أَحمُدُكَ اللَهَ وَأُطري الأَنبِياء
مَصدَرَ الحِكمَةِ طُرّاً وَالضِياء
I thank Allah and send blessings upon the prophets
The source of wisdom, shining light
وَلَهُ الشُكرُ عَلى نُعمى الوُجود
وَعَلى ما نِلتُ مِن فَضلٍ وَجود
I am grateful for the blessing of existence
And for the grace and generosity I have received
اُعبُدِ اللَهَ بِعَقلٍ يا بُنَيَّ
وَبِقَلبٍ مِن رَجاءِ اللَهِ حَي
Worship God with reason, my son
And a heart filled with hope in God
اُرجُهُ تُعطَ مَقاليدَ الفَلَك
وَاِخشَهُ خَشيَةَ مَن فيهِ هَلَك
Bow to Him and you will be given the keys to the heavens
And fear Him with the fear of those doomed to ruin
اُنظُرِ المُلكَ وَأَكبِر ما خَلَق
وَتَمَتَّع فيهِ مِن خَيرٍ رَزَق
Look upon the kingdom and glorify the Greatest Creator
And delight in the bounty He has provided
أَنتَ في الكَونِ مَحَلُّ التَكرِمَه
كُلُّ شَيءٍ لَكَ عَبدٌ أَو أَمَه
You are the most noble in the universe
Everything is your servant or mother
سُخِّرَ العالَمُ مِن أَرضٍ وَماء
لَكَ وَالريحُ وَما تَحتَ السَماء
The world of land and sea is subservient to you
As is the wind and all beneath the sky
اُذكُرِ الآيَةَ إِذ أَنتَ جَنين
لَكَ في الظُلمَةِ لِلنورِ حَنين
Remember the verse when you were an embryo
Yearning for light amidst the darkness
كُلَّ يَومٍ لَكَ شَأنٌ في الظُلَم
حارَ فيهِ كُلُّ بُقراطٍ عَلَم
Each day something remarkable occurs within the gloom
Perplexing every learned Hippocrates
كانَ في جَنبِكَ شَيءٌ مِن عَلَقَ
حينَ مَسَّتهُ يَدُ اللَهِ خَفَق
Beside your ribs was a clot
Touched by the hand of God and made to pulse
صارَ حِسّاً وَحَياةً بَعدَما
كانَ في الأَضلاعِ لَحماً وَدَما
It became sense and life after having been
Flesh and blood within the ribs
دَقَّ كَالناقوسِ وَسطَ الهَيكَل
في اِنتِفاضٍ كَاِنتِفاضِ البُلبُل
It rang out like a bell in the temple
Throbbing like the thrush
قُل لِمَن طَبَّبَ أَو مَن نَجَّما
صَنعَةُ اللَهِ وَلَكِن زِغتُما
Say to whoever practices medicine or astrology:
“This is the work of God but you have gone astray”
آمِنا بِاللَهِ إيمانَ العَجوز
إِنَّ غَيرَ اللَهِ عَقلاً لا يَجوز
Believe in God with the faith of an old woman
Nothing but God warrants such faith
أَيُّها الطالِبُ لِلعِلمِ اِستَمِع
خَيرَ ما في طَلَبِ العِلمِ جُمِع
O seeker of knowledge, listen!
The best thing about seeking knowledge has been summed up
هُوَ إِن أوتيتَهُ أَسنى النِعَم
هَل تَرى الجُهّالَ إِلّا كَالنَعَم
It is the greatest blessing if you possess it
Do you not see the ignorant are like cattle?
