1. الأَمرُ أَيسَرُ مِمّا أَنتَ مُضمِرُهُ

    فَاِطرَح أَذاكَ وَيَسِّر كُلَّ ما صَعُبا

    The matter is easier than you imagine it to be.

    So cast aside your distress, and make easy whatever is hard.

  2. وَلا يَسُرُّكَ إِن بُلِّغتَهُ أَمَلٌ

    وَلا يَهُمُّكَ غِربيبٌ إِذا نَعبا

    Let no wish delight you, even if you are granted it,

    And let no jet-black raven trouble you when it caws.

  3. إِن جَدَّ عالَمُكَ الأَرضِيُّ في نَبَإٍ

    يَغشاهُمُ فَتَصَوَّر جِدَّهُم لَعِبا

    If your earthly world grows earnest over some news

    That overtakes them, then regard their earnestness as play.

  4. ما الرَأيُ عِندَكَ في مَلكٍ تَدينُ لَهُ

    مِصرٌ أَيَختارُ دونَ الراحَةِ التَعَبا

    What do you think of a king to whom

    Egypt owes allegiance—would he choose toil over ease?

  5. لَن تَستَقيمَ أُمورُ الناسِ في عُصُرٍ

    وَلا اِستَقامَت فَذا أَمناً وَذا رَعِبا

    People's affairs will never be set right in any age,

    Nor have they ever been; thus one is safe, another afraid.

  6. وَلا يَقومُ عَلى حَقٍّ بَنو زَمَنٍ

    مِن عَهدِ آدَمَ كانوا في الهَوى شُعَبا

    Nor do the sons of any age uphold the truth;

    Since Adam's time, they have been divided in their desires.