خَليلَيَّ إِنَّ العُسرَ سَوفَ يَفيقُ

خَليلَيَّ إِنَّ العُسرَ سَوفَ يَفيقُ

وَإِنَّ يَساراً في غَدٍ لَخَليقُ

وَإِنَّ يَساراً في غَدٍ لَخَليقُ

My two friends, hardship will yet subside,

My friend, hardship will surely pass away

And prosperity may well come tomorrow.

And ease will certainly come tomorrow

ذَراني أَشُب هَمِّي بِراحٍ فَإِنَّني

ذَراني أَشُب هَمِّي بِراحٍ فَإِنَّني

أَرى الدَهرَ فيهِ فُرجَةٌ وَمَضيقُ

أَرى الدَهرَ فيهِ فُرجَةٌ وَمَضيقُ

Leave me to mix my cares with wine, for I

Leave me to vent my worries in comfort, for I

See in Time both an opening and a narrow strait.

See times of deliverance and distress ahead

وَما كُنتُ إِلّا كَالزَمانِ إِذا صَحا

وَما كُنتُ إِلّا كَالزَمانِ إِذا صَحا

صَحَوتُ وِإِن ماقَ الزّمانُ أََموقُ

صَحَوتُ وِإِن ماقَ الزّمانُ أََموقُ

And I have been nothing but like Time: when it sobers,

I used to be like time: when it was daybreak

I sober up; and if Time grows foolish, I grow foolish too.

I woke though time itself remained asleep

أََأََدماءُ لا أَسطيعُ في قِلَّةِ الثَرا

أََأََدماءُ لا أَسطيعُ في قِلَّةِ الثَرا

خُزوراً وَوَشياً وَالقَليلُ مُحيقُ

خُزوراً وَوَشياً وَالقَليلُ مُحيقُ

O Admāʾ, with so little wealth I cannot afford

Can the penniless afford luxury and plenty?

Silks and brocade; the little I have is vanishing.

The little I have is sufficient for me

خُذي مِن يَدي ما قَلَّ إِنَّ زَمانَنا

خُذي مِن يَدي ما قَلَّ إِنَّ زَمانَنا

شَموسٌ وَمَعروفُ الرِجالِ رَقيقُ

شَموسٌ وَمَعروفُ الرِجالِ رَقيقُ

Take from my hand what little there is, for our time

Take from me what I can spare, for our times

Is unruly, and men's generosity is scant.

Are times of generosity yet men are mean

لَقَد كُنتُ لا أََرضى بِأَدنى مَعيشَةٍ

لَقَد كُنتُ لا أََرضى بِأَدنى مَعيشَةٍ

وَلا يَشتَكي بُخلاً عَلَيَّ رَفيقُ

وَلا يَشتَكي بُخلاً عَلَيَّ رَفيقُ

Indeed, I once would not settle for a meager living,

I never accepted the barest livelihood

Nor would a companion complain of my stinginess.

Nor did any friend complain I was stingy

خَليلَيَّ إِنَّ المالَ لَيسَ بِنافِعٍ

خَليلَيَّ إِنَّ المالَ لَيسَ بِنافِعٍ

إِذا لَم يَنَل مِنهُ أََخٌ وَصَديقُ

إِذا لَم يَنَل مِنهُ أََخٌ وَصَديقُ

My two friends, wealth is of no benefit

My friend, wealth is useless

If a brother and a friend receive no share of it.

If it does not benefit a brother or friend

وَكُنتُ إِذا ضاقَت عَلَيَّ مَحَلَّةٌ

وَكُنتُ إِذا ضاقَت عَلَيَّ مَحَلَّةٌ

تَيَمَّمتُ أُخرى ما عَلَيَّ تَضيقُ

تَيَمَّمتُ أُخرى ما عَلَيَّ تَضيقُ

And whenever a dwelling place grew cramped for me,

When one place became too narrow for me

I would head for another that did not hem me in.

I sought out another, nothing holds me back

وَما خابَ بَينَ اللَهِ وَالناسِ عامِلٌ

وَما خابَ بَينَ اللَهِ وَالناسِ عامِلٌ

لَهُ في التُقى أَو في المَحامِدِ سوقُ

لَهُ في التُقى أَو في المَحامِدِ سوقُ

And no worker has failed in dealings with God and people,

No worker succeeds between God and man

Whose trade is in piety or praiseworthy deeds.

Unless he frequents virtue and noble deeds

وَلا ضاقَ فَضلُ اللَهِ عَن مُتَعَفِّفٍ

وَلا ضاقَ فَضلُ اللَهِ عَن مُتَعَفِّفٍ

وَلَكِنَّ أَخلاقَ الرِجالِ تَضيقُ

وَلَكِنَّ أَخلاقَ الرِجالِ تَضيقُ

Nor has God's bounty been too narrow for one who shuns begging,

God's bounty never narrows for the moderate

And yet men's natures grow narrow.

Yet men's morals continue to narrow