وكمْ يتَمنى المَرْءُ تخليصَ نَفِْسهِ

وكمْ يتَمنى المَرْءُ تخليصَ نَفِْسهِ

وما لامْرِئ منْ دَهْرِه ما تَمناهُ

وما لامْرِئ منْ دَهْرِه ما تَمناهُ

How often a man wishes to free himself,

How much one wishes to free himself,

Yet no man obtains from life what he has wished for.

Yet no man gets from fate what he desires.

إذا أنْتَ جِئْتَ العقلَ في كل مُشْكِلٍ

إذا أنْتَ جِئْتَ العقلَ في كل مُشْكِلٍ

تَبينْتَ في مِرْآةِ عَقْلِكَ مَرْآهُ

تَبينْتَ في مِرْآةِ عَقْلِكَ مَرْآهُ

If you turn to reason in every perplexing matter,

When you approach reason in every puzzle,

You will discern its image in the mirror of your mind.

You see its image in the mirror of your mind.