كُلُّ اِمرِئٍ نَصبٌ لِحاجَتِهِ

وَعَلَيهِ يُحمَلُ أَو لَهُ نَصَبُه

Each person has a purpose to fulfill,

And on him burdens are loaded or goals set for him.

فَاِربَع عَلى خُلُقٍ لَهُ خَطَرٌ

في الصالِحينَ يَفوزُ مُحتَسِبُه

So four types of people with an aim take a risk:

The pious are rewarded for their good deeds.

عِيُّ الشَريفِ يَشينُ مَنصِبَهُ

وَتَرى الوَضيعَ يَزينُهُ أَدَبُه

The noble man is disgraced by his position,

While you see the lowly adorned by his manners.

وَحِراثَةُ التَقوى لِمُحتَرِثٍ

كَرَمُ المَعادِ وَما لَهُ حَسَبُه

Piety's farming for the farmer

Is the honor of the hereafter, not his lineage.

وَتَنَقُّصُ المَولى مَوالِيَهُ

عارٌ يَكونُ بِوَجهِهِ نَدَبُه

The Master demeaning his servants

Is a disgrace that shows in his face as a scar.

وَإِذا نَسيبُكَ غُلَّ ساعِدُهُ

وَنَأى فَلَيسَ بِنافِعٍ نَسَبُه

When your relative's arm grows weak

His lineage will not benefit him.

وَمِنَ البَلاءَ أَخٌ جِنايَتُهُ

عَلَقٌ بِنا وَلِغَيرِنا نَشَبُه

And of affliction, a crime whose author

Clings to us and to others in its branches.

خُذ مِن صَديقِكَ غَيرَ مُتعِبِهِ

إِنَّ الجَوادَ يَؤودُهُ تَعَبُه

Take from your friend without tiring him,

For generosity exhausts the generous.

وَاِستَغنِ بِالوَجَباتِ عَن ذَهَبٍ

لَم يَبقَ قَبلَكَ لِاِمرِئٍ ذَهَبُه

And be content with necessities, not gold -

No gold remains for anyone before you.

يَرِدُ الحَريصُ عَلى مَتالِفِهِ

وَاللَيثُ يَبعَثُ حَتفَهُ كَلَبُه

The greedy man returns to his flatterer,

And the lion is killed by his own dog.