إِيّاكَ وَالمَطلَ أَن تُقارِفَهُ

إِيّاكَ وَالمَطلَ أَن تُقارِفَهُ

فَإِنَّهُ آفَةٌ لِكُلِّ يَدِ

فَإِنَّهُ آفَةٌ لِكُلِّ يَدِ

Beware of delay—of engaging in it,

Beware of procrastination, do not fall into it

For it is a blight upon every helping hand.

For it is ruinous to every endeavor

إِذا مَطَلتَ اِمرَأً بِحاجَتِهِ

إِذا مَطَلتَ اِمرَأً بِحاجَتِهِ

فَاِمضِ عَلى مَطلِهِ وَلا تَحِدِ

فَاِمضِ عَلى مَطلِهِ وَلا تَحِدِ

If you put a man off in his need,

If you delay fulfilling someone's need

Then persist in putting him off, and do not turn aside;

Go ahead despite the delay, do not chide

فَلَستَ تَلقاهُ شاكِراً لِيَدٍ

فَلَستَ تَلقاهُ شاكِراً لِيَدٍ

قَد كَدَّها المَطلُ آخرَ الأَبَدِ

قَد كَدَّها المَطلُ آخرَ الأَبَدِ

For you will not find him grateful for a helping hand

You will not find him thankful, for your hand

That delay has worn down—even at the end of time.

Has been wearied by delay till the end of time