إنindeed القناعةcontentment فيin الدنياthis world هيit is الشرفُhonor
إن القناعة في الدنيا هي الشرفُ
وغيرهاand anything besides it عندناin our view التبذيرsquandering والسرفُand extravagance
وغيرها عندنا التبذير والسرفُ
Indeed, contentment in this world is honor;
Contentment in this world is honor
and anything besides it, in our view, is squandering and extravagance.
And anything else is just excess and waste
وهيand it is التدبرcontemplation فيin القرآنthe Qur'an تقرؤهyou recite it
وهي التدبر في القرآن تقرؤه
وفيand in حديثsayings رسولMessenger اللهGod تعترفyou acknowledge
وفي حديث رسول الله تعترف
And it is contemplating the Qur'an as you recite it,
It is contemplating the Quran when you read it
and in the sayings of God's Messenger you acknowledge it.
And acknowledging the words of Allah's Messenger
واجعلand make معاشكyour sustenance منfrom خبزbread الشعيرbarley ومنand from
واجعل معاشك من خبز الشعير ومن
ماءwater وإنand even if لمnot يكنbe عذباًsweet فتغترفthen you draw some
ماء وإن لم يكن عذباً فتغترف
And make your sustenance barley bread and
Make your livelihood from barley bread and from
water; and even if it is not sweet, draw some.
Water, even if not sweet when you take a drink
وخرقةand a rag الصوفwool طولthroughout العمرlife تلبسهاyou wear it
وخرقة الصوف طول العمر تلبسها
معwith صاحبٍa companion أوor صحابcompanions أنتyou تأتلفyou find harmony
مع صاحبٍ أو صحاب أنت تأتلف
And wear a woolen rag throughout your life,
And wear woolen rags your whole life
with a companion or companions with whom you find harmony.
With a companion or friends with whom you get along
دنياthe world الورىhumankind عندهمin their view نصفhalf الشعيرةa barley grain لمdid not
دنيا الورى عندهم نصف الشعيرة لم
تعدلequal علتrose high هممaspirations منهمof theirs فلاso do not تقفstand still
تعدل علت همم منهم فلا تقف
In their eyes, the world of mortals was not even half a barley grain's
The mortal world to them is half a grain
equal; their aspirations soared, so do not stand still.
It does not equal lofty ambitions so do not stop
وهذهand this هذهthis تلكthat السعادةhappiness فيin
وهذه هذه تلك السعادة في
دنياكyour earthly life فاقنعso be content بهاwith it بالعزwith honor تتصفyou are endowed
دنياك فاقنع بها بالعز تتصف
And this—this is that happiness in
This, this is that happiness in
your earthly life; be content with it, and you will be endowed with honor
Your world so be content with it and pride yourself
وبالفخارand with glory علىabove كلall الملوكthe kings أوليbearers of الthe
وبالفخار على كل الملوك أولي ال
تيجانcrowns ممنamong those who مضىpassed away فيamong معشرa people سلفواthey went before
تيجان ممن مضى في معشر سلفوا
and with glory above all kings, the bearers of
And with earthenware over all the kings, the first
crowns, among those who passed away amid peoples long departed,
Crowned, from those who passed in batches of predecessors
كمثلlike كسرىKhosrow أنوشروانAnushirwan منwho ملكتruled
كمثل كسرى أنوشروان من ملكت
يمينهhis right hand الفرسthe Persians يرعاهاhe tends them فتنتصفso they receive justice
يمينه الفرس يرعاها فتنتصف
like Khosrow Anushirwan, who ruled
Like Chosroes Anushirwan whose reign
the Persians with his right hand, tending them so they received justice;
The Persians tended so they prospered
وقيصرand Caesar الرومthe Romans والقومand the people الذينwho حوواthey possessed
وقيصر الروم والقوم الذين حووا
شرقاًeast وغرباًand west منof الأرضthe earth التيwhich عرفواthey knew
شرقاً وغرباً من الأرض التي عرفوا
and Caesar of the Romans, and the people who possessed
And Caesar of Rome and the people who contained
east and west of the earth they knew.
East and west on earth that they knew
وبعدand after ذلكthat فاشكرso thank منwho حباكhe endowed you بهاwith it
وبعد ذلك فاشكر من حباك بها
رباًa Lord كريماًgenerous فتكفىso you are spared عندهwith Him الكلفthe burdens
رباً كريماً فتكفى عنده الكلف
And after that, thank Him who endowed you with it,
And after that thank Him who graced you with it
a generous Lord; with Him you will be spared burdens.
A generous Lord, so suffice with Him and do not overdo
ولاand do not تعرِّجturn aside علىtoward مالٍwealth يكونexists ولاnor
ولا تعرِّج على مالٍ يكون ولا
جاهrank وكنand be رجلاًa man ماno عندهhe has أسفregret
جاه وكن رجلاً ما عنده أسف
And do not turn aside for any wealth there is, nor
And do not hanker for wealth that comes and goes
rank; and be a man who has no regret.
Or status, and be a man who has no sorrow
فالكلfor all فانٍperishable وكلand all الناسpeople عنfrom كثبٍnearness
فالكل فانٍ وكل الناس عن كثبٍ
همthey are الترابdust وأقوامand some people همthey are الجيفrotting corpses
هم التراب وأقوام هم الجيف
For all is perishable, and all people, before long,
For all is passing and all people in the end
are dust, and some are rotting corpses.
Are dust, and some are corpses buried below