لكل جَنب مضجع

لكل جَنب مضجع

لكل حي مَصرَعُ

لكل حي مَصرَعُ

Every side has a resting place.

For every side there is a resting place

Every living being has a place to die.

For every living thing there is a demise

لِكُل شَيء غايه

لِكُل شَيء غايه

لكل غاز رايه

لكل غاز رايه

Everything has an end.

For everything there is an end

Every raider has a banner.

For every gas there is a flag

لكل حي نار

لكل حي نار

لكل قوم دار

لكل قوم دار

Every clan has a fire.

For every living thing there is fire

Every people has a dwelling.

For every people there is a home

لكل ناس دولة

لكل ناس دولة

لكل غاو صولة

لكل غاو صولة

Every people has its turn in power.

For all people there is a nation

Every wayward man has his surge of might.

For every vain talker there is a howl

لكل شَمس مغرب

لكل شَمس مغرب

لكل قَوم مذهب

لكل قَوم مذهب

Every sun has a place to set.

For every sun there is a sunset

Every people has a path.

For every people there is a doctrine

لكل شَيء سَبب

لكل شَيء سَبب

لكل حي أَرب

لكل حي أَرب

Everything has a cause.

For everything there is a cause

Every living being has a desire.

For every living thing there is sustenance

لكل نَفس شَهوة

لكل نَفس شَهوة

لكل حلم هَفوه

لكل حلم هَفوه

Every soul has an appetite.

For every soul there is a desire

Even forbearance has its lapses.

For every dream there is emptiness

لكل عَيب طالب

لكل عَيب طالب

لكل حسن عائب

لكل حسن عائب

Every fault has its seeker.

For every fault there is a seeker

Every beauty has its critic.

For every beauty there is a critic

لكل أَمر آخر

لكل أَمر آخر

لكل حال ذاكر

لكل حال ذاكر

Every matter has an end.

For every matter there is an end

Every condition has someone who remembers it.

For every state there is a reminder

من آثر الحَق سلم

من آثر الحَق سلم

مَن قَمع النَفس غنم

مَن قَمع النَفس غنم

Whoever prefers the truth is safe.

Whoever prefers the truth is safe

Whoever subdues his soul gains.

Whoever suppresses the ego gains

من تبع الحَق نَجا

من تبع الحَق نَجا

مَن خَف نال ما رجا

مَن خَف نال ما رجا

Whoever follows the truth is saved.

Whoever follows the truth succeeds

Whoever acts swiftly attains what he hopes for.

Whoever fears attains what he hopes for

لكل ستر هاتك

لكل ستر هاتك

لكل عَصر مالك

لكل عَصر مالك

Every veil has someone to tear it.

For every veil there is a remover

Every age has a ruler.

For every era there is an owner

لكل عَبد رَب

لكل عَبد رَب

لكل جسم قَلب

لكل جسم قَلب

Every servant has a master.

For every slave there is a master

Every body has a heart.

For every body there is a heart

لكل ذنب عذر

لكل ذنب عذر

لكل طي نَشر

لكل طي نَشر

Every sin has an excuse.

For every sin there is an excuse

Every folding has an unfolding.

For every folded thing there is an unfurler

لكل رَعي راع

لكل رَعي راع

لكل أَمر داع

لكل أَمر داع

Every grazing flock has a shepherd.

For every flock there is a herder

Every matter has a proponent.

For every matter there is a supplicant

لكل ماء وارد

لكل ماء وارد

لكل عَيش حاسد

لكل عَيش حاسد

Every water source has someone who comes to it.

For every water there is a source

Every livelihood has an envier.

For every livelihood there is an envier

لكل مال وارث

لكل مال وارث

لكل شَر باعث

لكل شَر باعث

Every fortune has an heir.

For every wealth there is an inheritor

Every evil has an instigator.

For every evil there is an initiator

لِكُل شَيء وَقت

لِكُل شَيء وَقت

لكل عَبد بَخت

لكل عَبد بَخت

Everything has its time.

For everything there is a time

Every servant has his fortune.

For every slave there is fortune

لكل جرح آس

لكل جرح آس

لكل كَأس حاس

لكل كَأس حاس

Every wound has a healer.

For every wound there is grief

Every cup has someone to sip it.

For every cup there is perception

لكل شَيء حَد

لكل شَيء حَد

لكل قَوم جَد

لكل قَوم جَد

Everything has a limit.

For everything there is a limit

Every people has its good fortune.

For every people there is seriousness

لكل عظم عارق

لكل عظم عارق

لكل فتق راتق

لكل فتق راتق

Every bone has someone to gnaw it.

For every bone there is a joiner

Every tear has a mender.

For every rupture there is a mender

لكل شُغلٍ صانع

لكل شُغلٍ صانع

لكل خَرق راقع

لكل خَرق راقع

Every task has a craftsman.

