يا صاعِ لَستُ أُريدُ صاعَ مَكيلَةٍ

يا صاعِ لَستُ أُريدُ صاعَ مَكيلَةٍ

فَأَضيفَهُ لَكِن أَرَخَّمُ صاعِدا

فَأَضيفَهُ لَكِن أَرَخَّمُ صاعِدا

O Ṣāʿ, I do not mean a ṣāʿ of measured produce,

O bucket I do not want a bucketful

so as to use it possessively; rather, I shorten Ṣāʿid.

Yet I let down a bucket ascending

لا تَدنُوَنَّ مِنَ الشُرورِ وَأَهلِها

لا تَدنُوَنَّ مِنَ الشُرورِ وَأَهلِها

فَتَكونَ مِن أَهلِ العُلى مُتَباعِدا

فَتَكونَ مِن أَهلِ العُلى مُتَباعِدا

Never draw near to evils and their people,

Do not approach evil and its people

lest you become far removed from those of high standing.

So you will be far from the people of the heights

فَالمَرءُ يَقعُدُ بِالمَكارِمِ قائِماً

فَالمَرءُ يَقعُدُ بِالمَكارِمِ قائِماً

وَيَقومُ في طَلَبِ المَعالي قاعِدا

وَيَقومُ في طَلَبِ المَعالي قاعِدا

For a man may sit back from noble deeds while standing,

For man sits upright with virtues

and rise in pursuit of lofty aims while seated.

And stands seeking the highest goals while sitting

خَيرُ المَواهِبِ ما أَتاكَ مُيَسَّراً

خَيرُ المَواهِبِ ما أَتاكَ مُيَسَّراً

غَيرَ المُرازِحِ بِالمِطالِ مَواعِدا

غَيرَ المُرازِحِ بِالمِطالِ مَواعِدا

The best of gifts is what comes to you with ease,

The best of gifts is what comes to you easily

not one that burdens its promises with delay.

Not striving with burdens waiting

وَالغَيثُ أَهنَأُ ما تَراهُ عَطيَّةً

وَالغَيثُ أَهنَأُ ما تَراهُ عَطيَّةً

ما لَم يَحُثُّ بَوارِقاً وَرَواعِدا

ما لَم يَحُثُّ بَوارِقاً وَرَواعِدا

And rain is the most welcome gift you behold,

And rain is most delightful when you see it as a gift

so long as it does not drive on lightning flashes and thunderclouds.

As long as it does not stir up lightning and thunder

خَمسٌ بِراحَتِها تُعانُ وَراحَةٌ

خَمسٌ بِراحَتِها تُعانُ وَراحَةٌ

بِأَشاجِعٍ تَدعو لِأَيدٍ ساعِدا

بِأَشاجِعٍ تَدعو لِأَيدٍ ساعِدا

Five fingers are helped by their palm, and a palm

Five things bring relief and a relief

with finger-joints calls on a forearm for strength.

With arms that call for helping hands

عَونٌ لَهُ عَونٌ إِلى أَن يَبلُغَ الخَ

عَونٌ لَهُ عَونٌ إِلى أَن يَبلُغَ الخَ

لّاقَ جَلَّ مُظاهِراً وَمُساعِدا

لّاقَ جَلَّ مُظاهِراً وَمُساعِدا

Each helper has a helper, until one reaches the

Help for it, help until it reaches the Sublime

Creator—exalted as a supporter and helper.

Majestic in His manifestations and His aid