وَالأَمرُ يُدرَكُ عَن قَدرٍ فَكَم خَطِئَت

وَالأَمرُ يُدرَكُ عَن قَدرٍ فَكَم خَطِئَت

نَبلُ المَكيثِ وَصابَ الأَخرَقُ العَجِلُ

نَبلُ المَكيثِ وَصابَ الأَخرَقُ العَجِلُ

And an aim is attained by fate; how often the mark is missed

And matters are understood according to fate, so how often have you been mistaken,

By the deliberate man's arrows, while the clumsy, hasty man strikes true.

The steadfastness of Makith and the hastiness of Al-Akhras the impetuous,

وَأَمنُ دُنياكَ مِن جَهلٍ تَوَلُّدُهُ

وَأَمنُ دُنياكَ مِن جَهلٍ تَوَلُّدُهُ

وَصاحِبُ العَقلِ فيها خائِفٌ وَجِلُ

وَصاحِبُ العَقلِ فيها خائِفٌ وَجِلُ

And your sense of safety in this world is born of ignorance,

And the safety of your world from an ignorance that gives birth to it,

While the man of reason within it is fearful and apprehensive.

And the reasonable person in it is fearful and dreadful,

وَالدَهرُ شاعِرٌ آفاتٍ يَفوهُ بِها

وَالدَهرُ شاعِرٌ آفاتٍ يَفوهُ بِها

لِلناسِ يُفَكِرُ تاراتٍ وَيَرتَجِلُ

لِلناسِ يُفَكِرُ تاراتٍ وَيَرتَجِلُ

And Time is a poet of calamities, which he utters

And time is a poet of afflictions that it composes for people,

To people; at times he ponders, and at others improvises.

It ponders plots and improvises,

الشَرُّ طَبَعٌ وَدُنيا المَرءِ قائِدَةٌ

الشَرُّ طَبَعٌ وَدُنيا المَرءِ قائِدَةٌ

إِلى دُناياهُ وَالأَهواءُ أَهوالُ

إِلى دُناياهُ وَالأَهواءُ أَهوالُ

Evil is innate, and a person's worldly life leads

Evil is innate and a person's world is a guide,

To his base deeds; and passions are terrors.

To his passions and desires are perils.