ما في المَقامِ لِذي عَقلٍ وَذي أَدَبِ

مِن راحَةٍ فَدَعِ الأَوطانَ وَاِغتَرِبِ

There is no rest for one of sense and manners

In his homeland, so journey abroad and be a stranger

سافِر تَجِد عِوَضاً عَمَّن تُفارِقُهُ

وَاِنصَب فَإِنَّ لَذيذَ العَيشِ في النَصَبِ

Travel and find recompense for those you leave

Exert yourself, for the sweetest life is with strife

إِنّي رَأَيتُ وُقوفَ الماءِ يُفسِدُهُ

إِن ساحَ طابَ وَإِن لَم يَجرِ لَم يَطِبِ

I saw still water go bad and stale

While flowing water stays fresh and hale

وَالأُسدُ لَولا فِراقُ الأَرضِ مااِفتَرَسَت

وَالسَهمُ لَولا فِراقُ القَوسِ لَم يُصِبِ

Without leaving land, lions wouldn't hunt

Without leaving bows, arrows wouldn't find their mark

وَالشَمسُ لَو وَقَفَت في الفُلكِ دائِمَةً

لَمَلَّها الناسُ مِن عُجمٍ وَمِن عَرَبِ

If the sun stood still in the sky forever

People of East and West would soon tire of her

وَالتِبرُ كَالتُربِ مُلقىً في أَماكِنِهِ

وَالعودُ في أَرضِهِ نَوعٌ مِنَ الحَطَبِ

Pearls in their beds are like dirt clods lying

Trees in their roots are just so much firewood drying

فَإِن تَغَرَّبَ هَذا عَزَّ مَطلَبُهُ

وَإِن تَغَرَّبَ ذاكَ عَزَّ كَالذَهَبِ

When this one travels, his quest gains force

When that one travels, he's worth his weight in gold, of course