اُطلُبِ العِلمَ لِذاتِ العِلمِ لا
لِظُهورٍ باطِلٍ بَينَ المَلا
Seek knowledge for knowledge's sake, not
For false vanity before scholars
عِندَ أَهلِ العِلمِ لِلعِلمِ مَذاق
فَإِذا فاتَكَ هَذا فَاِفتِراق
Those who know, knowledge has a special taste
When you miss that, parting of ways follows
طَلَبُ المَحرومِ لِلعِلمِ سُدى
لَيسَ لِلأَعمى عَلى الضَوءِ هُدى
A deprived person's pursuit of knowledge is fruitless
The blind have no guidance toward light
فَإِذا فاتَكَ تَوفيقُ العَليم
فَاِمتَنِع عَن كُلِّ تَحصيلٍ عَقيم
If you miss being guided by the Knowing
Then refrain from all fruitless acquisition
وَاِطلُبِ الرِزقَ هُنا أَو هَهُنا
كَم مَعَ الجَهلِ يَسارٌ وَغِنى
And seek your livelihood here or there
How much ease and wealth comes with ignorance!
كُلُّ ما عَلَّمَكَ الدَهرُ اِعلَمِ
التَجاريبُ عُلومُ الفَهِمِ
All the life lessons taught you, know
Experiences are the sciences of the mind
إِنَّما الأَيّامُ وَالعَيشُ كِتاب
كُلَّ يَومٍ فيهِ لِلعِبرَةِ باب
Days and life are but a book
Each day is a gateway to lessons
إِن رُزِقتَ العِلمَ زِنهُ بِالبَيان
ما يُفيدُ العَقلُ إِن عَيَّ اللِسان
If you gain knowledge, measure it by eloquence
What good is a mind if the tongue is flawed?
كَم عَليمٍ سَقَطَ العِيُّ بِهِ
مُظلِمٌ لا تَهتَدي في كُتبِهِ
How many scholars have fallen, whose obtuseness
Left their books without guidance
وَأَديبٍ فاتَهُ العِلمُ فَما
جاءَ بِالحِكمَةِ فيما نَظَما
How many literati lacked knowledge, so
Brought no wisdom to their compositions
إِنَّ لِلعِلمِ جَميعاً فَلسَفَه
مَن تَغِب عَنهُ تَفُتهُ المَعرِفَه
All knowledge has a philosophy
He who lacks it, knowledge escapes him
اِقرَإِ التاريخَ إِذ فيهِ العِبَر
ضاعَ قَومٌ لَيسَ يَدرونَ الخَبَر
Read history, for in it are lessons
A people were ruined, unaware of events
كُن إِلى المَوتِ عَلى حُبِّ الوَطَن
مَن يَخُن أَوطانَهُ يَوماً يُخَن
Be loyal to your homeland until death
Whoever betrays their homeland one day will be betrayed
وَطَنُ المَرءِ جَماهُ المُفتَدى
يَذكُرُ المِنَّةَ مِنهُ وَاليَدا
A person's homeland is their protective sanctuary
They remember the debt and hand that cared for them
قَد عَرَفتَ الدارَ وَالأَهلَ بِهِ
كُلُّ حُبٍّ شُعبَةٌ مِن حُبِّهِ
You have come to know home and family through it
Every love stems from love of it
هُوَ مَحبوبُكَ بادٍ مُحتَجِب
يَعرِفُ الشَوقَ لَهُ مَن يَغتَرِب
It is your unseen beloved constantly in hiding
Only an exile knows the longing for it
لَكَ مِنهُ في الصِبا مَهدٌ رَحيم
فَإِذا وُريتَ فَالقَبرُ الكَريم
It gave you a gentle cradle in childhood
And later, an honored grave
كَم عَزيزٍ عِندَكَ اِستَودَعتَهُ
وَعُهودٍ بَعدَكَ اِستَرعَيتَهُ
How many dear ones you have entrusted to it
And covenants after you it will honor
