إِذا المَرءُ لَم يَطلُب مَعاشاً لِنَفسِهِ

شَكا الفَقرَ أَو لامَ الصَديقَ فَأَكثَرا

If a man does not strive to make a living for himself,

He grieves over poverty or blames a friend, thus being unfair,

وَصارَ عَلى الأَدنَينَ كَلّاً وَأَوشَكَت

صِلاتُ ذَوي القُربى لَهُ أَن تَنَكَّرا

And he looks down on his lowly friends and severs

The ties of kinship that bind him, until they disappear.

وَما طالِبُ الحاجاتِ مِن كُلِّ وِجهَةٍ

مِنَ الناسِ إِلّا مَن أَجَدَّ وَشَمَّرا

The man who seeks help from all sides

Is not a man, unless he toils and perseveres.

فَسِر في بِلادِ اللَهِ وَاِلتَمِسِ الغِنى

تَعِش ذا يَسارٍ أَو تَموتَ فَتُعذَرا

So travel through God's lands and seek your fortune there;

You will live prosperous or die with an excuse.