إِنّي هَزِئتُ مِنُ اُمِّ الغَمرِ إِذ هَزِئَت

إِنّي هَزِئتُ مِنُ اُمِّ الغَمرِ إِذ هَزِئَت

بِشَيبِ رَأسي وَما بِالشَيبِ مِن عارِ

بِشَيبِ رَأسي وَما بِالشَيبِ مِن عارِ

Indeed, I mocked Umm al-Ghamr when she mocked

I was mocked by the mother of darkness when she mocked

the gray hair of my head; there is no shame in gray hair.

The grayness of my head, though gray hair merits no shame.

ما شَقوَةُ المَرءِ بِالإِقتارِ يُقتِرُهُ

ما شَقوَةُ المَرءِ بِالإِقتارِ يُقتِرُهُ

وَلا سَعادَتُهُ يَوماً بِإِكثارِ

وَلا سَعادَتُهُ يَوماً بِإِكثارِ

A man's wretchedness lies not in the want that impoverishes him,

A man's misfortune comes not from meager means,

nor does his happiness ever lie in abundance.

Nor is he fortunate one day through abundance.

إِنَّ الشَقِيَّ الَّذي في النارِ مَنزِلُهُ

إِنَّ الشَقِيَّ الَّذي في النارِ مَنزِلُهُ

وَالفَوزُ فَوزُ الَّذي يَنجو مِنَ النارِ

وَالفَوزُ فَوزُ الَّذي يَنجو مِنَ النارِ

Indeed, the wretched one is he whose dwelling is in the Fire,

Truly wretched is he whose abode is the fire,

and triumph is the triumph of him who escapes the Fire.

And triumph belongs to him who escapes the flame.

أَعوذُ بِاللَهِ مِن أَمرٍ يُزَيِّنُ لي

أَعوذُ بِاللَهِ مِن أَمرٍ يُزَيِّنُ لي

لَومَ العَشيرَةِ أَو يُدني مِنَ العارِ

لَومَ العَشيرَةِ أَو يُدني مِنَ العارِ

I seek refuge in God from a deed that makes appealing to me

I seek refuge in God from a matter that makes fair to me

the clan's reproach, or brings me close to disgrace.

The blame of kin, or draws me nigh to shame.

وَخَيرُ دُنيا يُنسِّي شَرَّ آخِرَةٍ

وَخَيرُ دُنيا يُنسِّي شَرَّ آخِرَةٍ

وَسَوفَ يُنبئُني الجَبّارُ أَخباري

وَسَوفَ يُنبئُني الجَبّارُ أَخباري

And the good of this world makes one forget the evil of the hereafter,

The best of life makes one forget the evil of the last,

and the Almighty will tell me of my doings.

Yet the Almighty shall inform me of my account.

لا أُدخُلِ البَيتَ أَحبو مِن مُؤَخِّرِهِ

لا أُدخُلِ البَيتَ أَحبو مِن مُؤَخِّرِهِ

وَلا اِكسِّرُ في اِبنِ العَمِّ أَظفاري

وَلا اِكسِّرُ في اِبنِ العَمِّ أَظفاري

I do not enter the house crawling in from its rear,

I enter no home dearer than from behind,

nor do I break my nails against my cousin.

Nor in the son of an uncle brandish my claws.

إِن يَحجُبِ اللَهُ أَبصاراً أُراقِبُها

إِن يَحجُبِ اللَهُ أَبصاراً أُراقِبُها

فَقَد يَرى اللَهُ حالَ المُدلَجِ الساري

فَقَد يَرى اللَهُ حالَ المُدلَجِ الساري

If God conceals the eyes I watch,

If God screens eyes I watch over,

then God indeed sees the state of the traveler journeying by night.

Then God may see the state of the cloaked thief.