عُدَّ مِنَ الرَحمَنِ فَضلاً وَنِعمَةً

عُدَّ مِنَ الرَحمَنِ فَضلاً وَنِعمَةً

عَلَيكَ إِذا ما جاءَ لِلخَيرِ طالِبُ

عَلَيكَ إِذا ما جاءَ لِلخَيرِ طالِبُ

Count it a favor and a blessing from the All-Merciful

Count it as grace and blessing from the Merciful

bestowed upon you whenever someone comes seeking help.

Upon you when one seeking good comes to you

وَإِنَّ امرَءً لا يُرتَجى الخَيرُ عِندَهُ

وَإِنَّ امرَءً لا يُرتَجى الخَيرُ عِندَهُ

يَكُن هَيِّناً ثِقلاً عَلى مَن يُصاحِبُ

يَكُن هَيِّناً ثِقلاً عَلى مَن يُصاحِبُ

And a man from whom no good can be expected

And truly a man from whom good is not hoped

will be of little worth, a burden to those he accompanies.

Becomes burdensome for whoever accompanies him

أَرى دِوَلاً هَذا الزَمانَ بِأَهلِهِ

أَرى دِوَلاً هَذا الزَمانَ بِأَهلِهِ

وَبَينَهُمُ فيهِ تَكونُ النَوائِبُ

وَبَينَهُمُ فيهِ تَكونُ النَوائِبُ

I see this age bringing reversals of fortune to its people,

I see the succession of eras with its people

and in it misfortunes arise among them.

And between them tribulations occur

فَلا تَمنَعَن ذا حاجَةٍ جاءَ طالِباً

فَلا تَمنَعَن ذا حاجَةٍ جاءَ طالِباً

فَإِنَّكَ لا تَدري مَتى أَنتَ راغِبُ

فَإِنَّكَ لا تَدري مَتى أَنتَ راغِبُ

So never refuse someone in need who comes asking,

So do not prevent one with a need who comes seeking

for you do not know when you yourself will be seeking help.

For you know not when you will be desirous

وَإِن قُلتَ في شَيءٍ نَعَم فَأَتِمَّهُ

وَإِن قُلتَ في شَيءٍ نَعَم فَأَتِمَّهُ

فَإِنَّ نَعَم دَينٌ عَلى الحُرِّ واجِبُ

فَإِنَّ نَعَم دَينٌ عَلى الحُرِّ واجِبُ

And if you say 'yes' to something, fulfill it,

And if you say yes in a matter, then fulfill it

for 'yes' is a binding debt upon an honorable man.

For yes is an obligation on the free and binding

وَإِلّا فَقُل لا واستَرِح وَأَرِح بِها

وَإِلّا فَقُل لا واستَرِح وَأَرِح بِها

لِكَيلا يَقولُ الناسُ أَنَّكَ كاذِبُ

لِكَيلا يَقولُ الناسُ أَنَّكَ كاذِبُ

Otherwise, say 'no'; rest easy, and put others at ease with it,

Or else say no and relax and make him relax with it

lest people say that you are a liar.

Lest people say you are a liar

إِذا كُنتَ تَبغي شيمَةً غَيرَ شيمَةٍ

إِذا كُنتَ تَبغي شيمَةً غَيرَ شيمَةٍ

جُبِلتَ عَلَيها لَم تُطِعكَ الضَرائِبُ

جُبِلتَ عَلَيها لَم تُطِعكَ الضَرائِبُ

If you seek a disposition other than the one

If you seek a trait other than your innate trait

you were born with, your innate traits will not obey you.

Fate will not obey you through difficulties

تَخَلَّقُ أَحياناً إِذا ما أَرَدتَها

تَخَلَّقُ أَحياناً إِذا ما أَرَدتَها

وَخُلقُكَ مِن دونِ التَخَلُّقِ غالِبُ

وَخُلقُكَ مِن دونِ التَخَلُّقِ غالِبُ

You may assume it at times, if you desire it,

You feign sometimes when you want it

but your nature, rather than affectation, prevails.

Yet your true trait prevails over feigning

رَأَيتُ التِوا هَذا الزَمانِ بِأَهلِهِ

رَأَيتُ التِوا هَذا الزَمانِ بِأَهلِهِ

وَبينَهُمُ فيهِ تَكونُ النَوائِبُ

وَبينَهُمُ فيهِ تَكونُ النَوائِبُ

I have seen this age twist and turn with its people,

I have seen the succession of eras with its people

and in it misfortunes arise among them.

And between them tribulations occur