1. أُقعُد فَما نَفَعَ القِيا

    مُ وَلا ثَنى خَيراً قُعودُ

    Sit down: standing has done no good,

    nor has sitting turned any good away.

  2. غَنَّتكَ دُنياكَ الخلو

    بُ وَحُبُّها في الكَفِّ عودُ

    Your beguiling world has sung to you,

    and love for it is a lute in the hand.

  3. أَمّا إِساءَتُها فَقَد

    كانَت وَحُسناها رُعودُ

    As for its harm, it has indeed

    come to pass; its kindness is thunder.

  4. وَالمَرءُ يَهبِطُ هاوِياً

    وَالعَيشُ مِن كَلَفٍ صَعودُ

    And man descends, falling headlong,

    while life is a steep climb through hardship.

  5. وَالشَخصُ مِثلُ اليَومِ يَم

    ضي في الزَمانِ فَلا يَعودُ

    And a person, like the day, passes

    through time, never to return.

  6. أَسعِد بِلا مِنٍّ فَإِنَّ

    الجَودَ بِالنُعمى سُعودُ

    Help without reminding others of your favors, for

    generosity in granting favors is good fortune.

  7. وَالغَيثُ أَهنَوءُهُ الَّذي

    يَهمي وَلَيسَ لَهُ رُعودُ

    And the most welcome rain is that which

    pours down and has no thunder.