يَغدو إِلى كَسبِ قيراطٍ أَخو عَمَلٍ

يَغدو إِلى كَسبِ قيراطٍ أَخو عَمَلٍ

لَو يوزَنُ الإِثمُ فيهِ كانَ قِنطارا

لَو يوزَنُ الإِثمُ فيهِ كانَ قِنطارا

A working man goes out in the morning to earn a qirat;

He goes to earn a measly carat, a brother of hard work,

were the sin in it weighed, it would be a qintar.

If wickedness in it was weighed, it would be a quintal.

يَبغي التَشَبُّثَ بِالأَوقاتِ جائِزُها

يَبغي التَشَبُّثَ بِالأَوقاتِ جائِزُها

هَيهاتَ ما الوَقتُ إِلّا طائِرٌ طارا

هَيهاتَ ما الوَقتُ إِلّا طائِرٌ طارا

He who passes through the hours seeks to cling to them;

He wants to cling to the allowed times,

in vain! Time is only a bird that has flown.

Alas! Time is nothing but a bird that flew away.

فَاِزجُر خَواطِرَ نَفسٍ غَيرِ مُحسِنَةٍ

فَاِزجُر خَواطِرَ نَفسٍ غَيرِ مُحسِنَةٍ

فَقَد تُجَشِّمُ في دُنياكَ أَخطارا

فَقَد تُجَشِّمُ في دُنياكَ أَخطارا

So curb the impulses of a soul that does no good,

So restrain the thoughts of an ungrateful soul,

for it may make you face dangers in your earthly life.

For you may face dangers in your world.

وَالناسُ يَخزونَ بِالسَوآتِ أَنفُسَهُم

وَالناسُ يَخزونَ بِالسَوآتِ أَنفُسَهُم

حَتّى يُقَضّوا مِنَ الأَشياءِ أَوطارا

حَتّى يُقَضّوا مِنَ الأَشياءِ أَوطارا

And people disgrace themselves with shameful deeds,

And people debase themselves with faults,

to satisfy their desires for things.

Until they are rid of things bit by bit.

وَهَجرُ لَذَّةٍ حينٍ غَيرِ دائِمَةٍ

وَهَجرُ لَذَّةٍ حينٍ غَيرِ دائِمَةٍ

يَرُدُّ بِالمَنطِقِ المُتَفالَ مِعطارا

يَرُدُّ بِالمَنطِقِ المُتَفالَ مِعطارا

And forsaking a moment's fleeting pleasure

And leaving a transient pleasure,

makes the foul-smelling fragrant in speech.

Returns eloquent mature speech.

وَقَد تَكونُ أَيادي القَومِ باذِلَةً

وَقَد تَكونُ أَيادي القَومِ باذِلَةً

حَتّى تُعَدُّ مَعَ الأَمطارِ أَمطارا

حَتّى تُعَدُّ مَعَ الأَمطارِ أَمطارا

And people's hands may give so freely

And people's hands may be generous,

that they are counted as rain alongside the rains.

Until they are counted with rains, showers.

إِن صُمتَ عَن مَأكَلِ العادي وَمَشرَبِهِ

إِن صُمتَ عَن مَأكَلِ العادي وَمَشرَبِهِ

فَلا تُحاوِل عَلى الأَعراضِ إِفطارا

فَلا تُحاوِل عَلى الأَعراضِ إِفطارا

If you fast from the ordinary man's food and drink,

If you are silent about the food and drink of the vulgar,

then do not seek to break your fast on people's honor.

Then do not try to unveil dignities.

وَإِنَّ أَطيَبَ مِن مِسكٍ وَمِن قُطُرٍ

وَإِنَّ أَطيَبَ مِن مِسكٍ وَمِن قُطُرٍ

أَن لا تَطورَ لِدارِ السَوءِ أَقطارا

أَن لا تَطورَ لِدارِ السَوءِ أَقطارا

And more fragrant than musk and aloeswood

And nicer than musk and droplets,

is never to approach the precincts of evil's abode.

Is that you do not frequent the house of evil, lands.