أَمَتُّI put to death مَطامِعيmy cravings فَأَرَحتُso I gave rest to نَفسيmy soul
أَمَتُّ مَطامِعي فَأَرَحتُ نَفسي
فَإِنَّfor indeed النَفسَthe soul ماas long as طَمِعَتit covets تَهونُit is debased
فَإِنَّ النَفسَ ما طَمِعَت تَهونُ
I put my cravings to death and gave my soul rest.
For the soul is debased as long as it covets.
وَأَحيَيتُand I revived القُنوعَcontentment وَكانَand it was مَيِّتاًdead
وَأَحيَيتُ القُنوعَ وَكانَ مَيِّتاً
فَفيfor in إِحيائِهِreviving it عِرضٌhonor مَصونُpreserved
فَفي إِحيائِهِ عِرضٌ مَصونُ
And I revived contentment, which had been dead.
For in reviving it, honor is preserved.
إِذاwhen طَمَعٌgreed يَحِلُّsettles بِقَلبِin the heart of عَبدٍa servant
إِذا طَمَعٌ يَحِلُّ بِقَلبِ عَبدٍ
عَلَتهُovertakes him مَهانَةٌhumiliation وَعَلاهُand overwhelms him هونُdisgrace
عَلَتهُ مَهانَةٌ وَعَلاهُ هونُ
When greed settles in a servant's heart,
Humiliation overtakes him, and disgrace overwhelms him.