المالُwealth يكسِبُearns for ربَّهits owner ماas long as لمdoes not يَفضْflow forth
المالُ يكسِبُ ربَّه ما لم يَفضْ
فيamong الراغبينَthose appealing إليهto him سوءَill ثناءِrepute
في الراغبينَ إليه سوءَ ثناءِ
Wealth, unless it flows forth, earns its owner
Money earns blessings for its owner unless
Ill repute among those who appeal to him.
It brings bad repute upon the greedy.
كالماءِlike water تأسِنُturns foul بِئرُهُits well إلاexcept إذاwhen
كالماءِ تأسِنُ بِئرُهُ إلا إذا
خبطَstirred السُّقاةُthe water-drawers جِمامَهُits abundant water بدِلاءِwith buckets
خبطَ السُّقاةُ جِمامَهُ بدِلاءِ
Like water, whose well turns foul unless
A well's ropes stay clean unless
The water-drawers stir its abundant water with buckets.
The water-drawers dirty its bucket-mouth.
والنائلُand the bounty المُعْطَىgiven بغيرِwithout وسيلةٍintercession
والنائلُ المُعْطَى بغيرِ وسيلةٍ
كالماءِlike water مُغْتَرفاًscooped up بغيرِwithout رِشاءِa well-rope
كالماءِ مُغْتَرفاً بغيرِ رِشاءِ
And bounty given without intercession
And gifts gotten with no effort
Is like water scooped up without a well-rope.
Are like water drawn without a bucket.