كلّ اِمرِئٍ ناله جَدٌّ فأسعده

كلّ اِمرِئٍ ناله جَدٌّ فأسعده

وإن أساء إلى الأقوام معذورُ

وإن أساء إلى الأقوام معذورُ

Every man whom good fortune reaches and makes happy

Every man attains what fate allotted him

is excused, even if he wrongs other people.

And if he wronged people, he is excused

وَيلُ اِمّ مَن في الورى أَكدتْ مطالبَه

وَيلُ اِمّ مَن في الورى أَكدتْ مطالبَه

فإنّه بسحاب اللّومِ ممطورُ

فإنّه بسحاب اللّومِ ممطورُ

Woe to the mother of anyone among humankind whose pursuits prove fruitless;

But woe to him whom the world made insatiate

for he is rained upon by the cloud of blame.

For he is drenched with the rain of blame

وَكَيف يُعزى إلى عجزٍ وليس بهِ

وَكَيف يُعزى إلى عجزٍ وليس بهِ

مَن خاب سعياً وخانته المقاديرُ

مَن خاب سعياً وخانته المقاديرُ

And how can he be charged with incapacity, when he has none—

And how can disability be ascribed to him

he whose striving failed and whom the decrees of fate betrayed?

Who failed in his quest as destiny betrayed him