وَدَفينٍ لَكَ فيهِ كَرُما
تَذرِفُ الدَمعَ لِذِكراهُ دَما
How much buried nobility it contains
At the mention of whom tears flow as blood
كُن نَشيطاً عامِلاً جَمَّ الأَمَل
إِنَّما الصِحَّةُ وَالرِزقُ العَمَل
Be active and hopeful, seize opportunities
Health and provisions come only through work
كُلُّ ما أَتقَنتَ مَحبوبٌ وَجيه
مُتقَنُ الأَعمالِ سِرُّ اللَهِ فيه
All work done with excellence is cherished
God’s secret is in a job well done
يُقبِلُ الناسُ عَلى الشَيءِ الحَسَن
كُلُّ شَيءٍ بِجَزاءٍ وَثَمَن
People are drawn to a good thing
Everything has a reward and price
اِنظُرِ الآثارَ ما أَزيَنَها
قَد حَباها الخُلدَ مَن أَتقَنَها
Consider the relics and their artistry
Immortality has been granted to their perfect craftsmanship
تِلكَ آثارُ بَني مِصرَ الأُوَل
أَتقَنوا الصَنعَةَ حَتّى في الجُعَل
These are the relics of early Egyptians
They mastered their craft, even the scarab beetle
أَيُّها التاجِرُ بُلِّغتَ الأَرَب
طالِعُ التاجِرِ في حُسنِ الأَدَب
O merchant, you have attained great profit
A merchant’s rising follows courtesy
بابُ حانوتِكَ بابُ الرازِقِ
لا تُفارِق بابَهُ أَو فارِقِ
Your shop’s door is the door of the Sustainer
Do not abandon His door or abandon Him
وَاِحتَرِم في بابِهِ مَن دَخَلا
كُلُّهُم مِنهُ رَسولٌ وَصَلا
Show respect at His door to all who enter
They are His messengers and prayers, each one
تاجِرُ القَومِ صَدوقٌ وَأَمين
لَفظَةٌ مِن فيهِ لِلقَومِ يَمين
A people’s honest and trustworthy trader
His utterance is an oath binding the people
إِنَّ لِلإِقدامِ ناساً كَالأُسُد
فَتَشَبَّه إِنَّ مَن يُقدِم يَسُد
Some have the nature of lions in their daring
So emulate them, for the bold succeed
مِنهُمو كُلُّ فَتىً سادَ وَشاد
مِنهُمو إِسكَندَرٌ وَاِبنُ زِياد
Among them are youths who rose to eminence
Among them Alexander and ibn Ziyad
وَشُجاعُ النَفسِ مِنهُم في الكُروب
كَشُجاعِ القَلبِ في وَقتِ الحُروب
Brave of spirit among calamities, as in wars
Are the brave of heart when perils erupt
وابِلٌ سُقراطُ وَالشُجعانُ طَل
إِنَّما مَن يَنصُرُ الحَقَّ البَطَل
Able men are Socrates and heroes like Taliʿ
Only the champion of truth is the hero
هُم جَمالُ الدَهرِ حيناً بَعدَ حين
مِن غُزاةٍ أَو دُعاةٍ مُصلِحين
They are the beauty of time, age after age
Conquerors or reformers preaching
لَهُمُ مِن هَيبَةٍ عِندَ الأُمَم
ما لِراعي غَنَمٍ عِندَ الغَنَم
They command awe among nations
As shepherds command their flock
قُل إِذا خاطَبتَ غَيرَ المُسلِمين
لَكُمو دينٌ رَضيتُم وَلِيَ دين
Say, when addressing non-Muslims:
“You have your faith and I have mine”
خَلِّ لِلدَيّانِ فيهِم شانَهُ
إِنَّهُ أَولى بِهِم سُبحانَهُ
Leave each religion its status with them
He knows best what is due them, Glory to Him
