كَم المَقامُ وَكَم تَعتافُكَ العِلَلُ

كَم المَقامُ وَكَم تَعتافُكَ العِلَلُ

ماضاقَتِ الأَرضُ بِالفِتيانِ وَالسُبُلُ

ماضاقَتِ الأَرضُ بِالفِتيانِ وَالسُبُلُ

How long will you remain, and how long will afflictions keep besetting you?

How long will you stay, and how often will afflictions beset you?

The earth and its roads have never grown too narrow for young men.

The earth and its roads are not too narrow for young men.

إن كنتَ تعلمُ أنَّ الأرضَ واسعة

إن كنتَ تعلمُ أنَّ الأرضَ واسعة

فيها لغيرك مرتاد ومرتحلُ

فيها لغيرك مرتاد ومرتحلُ

If you know that the earth is vast,

If you know that the earth is vast,

and that others besides you have room in it to seek and travel,

Within it, others besides you have places to explore and journey to.

فَاِرحَل فَإِنَّ بِلادَ اللَهِ ما خُلِقَت

فَاِرحَل فَإِنَّ بِلادَ اللَهِ ما خُلِقَت

إِلّا لِيُسلَكَ مِنها السَهلُ وَالجَبَلُ

إِلّا لِيُسلَكَ مِنها السَهلُ وَالجَبَلُ

then journey on—for God’s lands were created

So depart, for God's lands were not created

only that their plains and mountains might be traversed.

Except for their plains and mountains to be traversed.

اللَهُ قَد عَوَّدَ الحُسنى فَما بَرَحَت

اللَهُ قَد عَوَّدَ الحُسنى فَما بَرَحَت

مِنهُ لَنا نِعَمٌ تَترى وَتَتَّصِلُ

مِنهُ لَنا نِعَمٌ تَترى وَتَتَّصِلُ

God has accustomed us to goodness; never have

God has accustomed us to goodness, and still

His blessings to us ceased, following one another in succession.

Blessings from Him come to us, one after another, unbroken.

إِن ضاقَ لي بَلَدٌ يَمَّمتُ لي بَلَداً

إِن ضاقَ لي بَلَدٌ يَمَّمتُ لي بَلَداً

وَإِن نَبا مَنزِلٌ بي كانَ لي بَدَلُ

وَإِن نَبا مَنزِلٌ بي كانَ لي بَدَلُ

If one land closes in on me, I make for another;

If one land grows cramped for me, I head for another;

and if a dwelling proves inhospitable to me, I have another in its stead.

And if a dwelling proves inhospitable to me, I have a replacement.

وَإِن تَغَيَّرَ لي عَن وُدِّهِ رَجُلٌ

وَإِن تَغَيَّرَ لي عَن وُدِّهِ رَجُلٌ

أُصفى المَوَدَّةَ لي مِن بَعدِهِ رَجُلُ

أُصفى المَوَدَّةَ لي مِن بَعدِهِ رَجُلُ

And if a man’s affection toward me changes,

And if a man turns from his affection toward me,

after him another man offers me a purer friendship.

After him, another man offers me sincere affection.

لَم يَقطَعِ اللَهُ لي مِن صاحِبٍ أَمَلاً

لَم يَقطَعِ اللَهُ لي مِن صاحِبٍ أَمَلاً

إِلّا تَجَدَّدَ لي مِن صاحِبٍ أَمَلُ

إِلّا تَجَدَّدَ لي مِن صاحِبٍ أَمَلُ

God has never cut off my hope in one companion

God has never cut off my hope in a companion

without renewing for me hope in another.

Without hope in another companion springing anew for me.

يُمسي وَيُصبِحُ بي عُمرٌ أُدافِعُهُ

يُمسي وَيُصبِحُ بي عُمرٌ أُدافِعُهُ

بِرِزقِ رَبِّيَ حَتّى يَنفَذَ الأَجَلُ

بِرِزقِ رَبِّيَ حَتّى يَنفَذَ الأَجَلُ

My lifetime passes evening and morning with me, while I hold it at bay

My life passes through evening and morning; I struggle through it

with my Lord’s provision, until the appointed term runs out.

With my Lord's provision, until my allotted span runs out.

لا تمتهن أبداً خدّيكَ من طمعٍ

لا تمتهن أبداً خدّيكَ من طمعٍ

فما لوجهك نورٌ حين يبتذلُ

فما لوجهك نورٌ حين يبتذلُ

Never abase your cheeks out of greed,

Never abase your cheeks out of greed,

for your face has no radiance when it is demeaned.

For your face has no radiance when it is debased.

وابغ المكاسبَ من أزكى مطالبها

وابغ المكاسبَ من أزكى مطالبها

من حيث تحمدُ حتى ينفدّ الأجلُ

من حيث تحمدُ حتى ينفدّ الأجلُ

Seek your earnings through the purest ways of pursuing them,

And seek earnings through the purest ways of obtaining them,

in ways for which you are praised, until the appointed term runs out.

From where you earn praise, until your allotted span runs out.