وما زائدٌ أبداً ناقصٌ

وما زائدٌ أبداً ناقصٌ

فطوراً يقوم وطوراً يميلُ

فطوراً يقوم وطوراً يميلُ

And what increases, yet is forever decreasing?

Never too much nor too little

At times it stands upright, and at times it tilts.

At times upright and at times inclined

إذا ضلَّ فهمُ الدليل الحليم

إذا ضلَّ فهمُ الدليل الحليم

هدَى الناسَ منه دليلٌ جهولُ

هدَى الناسَ منه دليلٌ جهولُ

When the wise guide's understanding goes astray,

When the wise guide goes astray

an ignorant guide from it leads the people.

The ignorant lead people away

متى خفَّ أو طاش أعمدتُه

متى خفَّ أو طاش أعمدتُه

ويُحمدُ وهو رزينٌ ثقيلُ

ويُحمدُ وهو رزينٌ ثقيلُ

Whenever it grows light or wavers, I prop it up;

When its pillars weaken or wander

and it is praised when steady and heavy.

Though slow, it is praiseworthy and sound

له مَرفِقان يقيم الحدودَ

له مَرفِقان يقيم الحدودَ

على صمتِه فيهما ما يقولُ

على صمتِه فيهما ما يقولُ

It has two elbows; it establishes the bounds;

It has two arms that keep limits

despite its silence, what it says lies in those two.

In their silence, it has much to say

فحاضره صحّةٌ أو ضنىً

فحاضره صحّةٌ أو ضنىً

وغائبه سمِجٌ أو جميلُ

وغائبه سمِجٌ أو جميلُ

So its present aspect is health or wasting,

Its present is health or disdain

and its absent aspect is ugly or beautiful.

Its absent is insipid or beautiful