1. يا طالب العز من أوفى مطالبه

    عليك بالله واحذر من مغاضبه

    O seeker of honor, among its surest means:

    Hold fast to God, and beware of what angers Him.

  2. وأحسن الخط تسلم من معاطبه

    الخط يبقى سنينا بعد كاتبه

    And perfect the handwriting; you will escape its pitfalls.

    The writing remains for years after its writer,

  3. وكاتب الخط تحت الأرض مدفونا

    عساكر الموت قد أبلت مخالبه

    While its writer lies buried beneath the earth.

    Death's armies have worn away his claws,

  4. وأظهرت ي افتى منه معاطبه

    فادع الإله وقل إن كنت طالبه

    And exposed, O young man [uncertain reading], the wounds in him.

    So call upon God, and say, if you seek Him:

  5. يا رب فاغفر لعبد كان كاتبه

    يا قارىء الحظ قل باللّه آمينا

    O Lord, forgive a servant who wrote it.

    O reader of fortune, say, by God, 'Amen.'

  6. فادع الإله عسى تحظى بصالحة

    فلم يخب من دعاه عند نازله

    So call upon God; perhaps you will be favored with something good.

    For none who called upon Him in calamity was disappointed.

  7. أكثر دعاه وأمّن عند حادثة

    آمين آمين لا أرضى بواحده

    Call upon Him often, and say 'Amen' when misfortune strikes.

    Amen, amen—I am not content with just one,

  8. حتى أضيف إليها ألف آمينا

    Until I add to it a thousand amens.