ما يَنبَغي لكَ أن تُجري أخاكَ عَلى

ما يَنبَغي لكَ أن تُجري أخاكَ عَلى

مَجرى التجارِ بِما قالوا وما وَصَفوا

مَجرى التجارِ بِما قالوا وما وَصَفوا

You ought not to place your brother on

It does not behove you to treat your brother

The same footing as the merchants, for what they said and described.

As the merchants treat one another in what they say and describe

ما كانَ يَبقَى عَلى الإِملاقِ وهوَ يَرى

ما كانَ يَبقَى عَلى الإِملاقِ وهوَ يَرى

أموالَهم بينَهم تَسعَى وتَختلِفُ

أموالَهم بينَهم تَسعَى وتَختلِفُ

He would not remain in poverty while seeing

What would remain of gentleness while he sees

Their wealth circulate and move to and fro among them.

Their wealth moving between them, coming and going

لَو لَم يَكُن يَقتَضيها من مَؤونَتِه

لَو لَم يَكُن يَقتَضيها من مَؤونَتِه

إلا لتَحملَ بَينَ الناس والشّغفُ

إلا لتَحملَ بَينَ الناس والشّغفُ

Even if he needed it for his upkeep for no reason

Were it not that procuring it from his assets

But to bear [burdens] among people, and for passionate love

Would spare him having to carry and passion between people

بكلِّ أغيَدَ إن خُطَّت بِوَجنَتِه

بكلِّ أغيَدَ إن خُطَّت بِوَجنَتِه

لامٌ تعقَّبها من قدِّه ألِفُ

لامٌ تعقَّبها من قدِّه ألِفُ

For every graceful young man, if upon his cheek is traced

With every wrap that tears his cheeks

A lām, followed by an alif from his stature.

Blame pursues the length of his stature

حتَّى إِذا حَصلَ الحَرفان لا يَئِسَت

حتَّى إِذا حَصلَ الحَرفان لا يَئِسَت

منه النُّفوسُ إِلى أَن يَحصُلَ اللطَفُ

منه النُّفوسُ إِلى أَن يَحصُلَ اللطَفُ

Until, when the two letters spell 'no,' hope is lost

Until the two conditions come about, souls do not despair

In him by souls, until kindness is attained.

Of him until favor occurs

فأحسبُ القَوم لم يَأتوا زكاتَهم

فأحسبُ القَوم لم يَأتوا زكاتَهم

فَما أخَذتُهُم إِلا بِما اقتَرفوا

فَما أخَذتُهُم إِلا بِما اقتَرفوا

So I think those people have not paid their alms;

So I reckon the people did not pay their alms tax

I took them to task only for what they had committed.

Thus I took them for what they had committed

فهَل تَراني عَيِيّاً عَن جَوابهمُ

فهَل تَراني عَيِيّاً عَن جَوابهمُ

دَعني أردُّ عَليهم كلَّما هَتَفوا

دَعني أردُّ عَليهم كلَّما هَتَفوا

So do you see me as incapable of answering them?

Do you see me too weary to answer them?

Let me reply to them whenever they cry out.

Let me return upon them each time they cry out

وأنتَ تَعرفُ إِنفاقي ومُكتَسَبي

وأنتَ تَعرفُ إِنفاقي ومُكتَسَبي

وإنَّما مثلُ ذا من مثل ذا سرفُ

وإنَّما مثلُ ذا من مثل ذا سرفُ

And you know my spending and my earnings;

And you know my expenditure and what I earn

Such spending from such earnings is nothing but extravagance.

The likes of this is but from the likes of excess

ولستُ أملكُ إِلا ما وَقَعتَ به

ولستُ أملكُ إِلا ما وَقَعتَ به

أرددهُ أنتَ إذا أفلستَ تَعتَكِفُ

أرددهُ أنتَ إذا أفلستَ تَعتَكِفُ

And I own nothing but what you have railed against.

I have no control except over what befalls you

Return it yourself; when you go bankrupt, you withdraw into seclusion.

Return it when destitute, secluding yourself