إِذاif المَرءُa man لَمdoes not يَرضَaccept ماwhat أَمكَنَهis possible for him
إِذا المَرءُ لَم يَرضَ ما أَمكَنَه
وَلَمand does not يَأتِundertake مِنof أَمرِهِhis affairs أَحسَنهthe best of them
وَلَم يَأتِ مِن أَمرِهِ أَحسَنه
If a man is not content with what is within his reach,
When one is not content with what is possible
and does not take the best course in his affairs,
And does not do his best in his affairs
فَدَعهُthen leave him فَقَدfor indeed ساءَis poor تَديرُهُhis management (apparently intended: تدبيره)
فَدَعهُ فَقَد ساءَ تَديرُهُ
سَيَضحَكُhe will laugh يَوماًfor a day وَيَبكِيand weep سَنَهfor a year
سَيَضحَكُ يَوماً وَيَبكِي سَنَه
then leave him be, for his management is poor:
Leave him be, his management is poor
he will laugh for a day and weep for a year.
One day he will laugh, another he will cry his years away
Sol 6.1