الخَيرُ أَفضَلُ ما لَزِمتا

الخَيرُ أَفضَلُ ما لَزِمتا

وَالشَرُّ أَخبَثُ ما طَمِعتا

وَالشَرُّ أَخبَثُ ما طَمِعتا

Goodness is the best thing you have held to.

Good is best when you adhere

And evil is the vilest thing you have coveted.

And evil is most vile when you aspire

وَالناسُ ما سَلِموا عَلى الـ

وَالناسُ ما سَلِموا عَلى الـ

ـأَيّامِ مِنكَ وَقَد سَلِمتا

ـأَيّامِ مِنكَ وَقَد سَلِمتا

And people have not been safe through the

People did not fare well with the days

days from you, though you have been safe.

Yet you made your peace with them

أَمّا الزَمانُ فَواعِظٌ

أَمّا الزَمانُ فَواعِظٌ

وَمُبَيَّنٌ لَكَ إِن فَهِمتا

وَمُبَيَّنٌ لَكَ إِن فَهِمتا

As for time, it is an admonisher,

Time surely moralizes

and made clear to you, if you understand.

And makes clear to you if you understand

وَكَفى بِعِلمِكَ بِالأُمو

وَكَفى بِعِلمِكَ بِالأُمو

رِ إِنِ انتَفَعتَ بِما عَلِمتا

رِ إِنِ انتَفَعتَ بِما عَلِمتا

And sufficient is your knowledge of af-

Your knowledge of affairs is enough

-fairs, if you benefit from what you have learned.

If you benefit from what you have learned

أَنتَ المُهَذَّبُ إِن رَضيـ

أَنتَ المُهَذَّبُ إِن رَضيـ

ـتَ بِما رُزِقتَ وَما حُرِمتا

ـتَ بِما رُزِقتَ وَما حُرِمتا

You are refined if you are con-

You are refined if you are content

-tent with what you were given and what you were denied.

With what you were given and denied

إِنَّ الأُلى طَلَبوا التُقى

إِنَّ الأُلى طَلَبوا التُقى

يَتَيَقَّظونَ وَأَنتَ نِمتا

يَتَيَقَّظونَ وَأَنتَ نِمتا

Indeed, those who sought piety

The enlightened sought piety

remain vigilant, while you have slept.

Awakening while you slept

أَحسِن وَإِلّا لَم تُصِب

أَحسِن وَإِلّا لَم تُصِب

إِن أَنتَ لَم تُحسِن نَدِمتا

إِن أَنتَ لَم تُحسِن نَدِمتا

Do good; otherwise you will not succeed.

Do good, else you will regret

If you do not do good, you will regret it.

When you fail to do good

وَإِذا نَقِمتَ عَلى امرِئٍ

وَإِذا نَقِمتَ عَلى امرِئٍ

خُلُقاً فَجانِب ما نَقِمتا

خُلُقاً فَجانِب ما نَقِمتا

And if you resent in someone

And when you resent a person

a character trait, shun what you resent.

For their manners, avoid what you resented

وَارحَم لِرَبِّكَ خَلقَهُ

وَارحَم لِرَبِّكَ خَلقَهُ

فَلَيَرحَمَنَّكَ إِن رَحِمتا

فَلَيَرحَمَنَّكَ إِن رَحِمتا

And for your Lord's sake, have mercy on His creation;

Have mercy on your Lord's creation

then He will surely have mercy on you, if you show mercy.

That He may have mercy on you

لا تَظلِمَنَّ تَكُن مِنَ الـ

لا تَظلِمَنَّ تَكُن مِنَ الـ

ـأَحزارِ وَاعفُ إِذا ظُلِمتا

ـأَحزارِ وَاعفُ إِذا ظُلِمتا

Never act unjustly; you will be among the

Do not oppress, be not of

free people [likely intended]; and forgive when you are wronged.

The tyrants, and pardon when oppressed

وَإِنِ اتَّقَيتَ اللَهَ في

وَإِنِ اتَّقَيتَ اللَهَ في

كُلِّ الأُمورِ فَقَد غَنِمتا

كُلِّ الأُمورِ فَقَد غَنِمتا

And if you fear God in

And if you are mindful of God

all matters, you have indeed gained.

In all affairs, you have prospered