مَنْ طَلَبَ الْعِزَّ بِلا آلَةٍ

مَنْ طَلَبَ الْعِزَّ بِلا آلَةٍ

أَدْرَكَهُ الذُّلُّ مَكانَ الظَّفَرْ

أَدْرَكَهُ الذُّلُّ مَكانَ الظَّفَرْ

Whoever seeks honor without the means,

Whoever seeks might without means

Humiliation overtakes him in place of victory.

Attains humiliation in place of victory

فَاصْبِرْ عَلَى الْمَكْرُوهِ تَظْفَرْ بِمَا

فَاصْبِرْ عَلَى الْمَكْرُوهِ تَظْفَرْ بِمَا

شِئْتَ فَقَدْ حَازَ الْمُنَى مَنْ صَبَرْ

شِئْتَ فَقَدْ حَازَ الْمُنَى مَنْ صَبَرْ

So endure what is unwelcome, and you will attain what

So be patient with adversity and you will attain

You wish; for whoever endures has attained his desires.

What you desire, for he who is patient attains his goal

وَقِفْ إِذَا مَا عَرَضَتْ شُبْهَةٌ

وَقِفْ إِذَا مَا عَرَضَتْ شُبْهَةٌ

فَاللُّبْثُ خَيْرٌ مِنْ رُكُوبِ الْغرَرْ

فَاللُّبْثُ خَيْرٌ مِنْ رُكُوبِ الْغرَرْ

And pause whenever a doubt arises,

Stop if ever a doubt should arise

For waiting is better than venturing into peril.

For patience is better than embarking on danger

وَلا تَقُولَنَّ لِشَيءٍ مَضَى

وَلا تَقُولَنَّ لِشَيءٍ مَضَى

يَا لَيْتَهُ دَامَ وَخُذْ مَا حَضَرْ

يَا لَيْتَهُ دَامَ وَخُذْ مَا حَضَرْ

And never say of something that has passed,

And never say of a thing once past

"Oh, if only it had lasted!"—and take what is here.

Would that it had lasted, but take what presents itself

وَلا تُعَامِلْ صَاحِبَاً بِالَّتِي

وَلا تُعَامِلْ صَاحِبَاً بِالَّتِي

تَرْجِعُ عَنْهَا تَائِبَاً تَعْتَذِرْ

تَرْجِعُ عَنْهَا تَائِبَاً تَعْتَذِرْ

And do not treat a companion in a manner

And do not deal with a companion in a way

That you then renounce, repentant and apologizing.

From which you will turn back repentant, apologizing

وَغُضَّ مِنْ طَرْفِكَ إِنْ خِفْتَهُ

وَغُضَّ مِنْ طَرْفِكَ إِنْ خِفْتَهُ

فَحَاجِبُ الشَّهْوَةِ غَضُّ الْبَصَرْ

فَحَاجِبُ الشَّهْوَةِ غَضُّ الْبَصَرْ

And lower your gaze if you fear it,

And lower your gaze if you fear it

For lowering the gaze is a barrier to desire.

For lowering the gaze quells desire