ما أَحسَنَ الدُنيا وَإِقبالَها

ما أَحسَنَ الدُنيا وَإِقبالَها

إِذا أَطاعَ اللَّهَ مَن نالَها

إِذا أَطاعَ اللَّهَ مَن نالَها

How lovely the world and its favor are,

How splendid is the world and its favoring fortune,

When the one who gains it obeys God.

When he who attains it obeys God.

مَن لَم يواسِ النَّاسَ مِن فَضلِهِ

مَن لَم يواسِ النَّاسَ مِن فَضلِهِ

عَرَّضَ لِلإِدبارِ إِقبالَها

عَرَّضَ لِلإِدبارِ إِقبالَها

Whoever does not help others from his surplus

For whoever does not comfort people with his surplus,

Exposes its favor to reversal.

Exposes that fortune to a turning away.

فَاِحذَر زَوالَ الفَضلِ يا جابِرُ

فَاِحذَر زَوالَ الفَضلِ يا جابِرُ

وَاعطِ مِن دُنياكَ مَن سالَها

وَاعطِ مِن دُنياكَ مَن سالَها

So beware the loss of bounty, O Jabir,

So beware the vanishing of grace, O Jabir,

And give of your worldly wealth to whoever asks for it.

And give from your worldly goods to those who ask.

فَإِنَّ ذا العَرشِ جَزيلُ العَطا

فَإِنَّ ذا العَرشِ جَزيلُ العَطا

ءِ يُضَعِفُ بِالحَبَةِ أَمثالَها

ءِ يُضَعِفُ بِالحَبَةِ أَمثالَها

For the Lord of the Throne is lavish in giving;

Indeed, the Lord of the Throne is abundant in giving;

He multiplies a grain many times over.

He multiplies a single grain into many like it.

وَكَم رَأَينا مِن ذَوي ثَروَةٍ

وَكَم رَأَينا مِن ذَوي ثَروَةٍ

لَم يَقبَلوا بِالشُّكرِ إِقبالَها

لَم يَقبَلوا بِالشُّكرِ إِقبالَها

And how many wealthy people we have seen

How many possessors of wealth have we seen,

Who did not receive its favor with gratitude!

Who did not meet its arrival with gratitude.

تاهوا عَلى الدُنيا بِأَموالِهِم

تاهوا عَلى الدُنيا بِأَموالِهِم

وَقَيَّدوا بِالبُخلِ أَقفالَها

وَقَيَّدوا بِالبُخلِ أَقفالَها

They lorded it over the world with their wealth,

They grew arrogant in the world with their money,

And fastened its locks with miserliness.

And fastened its locks with miserliness.

لَو شَكَروا النِعمَةَ زادَتُهُمُ

لَو شَكَروا النِعمَةَ زادَتُهُمُ

مَقالَةً لِلّهِ قَد قالَها

مَقالَةً لِلّهِ قَد قالَها

Had they been grateful for the blessing, it would have brought them more,

Had they thanked the blessing, it would have increased them,

As God has said in His declaration:

A decree from God that He has spoken:

لَئِن شَكَرتُم لَأَزيدَنَّكُم

لَئِن شَكَرتُم لَأَزيدَنَّكُم

لَكِّنَما كُفرَهُم غالَها

لَكِّنَما كُفرَهُم غالَها

"If you give thanks, I shall surely give you more."

"If you are grateful, I will surely increase you,"

But their ingratitude destroyed it.

Yet their ingratitude brought about its ruin.

مَن جاوَرَ النِعمَةَ بِالشُكرِ لَم

مَن جاوَرَ النِعمَةَ بِالشُكرِ لَم

يِخشَ عَلى النِعمَةِ مُغتالَها

يِخشَ عَلى النِعمَةِ مُغتالَها

Whoever dwells with blessing in gratitude will not

He who guards a blessing with gratitude need not

Fear what might stealthily destroy that blessing.

Fear any destroyer coming for that blessing.

وَالكُفرُ بِالنِعمَةِ يَدعو إِلى

وَالكُفرُ بِالنِعمَةِ يَدعو إِلى

زَوالِها وَالشُكرُ أَبقى لَها

زَوالِها وَالشُكرُ أَبقى لَها

And ingratitude for a blessing leads to

For ingratitude toward a blessing invites

Its loss, while gratitude better preserves it.

Its departure, while gratitude preserves it best.