صُنِ النَفسَ وَاِحمِلها عَلى ما يزيِنُها
تَعِش سالِماً وَالقَولُ فيكَ جَميلُ
Guard your soul, and guide it rightly,
Guard your soul and compel it toward what brings it grace,
Then you will live in peace, and speak sincerely.
You shall live securely, and the speech regarding you will be fair.
وَلا تُرِينَّ الناسَ إِلّا تَجَمُّلاً
نَبا بِكَ دَهرٌ أَو جَفاكَ خَليلُ
Show people nothing but kindness,
And show people nothing but dignified composure,
Whether time treats you well, or friends act poorly.
Should time turn against you, or a close friend shun you.
وَإِن ضاقَ رِزقُ اليَومِ فَاِصبِر إِلى غَدٍ
عَسى نَكَباتِ الدَهرِ عَنكَ تَزولُ
If today's provision feels too slight, have patience -
If the day's provision grows tight, be patient until the morrow,
Tomorrow may lift these heavy troubles easily.
For perhaps the calamities of fate will vanish from you.
يَعِزُّ غَنِيُّ النَفسِ إِن قَلَّ مالُهُ
ويَغنى غَنِيُّ المالِ وَهوَ ذَليلُ
One with a rich soul is made great, though money lacks -
The one rich in soul is honored, though his wealth be scant,
Yet moneyed men seem poor when greed rules stealthily.
While the one rich in coin is wealthy, yet remains abased.
وَلا خَيرَ في وِدِّ اِمرِئٍ مُتَلَّونٍ
إِذا الريحُ مالَت مالَ حَيثُ تَميلُ
No good in befriending one who shifts like the wind,
There is no good in the affection of a fickle man,
Veering whatever way the gusts blow willy-nilly.
Who leans wherever the wind may blow, shifting as it shifts.
جَوادٌ إِذا اِستَغنَيتَ عَن أَخذِ مالِهِ
وَعِندَ اِحتِمالِ الفَقرِ عَنكَ بَخيلُ
Give generously when you need nothing from others -
Generous only when you have no need of his substance,
Yet when in need, you're miserly, closed off, and chilly.
But when the burden of poverty falls, he is miserly toward you.
فَما أَكثَرَ الإِخوان حينَ تَعدّهُم
وَلَكِنَهُم في النائِباتِ قَليلُ
So many friends when life is easy, it seems -
How many are the brothers when you count them,
Yet in hard times, their number is slim, and quickly.
Yet in the face of misfortunes, they are few.
