وما خير معروف الفتى في شبابه

وما خير معروف الفتى في شبابه

إذا لم يزده الشيب حين يشيبُ

إذا لم يزده الشيب حين يشيبُ

And what good is a young man's kindness in his youth

The young man's kindness won't help when he's old and gray.

if gray hair does not increase it when he grows gray?

The needy man who asks won't always walk away.

وما السائل المحروبُ يَرجعُ خائباً

وما السائل المحروبُ يَرجعُ خائباً

ولكن بخيل الأغنياء يخيبُ

ولكن بخيل الأغنياء يخيبُ

And it is not the dispossessed petitioner who returns disappointed,

But greed denies donations from the rich man's pay.

but the miser among the wealthy who fails.

Fate gives wealth to some, while others toil each day.

وللمال أشراك وإن ضنَّ ربُّه

وللمال أشراك وإن ضنَّ ربُّه

يصيب الفتى من ماله وتصيب

يصيب الفتى من ماله وتصيب

And wealth has other sharers, even if its owner is miserly:

the young man takes a share of his wealth, and they take theirs.