عد من الرحمن فضلا ونعمة — أبو الأسود الدؤلي

عُدَّ مِنَ الرَحمَنِ فَضلاً وَنِعمَةً

عَلَيكَ إِذا ما جاءَ لِلخَيرِ طالِبُ

Count it a favor and a blessing from the Most Merciful

upon you when someone comes seeking good.

وَإِنَّ امرَءً لا يُرتَجى الخَيرُ عِندَهُ

يَكُن هَيِّناً ثِقلاً عَلى مَن يُصاحِبُ

And a man from whom no good is expected

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

أَرى دِوَلاً هَذا الزَمانَ بِأَهلِهِ

وَبَينَهُمُ فيهِ تَكونُ النَوائِبُ

I see this age shifting the fortunes of its people,

and in it, misfortunes arise among them.

فَلا تَمنَعَن ذا حاجَةٍ جاءَ طالِباً

فَإِنَّكَ لا تَدري مَتى أَنتَ راغِبُ

So never refuse someone in need who has come asking,

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

وَإِن قُلتَ في شَيءٍ نَعَم فَأَتِمَّهُ

فَإِنَّ نَعَم دَينٌ عَلى الحُرِّ واجِبُ

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

for 'yes' is a debt binding upon a free man.

وَإِلّا فَقُل لا واستَرِح وَأَرِح بِها

لِكَيلا يَقولُ الناسُ أَنَّكَ كاذِبُ

Otherwise, say 'no,' and ease yourself and others with it,

lest people say you are a liar.

إِذا كُنتَ تَبغي شيمَةً غَيرَ شيمَةٍ

جُبِلتَ عَلَيها لَم تُطِعكَ الضَرائِبُ

If you seek a trait other than the trait

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

تَخَلَّقُ أَحياناً إِذا ما أَرَدتَها

وَخُلقُكَ مِن دونِ التَخَلُّقِ غالِبُ

You sometimes assume it when you desire it,

yet your natural character prevails over your assumed character.

رَأَيتُ التِوا هَذا الزَمانِ بِأَهلِهِ

وَبينَهُمُ فيهِ تَكونُ النَوائِبُ

I have seen this age's twists and turns with its people,

and in it, misfortunes arise among them.