طَليقُ دَموعٍ لا يَفَكُّ لَهُ أَسرُ

طَليقُ دَموعٍ لا يَفَكُّ لَهُ أَسرُ

فَلي عَنهُ مِن كُرهٍ في الوَغى الفَرُّ

فَلي عَنهُ مِن كُرهٍ في الوَغى الفَرُّ

One freed by tears, whose bondage is never undone—

Tears flow freely, for his shackles grant no respite,

from him I flee in battle, out of aversion.

So I flee the hated tumult and take flight.

وَكالمَيتِ حَيٌّ دامَ في الذُلِّ راغِباً

وَكالمَيتِ حَيٌّ دامَ في الذُلِّ راغِباً

عَنِ العِزِّ بِالعَيشِ الَّذي حُلوُهُ مُرُّ

عَنِ العِزِّ بِالعَيشِ الَّذي حُلوُهُ مُرُّ

And like the dead is a living man who remains in humiliation, turning

Yet though alive, like a corpse he remains enslaved,

away from honor for a life whose sweetness is bitter.

Preferring life in humiliation, however bitter and trite.

وَأَيُّ حَياةٍ يُنعِمُ البالُ طولُها

وَأَيُّ حَياةٍ يُنعِمُ البالُ طولُها

وَدونَ المِنى لِلمَرءِ الَّذي مَدَّها قَصرُ

وَدونَ المِنى لِلمَرءِ الَّذي مَدَّها قَصرُ

And what life's length can bring peace of mind,

What life whose length the mind finds sweet,

when, short of his hopes, it is brief to the man who prolonged it?

If, for the man who lives it, it holds no worthy height?

وَشَيبُ الفَتى فيهِ اِنتِهاءَ شِبابِهِ

وَشَيبُ الفَتى فيهِ اِنتِهاءَ شِبابِهِ

وَسَترُ عُوارُ الشائِبِ الهَرِمِ القَبرُ

وَسَترُ عُوارُ الشائِبِ الهَرِمِ القَبرُ

And in a young man's graying lies the end of his youth;

A youth’s greying locks mean his prime has passed;

the grave veils the flaws of the decrepit, gray-haired man.

A shroud conceals the shame of an aged wight.

فَرُح مُنفِقاً عَصرَ الشَبيبَةِ في العُلا

فَرُح مُنفِقاً عَصرَ الشَبيبَةِ في العُلا

وَقُل لِكَبيرِ المَجدِ عُمرُ الفَتى مَهرُ

وَقُل لِكَبيرِ المَجدِ عُمرُ الفَتى مَهرُ

So go forth, spending the season of youth on high achievement;

So spend your youth pursuing lofty goals,

and say: a young man's life is the bride-price of great glory.

And say to the greatly lauded: the lad’s life is but a short night.

فَأَوَّلُ عُمرِ المَرءِ مِضمارُ سَبقِهِ

فَأَوَّلُ عُمرِ المَرءِ مِضمارُ سَبقِهِ

وَما فيهِ لِلواني ظَهيرٌ وَلا ظَهرُ

وَما فيهِ لِلواني ظَهيرٌ وَلا ظَهرُ

For the beginning of a man's life is the racecourse for his taking the lead;

The first of a man’s life is a racecourse for his steeds;

there the laggard has neither a supporter nor backing.

In it, failure has no ally or assistant in sight.

فَجُدَّ فَما في الجَدِّ لِلمَجدِ يافِعٌ

فَجُدَّ فَما في الجَدِّ لِلمَجدِ يافِعٌ

وَعَن قَصدِ بَيضِ المَجدِ لا تَثنِكَ السُمرُ

وَعَن قَصدِ بَيضِ المَجدِ لا تَثنِكَ السُمرُ

So strive; in striving for glory, none is merely a youth.

So strive, for through striving comes glory, O youth!

And let not brown spears turn you from seeking glory's fair maidens.

And do not let the summits of glory discourage your flight.

لا تَحذَرِ الأَمرَ الَّذي هُوَ صائِرٌ

لا تَحذَرِ الأَمرَ الَّذي هُوَ صائِرٌ

إِلَيكَ فَمِنهُ عَنكَ لَن يُغنِيَ الحَذرُ

إِلَيكَ فَمِنهُ عَنكَ لَن يُغنِيَ الحَذرُ

Do not fear the event that is coming

Fear not what will inevitably come to you,

to you; caution will not protect you from it.

For caution will not save you from that plight.

وَمَن في اِبتِداءِ العُمرِ لَم يَغدُ فاتِحاً

وَمَن في اِبتِداءِ العُمرِ لَم يَغدُ فاتِحاً

ثُغورَ المَعالي لا يُرامُ لَهُ نَصرُ

ثُغورَ المَعالي لا يُرامُ لَهُ نَصرُ

And whoever, at life's beginning, does not go forth conquering

He who does not boldly storm the heights of glory

the frontier strongholds of greatness can hope for no victory.

In his youth will never find triumph or might.

فَإِن هِبتَ أَمراً لا غِناً عَن لِقائِهِ

فَإِن هِبتَ أَمراً لا غِناً عَن لِقائِهِ

فَلَجَهُ بِقَلبٍ دونَهُ يُصدَعُ الصَخرُ

فَلَجَهُ بِقَلبٍ دونَهُ يُصدَعُ الصَخرُ

So if you dread a matter whose encounter cannot be avoided,

If faced with a matter from which you cannot flee,

then enter it with a heart before which rock is split.

Meet it with a heart that will shatter the rock of granite tight.

