تَوَخَّي جَميلاً وَاِفعَليهِ لِحُسنِهِ

تَوَخَّي جَميلاً وَاِفعَليهِ لِحُسنِهِ

وَلا تَحكُمي أَنَّ المَليكَ بِهِ يُجزي

وَلا تَحكُمي أَنَّ المَليكَ بِهِ يُجزي

Seek a good deed, and do it for its own goodness.

Seek the beautiful and act for its goodness,

And do not presume that the King will reward you for it.

And do not presume the king will reward it.

فَذاكَ إِلَيهِ إِن أَرادَ فَمُلكُهُ

فَذاكَ إِلَيهِ إِن أَرادَ فَمُلكُهُ

عَظيمٌ وَإِلّا فَالحِمامُ لَنا مُجزِ

عَظيمٌ وَإِلّا فَالحِمامُ لَنا مُجزِ

For that is up to Him, if He wishes; for His dominion

For that is up to him - if he wills, his kingdom

is great; otherwise, death suffices us.

Is great, otherwise, the pigeons are our prize.

وَكُنتِ كَنارٍ في الشَبابِ شَبيبَةٍ

وَكُنتِ كَنارٍ في الشَبابِ شَبيبَةٍ

فَصِرتِ عَجوزاً تُنسَبينَ إِلى العَجزِ

فَصِرتِ عَجوزاً تُنسَبينَ إِلى العَجزِ

And in youth you were like a blazing fire.

You were a fiery youth in your prime,

Then you became an old woman, associated with infirmity.

Now turned into an old woman blamed for frailty.

فَإِنَّ الَّذي تَهوَينَ مِن رُتبَةِ الرِضا

فَإِنَّ الَّذي تَهوَينَ مِن رُتبَةِ الرِضا

يَسيرٌ لَدى ما تَتَّقينَ مِنَ الرُجزِ

يَسيرٌ لَدى ما تَتَّقينَ مِنَ الرُجزِ

For the degree of contentment you desire

For what you desire of the station of approval

is slight beside the torment you dread.

Is easy compared to what you fear of vileness.