ياO أَيُّهاyou الرَجُلُthe man المُعَلِّمُwho teaches غَيرَهُothers besides himself
يا أَيُّها الرَجُلُ المُعَلِّمُ غَيرَهُ
هَلاwhy not لِنَفسِكَfor yourself كانَwas ذاthis التَعليمُthe teaching
هَلا لِنَفسِكَ كانَ ذا التَعليمُ
O you man who teaches others,
Why was this teaching not for yourself?
تَصِفُyou prescribe الدَّواءَthe medicine لِذيfor one with السَّقامِillness وَذيand one with الضَّناwasting sickness
تَصِفُ الدَّواءَ لِذي السَّقامِ وَذي الضَّنا
كيماso that يَصحّhe may recover بِهِthrough it وَأَنتَwhile you سَقيمُsick
كيما يَصحّ بِهِ وَأَنتَ سَقيمُ
You prescribe medicine for the sick and those wasting away,
So they may recover through it, while you are sick.
وَتَراكَand you see yourself تُصلِحُyou set right بالرشادِwith sound guidance عُقولَناour minds
وَتَراكَ تُصلِحُ بالرشادِ عُقولَنا
أَبَداًalways وَأَنتَwhile you مِنof الرَّشادِsound guidance عَديمُdevoid
أَبَداً وَأَنتَ مِن الرَّشادِ عَديمُ
And you see yourself setting our minds right with guidance,
Always, while you yourself are devoid of guidance.
فابدأso begin بِنَفسِكَwith yourself فانهَهاthen restrain it عَنfrom غَيِّهاits waywardness
فابدأ بِنَفسِكَ فانهَها عَن غَيِّها
فَإِذاthen when اِنتَهَتit desists عَنهُfrom it فأنتَthen you حَكيمُwise
فَإِذا اِنتَهَت عَنهُ فأنتَ حَكيمُ
So begin with your own soul, and restrain it from its waywardness;
Then, when it desists from that, you are wise.
فَهُناكَthen يُقبَلُis accepted ماwhat تَقولُyou say وَيَهتَديand one finds guidance
فَهُناكَ يُقبَلُ ما تَقولُ وَيَهتَدي
بِالقَولِthrough words منكfrom you وَينفَعُand is beneficial التعليمُthe teaching
بِالقَولِ منك وَينفَعُ التعليمُ
Then what you say is accepted, and others find guidance
Through your words, and teaching brings benefit.
لاdo not تَنهَforbid عَنfrom خُلُقٍa character trait وَتأتيَwhile you practice مِثلَهُits like
لا تَنهَ عَن خُلُقٍ وَتأتيَ مِثلَهُ
عارٌa disgrace عَلَيكَupon you إِذاif فعلتَyou do so عَظيمُgreat
عارٌ عَلَيكَ إِذا فعلتَ عَظيمُ
Do not forbid a vice while practicing its like;
If you do, great is the shame upon you.