كُلُّ حالٍ صائِرٌ يَوماً لِضِدّ
فَدَعِ الأَقدارَ تجري وَاِستَعَدّ
Every circumstance will someday change
So let destiny run its course and prepare
فَلَكٌ بِالسَعدِ وَالنَحسِ يَدور
لا تُعارِض أَبَداً مَجرى الأُمور
The stars in their courses bring good or ill
Never oppose the way things are
قُل إِذا شِئتَ صُروفٌ وَغِيَر
وَإِذا شِئتَ قَضاءٌ وَقَدَر
Say: if He wills, changes occur
If He wills, divine decree and fate
وَاِعمَلِ الخَيرَ فَإِن عِشتَ لَقي
طَيِّبَ الحَمدِ وَإِن مُتَّ بَقي
Do good deeds, for if you live, you will meet
Sweet praise, and if you die, it remains
مَن يَمُت عَن مِنَّةٍ عِندَ يَتيم
فَرَحيمٌ سَوفَ يُجزى مِن رَحيم
He who dies leaving kindness to an orphan
Will be rewarded by the Merciful
كُن كَريماً إِن رَأى جُرحاً أَسا
وَتَعَهَّد وَتَوَلَّ البُوَسا
Be generous if you see a wound gape
And care for it, applying ointment
وَاِسخُ في الشِدَّةِ وَاِزدَد في الرَخاء
كُلُّ خُلقٍ فاضِلٍ دونَ السَخاء
Be steadfast in adversity, and in times of ease
Every noble trait falls short of generosity
فَبِهِ كُلُّ بَلاءٍ يُدفَعُ
لَستَ تَدري في غَدٍ ما يَقَعُ
Through it every tribulation can be turned back
You know not what tomorrow will bring
جامِلِ الناسَ تَحُز رِقَّ الجَميع
رُبَّ قَيدٍ مِن جَميلٍ وَصَنيع
Be friendly with all people to win everyone
Many a bond comes from an act of goodwill
عامِلِ الكُلَّ بِإِحسانٍ تُحَب
فَقَديماً جَمَّلَ المَرءَ الأَدَب
Treat everyone kindly to be loved
Of old, manners adorned a person
وَتَجَنَّب كُلَّ خُلقٍ لَم يَرُق
إِنَّ ضيقَ الرِزقِ مِن ضيقِ الخُلُق
Avoid all traits that do not please
Straitened provision comes from a straitened nature
وَتَواضَع في اِرتِفاعٍ تُعتَبَر
فَهُما ضِدّانِ كِبَرٌ وَكِبَر
And be humble in high station to be respected
Arrogance and arrogance are opposites
كُلُّ حَيٍّ ما خَلا اللَهَ يَموت
فَاِترُكِ الكِبرَ لَهُ وَالجَبَروت
All living things die except for God
So leave arrogance to Him alone
وَأَرِح جَنبَكَ مِن داءِ الحَسَد
كَم حَسودٍ قَد تَوَفّاهُ الكَمَد
Relieve yourself of the sickness of envy
How many enviers has envy consumed!
وَإِذا أُغضِبتَ فَاِغضَب لِعَظيم
شَرَفٍ قَد مُسَّ أَو عِرضٍ كَريم
If you grow angry, let it be for a great
Dignity transgressed or noble character besmirched
وَتَجَنَّب في الصَغيراتِ الغَضَب
إِنَّهُ كَالنارِ وَالرُشدُ الَحطَب
Avoid anger in petty matters
It is like fire, and sanity is the fuel
اِطلُبِ الحَقَّ بِرِفقٍ تُحمَدِ
طالِبُ الحَقِّ بِعُنفٍ مُعتَدِ
Seek truth gently and you will be praised
The violent truth-seeker is insolent
وَاِعصِ في أَكثَرِ ما تَأتي الهَوى
كَم مُطيعٍ لِهَوى النَفسِ هَوى
And in most matters follow not vain desire
How many obedient to their whims have gone astray!