وَخُض غَمَراتِ المَوتِ لا باخِلاً بِما

وَخُض غَمَراتِ المَوتِ لا باخِلاً بِما

عَلَيكَ بِنَزرٍ مِنهُ قَد أَنعَمَ الدَهرُ

عَلَيكَ بِنَزرٍ مِنهُ قَد أَنعَمَ الدَهرُ

And plunge into death's depths, not being miserly with what

Plunge into the floodwaters of death, begrudging not

Time has bestowed on you in scant measure.

The least that Fate has granted of your numbered days and nights.

فَلا خَيرَ في عِزٍّ إِذا كانَ مُختَبىً

فَلا خَيرَ في عِزٍّ إِذا كانَ مُختَبىً

بِذُلٍّ وَأَيُّ العِزِّ يَجلِبُهُ السِرُّ

بِذُلٍّ وَأَيُّ العِزِّ يَجلِبُهُ السِرُّ

So no good lies in honor if it is hidden

No good is a glory hidden in disgrace;

in humiliation; and what honor can secrecy bring?

What glory comes from secrecy? Lay bare your light!

وَكُن عالَماً أَن لا فِرارَ مِنَ القَضا

وَكُن عالَماً أَن لا فِرارَ مِنَ القَضا

وَأَينَ يَفِرُّ المَرءُ مِمَّن لَهُ الأَمرُ

وَأَينَ يَفِرُّ المَرءُ مِمَّن لَهُ الأَمرُ

And know that there is no escape from destiny;

Know that none can evade his fate;

and where can a man flee from Him to whom command belongs?

To whom does command belong, if not to the Divine Might?

وَلا بُدَّ مِن وَردِ الرَدى فَاِغدُ سامِياً

وَلا بُدَّ مِن وَردِ الرَدى فَاِغدُ سامِياً

بِعَزمِكَ نَحوَ المَوتِ يَسمُ لَكَ الذِكرُ

بِعَزمِكَ نَحوَ المَوتِ يَسمُ لَكَ الذِكرُ

And you must drink at death's waters; so go forth, rising

You must come to doom, so march to it with head held high;

with your resolve toward death, and your renown will rise.

Thus for you will memory's scribe recite words shining bright.

فَكَم مِن فَتىً صادَ الكُهولَ بِجِدِّهِ

فَكَم مِن فَتىً صادَ الكُهولَ بِجِدِّهِ

وَما الصَدرُ إِلّا مَن لَهُ اِتِّسَعَ الصَدرُ

وَما الصَدرُ إِلّا مَن لَهُ اِتِّسَعَ الصَدرُ

For many a youth has made prey of mature men through his diligence;

How many a lad has surpassed the elders through effort!

and a leader is only one whose breast is broad.

The breast can expand only for one with ample chest in sight.

وَأَولى الوَرى بِالمَدحِ مَن عَمَّ فَضلُهُ ال

وَأَولى الوَرى بِالمَدحِ مَن عَمَّ فَضلُهُ ال

أَنامَ وَمِنهُم عَمَّ إِنعامَهُ الشُكرُ

أَنامَ وَمِنهُم عَمَّ إِنعامَهُ الشُكرُ

And worthiest of praise among mankind is he whose bounty embraces the

Most deserving of praise are those whose bounty spreads

people, and whose beneficence is encompassed by their gratitude.

Among people, and spreading bounty multiplies gratitude right.

وَإِنَّ أَشَرَّ الناسِ ذَمّاً لِنَفسِهِ

وَإِنَّ أَشَرَّ الناسِ ذَمّاً لِنَفسِهِ

إِذا اِفتَخَروا مَن بِالرُفاةِ لَهُ الفَخرُ

إِذا اِفتَخَروا مَن بِالرُفاةِ لَهُ الفَخرُ

And indeed the worst of men in bringing reproach upon himself,

Most contemptible, when boasting, are those

when they boast, is he whose pride rests on dead remains.

Who pride themselves on riches they hold through happenstance and sleight.

وَكُلُّ غَنِيٍّ بِالكُنوزِ فَظاهِرٌ

وَكُلُّ غَنِيٍّ بِالكُنوزِ فَظاهِرٌ

إِلى ما بِهِ اِستَغنى عَلَيهِ بَدا الفَقرُ

إِلى ما بِهِ اِستَغنى عَلَيهِ بَدا الفَقرُ

And every man made rich by treasures plainly

The wise man strives for nothing in this life

shows his poverty in his need for what enriched him.

But what Allah rewards in the next with ample recompense and delight.

وَلَم يَسعَ في الدُنيا لَبيبٌ لِغَيرِ ما

وَلَم يَسعَ في الدُنيا لَبيبٌ لِغَيرِ ما

مَنَّ اللَهُ في الأُخرى يُجازى لَهُ الأَجرُ

مَنَّ اللَهُ في الأُخرى يُجازى لَهُ الأَجرُ

And no wise man strives in this world for anything but what

Most foolish are those who burden the future

God has bestowed, for which he receives reward in the Hereafter.

With that which they thoughtlessly bequeath, accrued through sin and blight.

وَأَغبى الوَرى مَن آزَرَ الخَلفَ بِالَّذي

وَأَغبى الوَرى مَن آزَرَ الخَلفَ بِالَّذي

يُخَلِّفُهُ عَفواً وَيَصحُبُهُ الوِزرُ

يُخَلِّفُهُ عَفواً وَيَصحُبُهُ الوِزرُ

And the most foolish of mankind is he who supports posterity with what

All who boast of wealth betray their poverty

he leaves behind freely, while the burden of sin accompanies him.

To what makes them wealthy - on them distress stands plain in sight.