إِذا شاءَ يَوماً قادَهُ بِزِمامِهِ

إِذا شاءَ يَوماً قادَهُ بِزِمامِهِ

وَمَن يَكُ في حَبلِ المَنيَّةِ يَنقَدِ

وَمَن يَكُ في حَبلِ المَنيَّةِ يَنقَدِ

When Death wills one day, it leads him by his rein;

If it so wishes one day, it leads him by his rein;

and whoever is within Death’s rope is led along.

and whoever is in death's tether yields.

إِذا أَنتَ لَم تَنفَع بِوِدِّكَ قُربَةً

إِذا أَنتَ لَم تَنفَع بِوِدِّكَ قُربَةً

وَلَم تَنكِ بِالبُؤسى عَدوَّكَ فَاِبعَدِ

وَلَم تَنكِ بِالبُؤسى عَدوَّكَ فَاِبعَدِ

If your affection brings no benefit to a kinsman,

If you do not benefit your kin through your affection,

and you do not afflict your enemy with misery, then stand aside.

and do not hurt your enemy with hardship, then begone.

أَرى المَوتَ لا يُرعي عَلى ذي قَرابَةٍ

أَرى المَوتَ لا يُرعي عَلى ذي قَرابَةٍ

وَإِن كانَ في الدُنيا عَزيزاً بِمَقعَدِ

وَإِن كانَ في الدُنيا عَزيزاً بِمَقعَدِ

I see Death heed no claim of kinship,

I see that death spares no kinsman,

even if a man holds an honored station in this world.

even if he is exalted in station in this world.

وَلا خَيرَ في خَيرٍ تَرى الشَرَّ دونَهُ

وَلا خَيرَ في خَيرٍ تَرى الشَرَّ دونَهُ

وَلا قائِلٍ يَأتيكَ بَعدَ التَلَدُّدِ

وَلا قائِلٍ يَأتيكَ بَعدَ التَلَدُّدِ

There is no good in any good when you see evil standing before it,

And there is no good in good when you see evil standing before it,

nor in a speaker who comes to you only after wavering.

nor in a speaker who comes to you after hesitation.

لَعَمرُكَ ما الأَيامُ إِلّا مُعارَةٌ

لَعَمرُكَ ما الأَيامُ إِلّا مُعارَةٌ

فَما اِسطَعتَ مِن مَعروفِها فَتَزَوَّدِ

فَما اِسطَعتَ مِن مَعروفِها فَتَزَوَّدِ

By your life, the days are nothing but a loan;

By your life, the days are only on loan;

so take as provisions whatever good from them you can.

so take whatever good you can from them as provisions.

عَنِ المَرءِ لا تَسأَل وَسَل عَن قَرينَهُ

عَنِ المَرءِ لا تَسأَل وَسَل عَن قَرينَهُ

فَكُلُّ قَرينٍ بِالمُقارِنِ يَقتَدي

فَكُلُّ قَرينٍ بِالمُقارِنِ يَقتَدي

Ask not about a man; ask about his companion,

Do not ask about a man; ask about his companion,

for every companion follows the example of the one he accompanies.

for every companion follows the example of the one he accompanies.