وَما طَلَبُ المَعيشَةِ بِالتَمَنّي

وَما طَلَبُ المَعيشَةِ بِالتَمَنّي

وَلَكِن أَلقِ دَلوَكَ في الدَلاءِ

وَلَكِن أَلقِ دَلوَكَ في الدَلاءِ

Seeking a livelihood is not a matter of wishing;

The pursuit of livelihood is not achieved by mere wishing,

rather, cast your bucket among the buckets.

But rather, cast your bucket in among the other buckets;

تَجِئكَ بِمِلئِها يَوماً وَيَوماً

تَجِئكَ بِمِلئِها يَوماً وَيَوماً

تَجِئكَ بِحَمأَةٍ وَقَليلِ ماءِ

تَجِئكَ بِحَمأَةٍ وَقَليلِ ماءِ

One day it comes to you full, and another day

One day it will come to you brimming full,

it comes to you with dark mud and a little water.

And another day it will bring you sludge and meager water.

وَلا تَقعُد عَلى كُلِّ التَمَنّي

وَلا تَقعُد عَلى كُلِّ التَمَنّي

تَحيلُ عَلى المَقدَّرِ وَالقَضاءِ

تَحيلُ عَلى المَقدَّرِ وَالقَضاءِ

And do not sit idle, relying entirely on wishes,

Do not sit idle, relying entirely on wishes,

leaving matters to destiny and divine decree.

While deferring everything to destiny and divine decree.

فَإِنَّ مَقادِرَ الرَحمَنِ تَجري

فَإِنَّ مَقادِرَ الرَحمَنِ تَجري

بَأَرزاقِ الرِجالِ مِنَ السَماءِ

بَأَرزاقِ الرِجالِ مِنَ السَماءِ

For the All-Merciful's decrees flow

For truly, the decrees of the Most Merciful flow forth,

with men's provisions from heaven,

Delivering the sustenance of men down from the heavens,

مَقدَّرَةً بِقَبضٍ أَو بِبَسطٍ

مَقدَّرَةً بِقَبضٍ أَو بِبَسطٍ

وَعَجزُ المَرءِ أَسبابُ البَلاءِ

وَعَجزُ المَرءِ أَسبابُ البَلاءِ

apportioned in scant or ample measure;

Apportioned by scarcity or abundance,

and a man's helplessness is a cause of affliction.

Yet a man's own incapacity is the cause of his tribulation.

لَنِعمَ اليَومُ يَومُ السَبتِ حَقّاً

لَنِعمَ اليَومُ يَومُ السَبتِ حَقّاً

لِصَيدٍ إِن أَرَدتَ بَلا اِمتِراءِ

لِصَيدٍ إِن أَرَدتَ بَلا اِمتِراءِ

Saturday is truly an excellent day

Truly, what an excellent day is Saturday,

for hunting, if you wish, beyond all doubt.

For hunting, if that is your desire, without a doubt.

وَفي الأَحَدِ البِناءِ لِأَنَّ فيهِ

وَفي الأَحَدِ البِناءِ لِأَنَّ فيهِ

تَبَدّى اللَهُ في خَلقِ السَماءِ

تَبَدّى اللَهُ في خَلقِ السَماءِ

And Sunday is for building, for on it

And Sunday is the day for building, for within it

God manifested Himself in the creation of heaven.

God began the creation of the heavens.

وَفي الإِثنَينِ إِن سافَرتَ فيهِ

وَفي الإِثنَينِ إِن سافَرتَ فيهِ

سَتَظفَرُ بِالنَجاحِ وَِبالثَراءِ

سَتَظفَرُ بِالنَجاحِ وَِبالثَراءِ

And on Monday, if you travel that day,

And regarding Monday, should you travel upon it,

you will gain success and wealth.

You will attain success and abundant wealth.

وَمِن يُردِ الحِجامَةَ فَالثُلاثا

وَمِن يُردِ الحِجامَةَ فَالثُلاثا

فَفي ساعَتِهِ سَفكُ الدِماءِ

فَفي ساعَتِهِ سَفكُ الدِماءِ

And whoever desires cupping—Tuesday is the day,

And whoever seeks cupping, let him choose Tuesday,

for in its hour blood is shed.

For in its hours, the blood flows freely.

وَإِن شَرِبَ اِمرِؤٌ يَوماً دَواءً

وَإِن شَرِبَ اِمرِؤٌ يَوماً دَواءً

فَنِعمَ اليَومَ يَومَ الأَربِعاءِ

فَنِعمَ اليَومَ يَومَ الأَربِعاءِ

And if a man one day drinks a remedy,

And should a man need to drink a potion of medicine,

then Wednesday is an excellent day.

Then the most excellent day is Wednesday.

وَفي يَومِ الخَميسِ قَضاءُ حاجٍ

وَفي يَومِ الخَميسِ قَضاءُ حاجٍ

فَفيهِ اللَهُ يَأذَنُ بِالدُعاءِ

فَفيهِ اللَهُ يَأذَنُ بِالدُعاءِ

And Thursday is for fulfilling needs,

And Thursday is for the fulfilling of needs,

for on it God permits supplication.

For in it, God grants permission to prayers.

وَفي الجُمُعاتِ تَزويجٌ وَعُرسٌ

وَفي الجُمُعاتِ تَزويجٌ وَعُرسٌ

وَلذَّاتُ الرِجالِ مَعَ النِساءِ

وَلذَّاتُ الرِجالِ مَعَ النِساءِ

And Fridays are for marriage and wedding feasts,

And on Fridays, let there be marriage and weddings,

and men's pleasures with women.

And the intimate pleasures of men with women.

وَهَذا العِلمُ لا يَعلَمهُ إِلّا

وَهَذا العِلمُ لا يَعلَمهُ إِلّا

نَبِيٌّ أَو وَصِيُّ الأَنبِياءِ

نَبِيٌّ أَو وَصِيُّ الأَنبِياءِ

And none knows this knowledge except

And this is knowledge possessed by none save

a prophet or the prophets' legatee.

A Prophet, or the Successor of Prophets.

فَكَيفَ بِهِ أَنّي أُداوي جِراحَهُ

فَكَيفَ بِهِ أَنّي أُداوي جِراحَهُ

فَيَدوى فَلا مُلَّ الدَواءُ

فَيَدوى فَلا مُلَّ الدَواءُ

What then of him, when I treat his wounds,

So how is it that I tend to his wounds,

yet he sickens? May no one tire of the remedy.

Yet he remains afflicted, though the remedy is never wearisome?