For every occupation there is a maker

Every rent has a patcher.

For every hole there is a patcher

لكل عَصر قَوم

لكل عَصر قَوم

لكل قَوم يَوم

لكل قَوم يَوم

Every age has its people.

For every era there is a people

Every people has its day.

For every people there is a day

لكل ذَنب مُنكر

لكل ذَنب مُنكر

لكل وَرد مَصدَر

لكل وَرد مَصدَر

Every sin has someone to condemn it.

For every sin there is a denier

Every approach to water has a departure.

For every rose there is a source

لكل إِنسان عَمَل

لكل إِنسان عَمَل

لكل إِحسان زَلل

لكل إِحسان زَلل

Every person has a deed.

For every human there are deeds

Every good deed has its lapse.

For every benevolence there are slips

لكل حزنٍ سَهل

لكل حزنٍ سَهل

لكل عقد حَل

لكل عقد حَل

For every rugged stretch, there is level ground.

For every sadness there is ease

Every knot has an untying.

For every knot there is a release

لكل دار ساكن

لكل دار ساكن

لكل فَضل دافن

لكل فَضل دافن

Every dwelling has a resident.

For every house there is a dweller

Every merit has someone to bury it.

For every merit there is a burier

لِكُل مَيدان فَرَس

لِكُل مَيدان فَرَس

لكل إِنسان هَوس

لكل إِنسان هَوس

Every arena has a horse.

For every arena there is a horse

Every person has an obsession.

For every human there is a whim

لِكُل ثَغر حارس

لِكُل ثَغر حارس

لكل ثَوب لابس

لكل ثَوب لابس

Every frontier has a guard.

For every mouth there is a guard

Every garment has a wearer.

For every garment there is a wearer

لكل بَرق شائِم

لكل بَرق شائِم

لكل علم عالم

لكل علم عالم

Every lightning flash has a watcher.

For every lightning there is a caster

Every field of knowledge has a scholar.

For every science there is a scholar

لكل داع تابع

لكل داع تابع

لكل قَول سامع

لكل قَول سامع

Every caller has a follower.

For every supplicant there is a follower

Every utterance has a listener.

For every saying there is a hearer

لكل زَرع حاصد

لكل زَرع حاصد

لكل غصن عاضد

لكل غصن عاضد

Every crop has a reaper.

For every planting there is a reaper

Every branch has someone to cut it.

For every branch there is a supporter

لكل قَلب منيه

لكل قَلب منيه

عَن كُل شَيء غنيه

عَن كُل شَيء غنيه

Every heart has a wish.

For every heart there is a deterrent

Anything can be dispensed with.

From everything there is abstinence

لكل نَفس صَبوه

لكل نَفس صَبوه

لكل مهر كَبوه

لكل مهر كَبوه

Every soul has a longing.

For every soul there is a youthful folly

Every colt has its stumble.

For every love there is infatuation

لكل عز ذل

لكل عز ذل

لكل وال عَزل

لكل وال عَزل

Every honor has its humiliation.

For every might there is humiliation

Every governor has his dismissal.

For every authority there is dismissal

نعم الوَزير العَقل

نعم الوَزير العَقل

نعم القَرين الفَضل

نعم القَرين الفَضل

What an excellent minister reason is!

Intellect is the best advisor

What an excellent companion virtue is!

Merit is the best companion

ما المَوت فاعلمه التَلف

ما المَوت فاعلمه التَلف

لكنه سوء الخَلف

لكنه سوء الخَلف

Death—know this—is not destruction;

Know that death is inevitable

Rather, it is the wickedness of one's successors.

Yet a bad successor is miserable

لا تَقنعن بِالعلف

لا تَقنعن بِالعلف

وَكيل سوء وَحَشف

وَكيل سوء وَحَشف

Do not content yourself with fodder,

Do not be content with fodder

And short measure and shriveled dates.

An evil trustee is foolish

العَقل زين وَشَرَف

العَقل زين وَشَرَف

الجَهل شين وَتَلَف

الجَهل شين وَتَلَف

Reason is adornment and honor.

Intellect is honor and nobility

Ignorance is disgrace and ruin.

Ignorance is disgrace and ruin

العلم نور وَهُدى

العلم نور وَهُدى

الجَهل غَي وَردي

الجَهل غَي وَردي

Knowledge is light and guidance.

Knowledge is light and guidance

Ignorance is error and perdition.

Ignorance is misguidance and evil

فَقالَت المُطَوقه

فَقالَت المُطَوقه

وَهيَ لَها مُصَدقه

وَهيَ لَها مُصَدقه

Then the Ringdove said,

So said the wise one

While she gave her credence:

And she is truthful

نعم المَقال قُلت

نعم المَقال قُلت

عَلى الهُدى مازلت

عَلى الهُدى مازلت

What excellent words you have spoken!

Excellent is what you have said

You have remained on the right path.

You have remained on guidance