وَهَذا المالُ يُرزَقُهُ رِجالٌ

وَهَذا المالُ يُرزَقُهُ رِجالٌ

مَناديلٌ إِذا اِختُبِروا فَسولُ

مَناديلٌ إِذا اِختُبِروا فَسولُ

And this wealth is granted to men—

And this money is granted to men

Mere wiping-cloths, worthless when put to the test.

Who are revealed to be swindlers when tested

وَرِزقُ الخَلقِ مَجلوبٌ إِلَيهم

وَرِزقُ الخَلقِ مَجلوبٌ إِلَيهم

مَقاديرٌ يُقَدِّرُها الجَليلُ

مَقاديرٌ يُقَدِّرُها الجَليلُ

And creatures' sustenance is brought to them:

And people's sustenance is brought to them

Allotments ordained by the Majestic One.

In quantities predestined by the Most High

كَما تُسقى سَباخُ الأَرضِ رِيّاً

كَما تُسقى سَباخُ الأَرضِ رِيّاً

وَلا بِالمالِ تُقتَسَمُ العُقولُ

وَلا بِالمالِ تُقتَسَمُ العُقولُ

Just as the earth's salt flats are watered to fullness,

As the land is watered with ample rain

Nor are minds apportioned according to wealth.

And minds cannot be bought with money

كَأَنَّكَ كُنتَ قَد خامَرتَ قَلبي

كَأَنَّكَ كُنتَ قَد خامَرتَ قَلبي

فَجِئتَ بِما شَفَيتَ بَهَ الغَليلا

فَجِئتَ بِما شَفَيتَ بَهَ الغَليلا

It is as though you had entered my heart,

It was as if you had stirred my heart

Then brought that with which you quenched its burning thirst.

So you came with what quenched my thirst

رَأَيتُ بَراعَةَ الإيجازِ أَشفى

رَأَيتُ بَراعَةَ الإيجازِ أَشفى

فَصارَ كَثيرُ غَيرِكَ لي قَليلا

فَصارَ كَثيرُ غَيرِكَ لي قَليلا

I found masterful brevity more healing,

I saw the skill of brevity as more healing

So others' many words came to count for little with me.

Thus much of what is not from you became little to me