ماnot كانwas مالwealth يفوتُslips away دونَbefore غدِtomorrow
ما كان مال يفوتُ دونَ غدِ
فليسso there is no بيin me حاجةneed ليfor me أحدٍanyone
فليس بي حاجة لي أحدٍ
No wealth ever slips away before tomorrow,
What was money that would pass without tomorrow
so I have no need of anyone.
So I have no need for anyone
إنَّindeed غنىrichness النفسthe soul رأسthe foremost part كلِّall غنىًwealth
إنَّ غنى النفس رأس كلِّ غنىً
فماso there is no افتقارneed إلاexcept إلىfor الصمدِthe Self-Sufficient One (God)
فما افتقار إلا إلى الصمدِ
Indeed, richness of soul is the greatest of all riches,
Indeed, the soul's richness is the head of all riches
so there is no need except for the Self-Sufficient One.
So there is no poverty except to the Eternal
ربmany a عديمٍpenniless man أعزّmightier منthan أسدٍa lion
رب عديمٍ أعزّ من أسدٍ
وربَّand many a مثرٍwealthy man أقلlesser منthan نقدِa small sheep
وربَّ مثرٍ أقل من نقدِ
Many a penniless man is mightier than a lion,
Lord of a pauper mightier than a lion
and many a wealthy man is lesser than a small sheep.
And Lord of a wealthy one less than a coin
الناسpeople صنفانtwo kinds فيin زمانكyour age ذاthis
الناس صنفان في زمانك ذا
لوif تبتغيyou sought غيرother than ذينthese two لمnot تجدِyou find
لو تبتغي غير ذين لم تجدِ
People in this age of yours are of two kinds;
People are of two types in your time
if you sought any besides these two, you would find none.
If you seek other than these two you will not find
هذاthis one بخيلmiserly وعندهand he has سعةabundance
هذا بخيل وعنده سعة
وذاand that one جوادgenerous بغيرِwithout ذاتِpossessions يدِa hand
وذا جواد بغيرِ ذاتِ يدِ
This one is miserly, though he has plenty,
This one stingy yet prosperous
and that one is generous, though empty-handed.
And that generous without personal wealth
Sol 6.1