إِصبِر عَلى مَضَضِ الإِدلاجِ في السَحَرِ

إِصبِر عَلى مَضَضِ الإِدلاجِ في السَحَرِ

وَفي الرَواحِ إِلى الحاجاتِ وَالبُكرِ

وَفي الرَواحِ إِلى الحاجاتِ وَالبُكرِ

Bear patiently the hardship of night travel before dawn,

Endure the bitterness of nightly exertions at dawn

Endure the bitterness of journeying through the dark of dawn, and seeking your needs in the evening and the early morn.

and of setting out to meet needs in the evening and early morning.

And in journeys for needs and early departures

Do not grow weary, nor let the pursuit aggrieve you, for success is ruined between helplessness and discontent.

لا تَضجَرَنَّ وَلا يَحزُنكَ مَطلَبُها

لا تَضجَرَنَّ وَلا يَحزُنكَ مَطلَبُها

فَالنَجحُ يَتلَفُ بَينَ العَجزِ والضَجَرِ

فَالنَجحُ يَتلَفُ بَينَ العَجزِ والضَجَرِ

Do not grow impatient, nor let pursuing them grieve you,

Do not be wearied or saddened by its demands

I have observed—and in the passing days lies experience—that the consequence of patience leaves a praiseworthy trace.

for success is lost between helplessness and impatience.

For success is lost between incapacity and weariness

And rarely does one strive earnestly for a goal, accompanied by patience, without securing the victory.

إِنّي رَأَيتُ وَفي الأَيّامِ تَجرِبَةٌ

إِنّي رَأَيتُ وَفي الأَيّامِ تَجرِبَةٌ

لِلصَبرِ عاقِبَةٌ مَحمودَةُ الأَثَرِ

لِلصَبرِ عاقِبَةٌ مَحمودَةُ الأَثَرِ

Indeed, I have seen—and in the days lies experience—

Truly, I have seen through experience over days

that patience has an outcome whose effect is praiseworthy.

That patience has goodly consequences

وَقَلَّ مَن جَدَّ في أَمرٍ يُطالِبُهُ

وَقَلَّ مَن جَدَّ في أَمرٍ يُطالِبُهُ

وَاِستَصحَبَ الصَبرَ إِلّا فازَ بِالظَفَرِ

وَاِستَصحَبَ الصَبرَ إِلّا فازَ بِالظَفَرِ

And rarely has anyone striven earnestly for a matter he seeks

And few who strive for a sought matter

and taken patience as his companion without attaining victory.

And summon patience fail to win victory