أَليَأسُ عِزٌّ وَالذِلَّةُ الطَمَعُ

أَليَأسُ عِزٌّ وَالذِلَّةُ الطَمَعُ

يَضيقُ أَمرٌ يَوماً وَيَتِّسِعُ

يَضيقُ أَمرٌ يَوماً وَيَتِّسِعُ

Giving up hope is honor, and greed is humiliation.

Is despair honorable, and is greed humiliation?

A situation tightens one day, then opens up.

A matter narrows one day, and widens the next.

لا تَستَريثَنَّ إِذنَ مُحتَجِبٍ

لا تَستَريثَنَّ إِذنَ مُحتَجِبٍ

إِن لَم تَكُن بِالدُخولِ تَنتَفِعُ

إِن لَم تَكُن بِالدُخولِ تَنتَفِعُ

Do not grow impatient for permission from one who keeps himself secluded,

Do not hesitate if an introvert refuses you,

If you gain no benefit from entering.

If you will not benefit from entering.

أَحَقُّ شَيءٍ بِطولِ مَهجِرَةِ

أَحَقُّ شَيءٍ بِطولِ مَهجِرَةِ

مَن لَيسَ فيهِ رِيٌّ وَلا شِبَعُ

مَن لَيسَ فيهِ رِيٌّ وَلا شِبَعُ

The one most deserving of prolonged estrangement

What most deserves a prolonged estrangement

Is he who offers neither thirst's relief nor hunger's satisfaction.

Is one with no compassion or satiety.

قُل لِاِبنِ سَهلٍ فَإِنَّني رَجُلٌ

قُل لِاِبنِ سَهلٍ فَإِنَّني رَجُلٌ

إِن لَم تَدَعني فَإِنَّني أَدَعُ

إِن لَم تَدَعني فَإِنَّني أَدَعُ

Tell Ibn Sahl: I am a man—

Say to the son of Sahl, for I am a man-

If you do not leave me, then I will leave you.

If you do not leave me be, I shall leave you be.

أَليَأسُ مالي وَجُنَّتي كَرَمٌ

أَليَأسُ مالي وَجُنَّتي كَرَمٌ

وَالصَبرُ والٍ عَلَيَّ لا الجَزَعُ

وَالصَبرُ والٍ عَلَيَّ لا الجَزَعُ

Giving up hope is my wealth, and nobility my shield.

Is not my money and my garden generosity?

And patience is my ruler, not anguish.

Patience becoming of me, not anguish.