اللَهُ كافٍ فَمالي دونَهُ كافِ
عَلى اِعتِدائي عَلى نَفسي وَإِسرافي
God is sufficient—who besides Him could suffice me
against my transgression toward myself and my excess?
تَشَرَّفَ الناسُ بِالدُنيا وَقَد غَرِقوا
فيها فَكُلُّ عَلى أَمواجِها طافِ
People sought distinction through this world, yet they drowned
within it, each one drifting upon its waves.
هُمُ العَبيدُ لِدارٍ قَلبُ صاحِبِها
ما عاشَ مِنها عَلى خَوفٍ وَإيجافِ
They are slaves to a dwelling whose occupant’s heart,
as long as he lives there, is beset by fear and anxious haste.
حَسبُ الفَتى بِتُقى الرَحمَنِ مِن شَرَفٍ
وَما عَبيدُكَ يا دُنيا بِأَشرافِ
Reverence for the All-Merciful is honor enough for a young man;
your slaves, O world, are no true nobles.
يا دارُ كَم قَد رَأَينا فيكِ مِن أَثَرٍ
يَنعى المُلوكَ إِلَينا دارِسٍ عافِ
O dwelling, how many traces have we seen in you—
weathered and effaced, they announce the deaths of kings to us.
أَودى الزَمانُ بِأَسلافي وَخَلَّفَني
وَسَوفَ يُلحِقُني يَوماً بِأَسلافي
Time carried off my forebears and left me behind,
and one day it will join me to my forebears.
كَأَنَّنا قَد تَوافَينا بِأَجمَعِنا
في بَطنِ ظَهرٍ عَلَيهِ مَدرَجُ السافي
It is as though we had already gathered, every one of us,
in the belly of a back over which drifting sand passes.
أُخَيَّ عِندي مِنَ الأَيّامِ تَجرِبَةٌ
فيما أَظُنُّ وَعِلمٌ بارِعٌ شافِ
Little brother, I possess experience of the days
and, as I believe, knowledge both excellent and healing.
لا تَمشِ في الناسِ إِلّا رَحمَةً لَهُمُ
وَلا تُعامِلهُمُ إِلّا بِإِنصافِ
Walk among people only as a mercy to them,
and deal with them only in fairness.
وَاِقطَع قُوى كُلِّ حِقدٍ أَنتَ مُضمِرَهُ
إِن زَلَّ ذو زَلَّةٍ أَو إِن هَفا هافِ
Sever the sinews of every grudge you harbor
when one prone to stumbling slips, or an erring person errs.
وَاِرغَب بِنَفسِكَ عَمّا لا صَلاحَ لَهُ
وَأَوسَعِ الناسِ مِن بِرٍّ وَإِلطافِ
Rise above whatever holds no good,
and be the most generous of people in goodness and kindness.
وَإِن يَكُن أَحَدٌ أَولاكَ صالِحَةً
فَكافِهِ فَوقَ ما أَولى بِأَضعافِ
If anyone has done you a good turn,
repay him many times beyond what he gave.
وَلا تُكَشِّف مُسيئاً عَن إِساءَتِهِ
وَصِل حِبالَ أَخيكَ القاطِعِ الجافي
Do not expose an offender because of his offense,
and keep hold of your harsh brother’s bonds when he cuts you off.
فَتَستَحِقَّ مِنَ الدُنيا سَلامَتَها
وَتَستَقِلَّ بِعِرضٍ وافِرٍ وافِ
Then you will earn deliverance from this world
and stand apart with honor abundant and unimpaired.
ما أَحسَنَ الشُغلَ في تَدبيرِ مَنفَعَةٍ
أَهلُ الفَراغِ ذَوُو خَوضٍ وَإِرجافِ
How fine is labor devoted to securing some benefit;
the idle are given to vain disputes and rumor-mongering.
