مِثالُthe likeness المالِof wealth إذwhen يَربوit grows ويَزكوand flourishes
مِثالُ المالِ إذ يَربو ويَزكو
ويُحرَمُand is deprived of خيرَهُits benefit مَنْwhoever يَقتنيهِpossesses it
ويُحرَمُ خيرَهُ مَنْ يَقتنيهِ
Wealth, when it swells and flourishes,
The likeness of wealth, when it grows and flourishes,
while whoever owns it is denied its good,
while its possessor is denied its benefit,
مِثالُthe likeness البَحرِof the sea جَمَّgrew abundant فصارَthen became مِلْحاًsalty
مِثالُ البَحرِ جَمَّ فصارَ مِلْحاً
أُجاجاًbitterly briny لاnot يَسوغُgoes down easily لِشارِبيهِfor its drinkers
أُجاجاً لا يَسوغُ لِشارِبيهِ
is like the sea: it grew vast and became salt,
is that of the sea: it swelled and became salty,
bitter brine that its drinkers cannot swallow.
bitterly briny, unpalatable to its drinkers.
فلاso do not تَخْتَرْchoose علىover قصدٍmoderation كَفافاًbare sufficiency
فلا تَخْتَرْ على قصدٍ كَفافاً
فَبَردُfor the cool comfort العَيْشِof life إنْif أنصَفْتَyou judge fairly فيهِin it
فَبَردُ العَيْشِ إنْ أنصَفْتَ فيهِ
So do not prefer bare sufficiency to moderation;
So do not choose bare sufficiency over moderation,
for, if you judge fairly, life’s cool delight lies in it.
for life's cool comfort, if you judge fairly, lies in it.
