى وَأَهلِ التَقارُبِ

لِجارِكَ ذي التَقوى وَأَهلِ التَقارُبِ

And be a guardian to your parents, and a helper

Be a guardian to your parents and a defender,

To your pious neighbor and those bound to you by close ties.

To your pious neighbor and your closest kin.