اُذكُرِ المَوتَ وَلا تَفزَع فَمَن
يَحقِرِ المَوتَ يَنَل رِقَّ الزَمَن
Recall death, and do not panic, for who
Scants death earns the deprecation of time
أَحبِبِ الطِفلَ وَإِن لَم يَكُ لَك
إِنَّما الطِفلُ عَلى الأَرضِ مَلَك
Love the child, even if it is not yours
The child on earth is an angel
هُوَ لُطفُ اللَهِ لَو تَعلَمُهُ
رَحِمَ اللَهُ اِمرَءاً يَرحَمُهُ
It is God's gentleness—if you but knew it
God have mercy on one who shows it mercy
عَطفَةٌ مِنهُ عَلى لُعبَتِهِ
تُخرِجُ المَحزونَ مِن كُربَتِهِ
A gesture of play to delight Him
Can lift the sorrowful out of anxiety
وَحَديثٌ ساعَةَ الضيقِ مَعَه
يَملَلأُ العَيشَ نَعيماً وَسَعَه
A conversation, when straits weigh heavy
Fills life with bliss and breadth
يا مُديمَ الصَومِ في الشَهرِ الكَريم
صُم عَنِ الغيبَةِ يَوماً وَالنَميم
O fasting one, in the noble month
Abstain from gossip and tale-bearing
وَإِذا صَلَّيتَ خَف مَن تَعبُدُ
كَم مُصَلٍّ ضَجَّ مِنهُ المَسجِدُ
When you pray, be conscious of whom you worship
How many worshippers disturb the mosque!
وَاِجعَلِ الحَجَّ إِلى أُمِّ القُرى
غِبَّ حَجٍّ لِبُيوتِ الفُقَرا
Make the pilgrimage to Mother of Cities
An incomplete pilgrimage are pilgrimages to homes
هَكَذا طَهَ وَمَن كانَ مَعَه
مِن وَقارِ اللَهِ أَلّا تَخدَعَه
Thus did the upright Taha and those with him
Basking in the dignity of God—do not be fooled
وَتَسَمَّح وَتَوَسَّع في الزَكاه
إِنَّها مَحبوبَةٌ عِندَ الإِلَه
Be open-handed in your almsgiving
It is beloved to God
فَرَضَ البِرَّ بِها فَرضُ حَكيم
فَإِذا ما زِدتَ فَاللَهُ كَريم
He made it a wise ordinance
So if you increase, God is Bountiful
لَيسَ لي في طِبِّ جالينوسَ باع
بَيدَ أَنَّ العَيشَ دَرسٌ وَاِطِّلاع
I have no stake in the medicine of Galen
Except that life is an open book
اِحذَرِ التُخمَةَ إِن كُنتَ فَهِم
إِنَّ عِزرائيلَ في حَلقِ النَهِم
Beware excess if you are wise
Death lingers in the throat of the glutton
وَاِتَّقِ البَردَ فَكَم خَلقٍ قَتَل
مَن تَوَقّاهُ اِتَّقى نِصفَ العِلَل
And beware the cold—how many lives it has killed!
He who guards against it guards against half of illnesses
اِتَّخِذ سُكناكَ في تَلقِ الجَواء
بَينَ شَمسٍ وَنَباتٍ وَهَواء
Make your dwelling in the open desert
Between sun, plants, and fresh air
خَيمَةٌ في البيدِ خَيرٌ مِن قُصور
تَبخَلُ الشَمسُ عَلَيها بِالمُرور
A tent in the waste is better than palaces
Where the sun reluctantly passes
في غَدٍ تَأوي إِلى قَفرٍ حَلِك
يَستَوي الصُعلوكُ فيهِ وَالمَلِك
Tomorrow you will repair to a barren hollow
Pauper and prince equal therein
وَاِترُكِ الخَمرَ لِمَشغوفٍ بِها
لا يَرى مَندوحَةً عَن شُربِها
Leave wine to the alcoholic obsessed with it
Seeing no escape from drinking it
لا تُنادِم غَيرَ مَأمونٍ كَريم
إِنَّ عَقلَ البَعضِ في كَفِّ النَديم
Do not share your secrets except with trusted noble friends
Some wit rests in the palm of the boon companion
وَعَنِ المَيسِرِ ما اِسطَعتَ اِبتَعِد
فَهوَ سُلُّ المالِ بَل سُلُّ الكَبِد
And avoid gambling no matter how alluring
It is the slipping away of money and even the liver
وَتَعَشَّق وَتَعَفَّف وَاِتَّقِ
مادَرى اللَذَّةَ مَن لَم يَعشَقِ
Fall passionately in love, yet remain chaste and Godwary
None knows pleasure who does not fall in love
