والحلم مثل الدوا مرّ مذاقته

والحلم مثل الدوا مرّ مذاقته

وغبذه نافع والصبر سرّار

وغبذه نافع والصبر سرّار

And forbearance is like medicine: bitter is its taste;

Dreams are like medicine, their taste is bitter,

And its [aftereffect?] is beneficial, and patience brings joy.

Their benefit concealed, and patience a healer,

والفقر داء وشرّ منه مسكنة

والفقر داء وشرّ منه مسكنة

مع نشبة سيّما إن قل نصّار

مع نشبة سيّما إن قل نصّار

And poverty is an illness; worse than it is abasement

Poverty's an illness with humiliation worse than its pain,

Alongside wealth, especially when supporters are few.

Especially with scarce supporters to entertain.

كلا لبست فلم أجزع لنائبة

كلا لبست فلم أجزع لنائبة

إقبال يوم ويوم فيه إدبار

إقبال يوم ويوم فيه إدبار

I have worn them all, and did not flinch at calamity:

Though fate's blows and retreats alternate duly,

A day of good fortune, and a day of reversal.

I'm unshaken, fortunes change daily.

إلا ثلاثة أشياء خضعت لها

إلا ثلاثة أشياء خضعت لها

سقم يطول وهجران وإعسار

سقم يطول وهجران وإعسار

Except for three things to which I bowed:

Only three tribulations subdue me:

An illness that lingers, estrangement, and penury.

Illness lingering, beloved's absence, poverty.

والدار دارك ما دام المعاش بها

والدار دارك ما دام المعاش بها

فإن أبت فهي لا جار ولا دار

فإن أبت فهي لا جار ولا دار

And a home is your home as long as your livelihood is there;

Home is where you can live; should it fail you,

But if it refuses, then it is neither neighbor nor home.

It becomes neighbourless, no home avail you.