يا فاضلا حاز فخر الفضل عن أدبه

يا فاضلا حاز فخر الفضل عن أدبه

وازداد فخرا يفوق الفخر عن حسبه

وازداد فخرا يفوق الفخر عن حسبه

O worthy man, whose refinement has won the glory of excellence,

O virtuous one who has attained the pride of virtue through his manners

And whose honorable standing has brought glory surpassing glory,

And has gained more pride that surpasses pride through his lineage

أما الزمان فمذموم على نوبه

أما الزمان فمذموم على نوبه

والصبر أولى بحرّ زيد في كربه

والصبر أولى بحرّ زيد في كربه

As for time, it is blameworthy for its calamities;

As for time, it is blameworthy in its turns

And patience best befits a noble man whose distress has increased.

And patience is more fitting for the perplexed in their affliction

ومن تعجّب من أحداثه عجبي

ومن تعجّب من أحداثه عجبي

عن قوله وهو ذو علم بمنقلبه

عن قوله وهو ذو علم بمنقلبه

And whoever marvels at its happenings—my wonder is

And whoever is astonished by its events, I am astonished

At his words, though he knows his eventual fate.

By his words, and he is knowledgeable of its reversals

والحظ في قسمة الأرزاق عند فنى

والحظ في قسمة الأرزاق عند فنى

سرّ يدِقّ على ذي اللب في عجبه

سرّ يدِقّ على ذي اللب في عجبه

And luck in the apportionment of livelihoods, at death [uncertain reading],

And fate in the distribution of sustenance according to the artist

Is a mystery too subtle for a discerning man in his wonder.

Is a secret that squeezes the heart of the perceptive one in its perplexity

خذ كل يوم بما فيه وإن فدحت

خذ كل يوم بما فيه وإن فدحت

نوائبُ الدهر فاقبلها على عقبه

نوائبُ الدهر فاقبلها على عقبه

Take each day with what it brings; however heavily

Take each day as it comes, and if the calamities of fate gush forth

Time's calamities strike, accept them in its wake.

Receive them on their heels willingly, or else you will receive them unwillingly

طوعا وإلا فكرها سوف تقبلها

طوعا وإلا فكرها سوف تقبلها

والشكر للمرء طوعا خير مكتسبه

والشكر للمرء طوعا خير مكتسبه

Willingly—or else unwillingly you will accept them.

And gratitude is better earned by one who accepts willingly

And willing gratitude is the best thing a person can gain.

If you contemplate the blame of fate, you will not see it

إذا تأمّلت ذم الحظ لم تره

إذا تأمّلت ذم الحظ لم تره

حظا لتعديل مولى القسم في سببه

حظا لتعديل مولى القسم في سببه

If you reflect on blaming luck, you will not see it

As a fate, in order to justify the Ordainer in its reason

As chance, since the Lord of allotment orders its cause justly.

But it is the self that complains of its worries in disgruntlement

لكنّها النفس تشكو شجوها ضجرا

لكنّها النفس تشكو شجوها ضجرا

نقص اليقين بنور الهم عنه وبه

نقص اليقين بنور الهم عنه وبه

But it is the soul that complains impatiently of its sorrow;

The lack of certainty by the light of anxiety within it and through it

Certainty dwindles in the light of worry about it and through it.

And sometimes one chooses a matter that tires them

وربما اخترت أمرا فيه متعبةٌ

وربما اخترت أمرا فيه متعبةٌ

ولست تدري بصدق المرء من كذبه

ولست تدري بصدق المرء من كذبه

And perhaps you have chosen a course containing hardship,

And they do not know the sincerity of a person from their lies

Yet you cannot tell a person's truthfulness from his lies.

It is for that reason that what has been said in the proverb is so well put

من أجل ذلك ما قد قيل في مثل

من أجل ذلك ما قد قيل في مثل

أجاد شاعره الإيضاح عن أربه

أجاد شاعره الإيضاح عن أربه

For that reason comes what has been said in a proverb,

Its poet has excellently elucidated its meaning

Its poet having made his intent admirably clear:

How many are eager for something to attain it

كم من حريص على شيء ليدركه

كم من حريص على شيء ليدركه

لعلّ إدراكه يدنيه من عطبه

لعلّ إدراكه يدنيه من عطبه

How many a person is eager for something, seeking to attain it—

Perhaps its attainment will bring them closer to their mending

Perhaps attaining it brings him near his ruin.