لا تجزعَنْ إنْ فات ما رُمْتَهُ

واشْدُدْ عُرَى عزمِكَ بالصَّبْرِ

Do not despair if what you seek escapes you

And strengthen your resolve with patience

فالجَدُّ إنْ ساعدَ نالَ الفَتَى

بُغْيَتَه من حيثُ لا يَدرِي

For effort, if aided, attains for the youth

His desire from where he knows not

وإنْ نَبا الجَدُّ فكلُّ الذي

تأمُلُ من رِبْحٍ إِلى خُسْرِ

And if effort fails, then all that

You hope for in terms of gain is loss

والمرءُ في إقبالِه سابِحٌ

يجري مع الماءِ كما يجري

And man in his success swims along

Flowing with the water as it flows

وهو إِذا أدبر مستقبلٌ

جَرْيتَهُ منقطعَ الظَّهْرِ

But when he turns away, facing

His back to it, his course is cut