نَغَّصَ طيبَ العَيشِ تَنصيبُ

نَغَّصَ طيبَ العَيشِ تَنصيبُ

وَفي المُلِمّاتِ الأَعاجيبُ

وَفي المُلِمّاتِ الأَعاجيبُ

Toil has spoiled life's sweetness,

The vicissitudes of fate embitter life's joy,

and calamities hold strange wonders.

And strange events arise in adversities.

وَالدَهرُ طَلّاعٌ بِأَحكامِهِ

وَالدَهرُ طَلّاعٌ بِأَحكامِهِ

وَالمَرءُ مَخدوعٌ وَمَكذوبُ

وَالمَرءُ مَخدوعٌ وَمَكذوبُ

And time ever brings forth its decrees,

Time with its rulings plays tricks,

and man is deceived and lied to.

And man is deceived and told lies.

وَالناسُ مِن غادٍ وَمِن رائِحٍ

وَالناسُ مِن غادٍ وَمِن رائِحٍ

يُحصى عَلَيهِ البِرُّ وَالحوبُ

يُحصى عَلَيهِ البِرُّ وَالحوبُ

And people, some setting out at dawn, some at dusk,

People come and people go,

have their righteousness and sin reckoned to their account.

Good and evil are counted against them.

لا يَشتَهي المَوتَ وَيُمنى بِهِ

لا يَشتَهي المَوتَ وَيُمنى بِهِ

كَرهاً وَطيبُ العَيشِ تَعذيبُ

كَرهاً وَطيبُ العَيشِ تَعذيبُ

He does not desire death, yet it befalls him

Death is not desired, yet wished for,

against his will; and life's sweetness is torment.

Hated, though life is torment.

قُل لِاِبنِ داوُدَ إِذا جِئتَهُ

قُل لِاِبنِ داوُدَ إِذا جِئتَهُ

سَيبُكَ مَوجودٌ وَمَطلوبُ

سَيبُكَ مَوجودٌ وَمَطلوبُ

Say to Ibn Dawud, when you come to him:

Say to the son of David when you meet him,

Your bounty is available and sought after.

You will find one sought and seeking.

أَنجَزَ حُرٌّ وَأيَهُ طائِعاً

أَنجَزَ حُرٌّ وَأيَهُ طائِعاً

وَالعَبدُ مَكدودٌ وَمَضروبُ

وَالعَبدُ مَكدودٌ وَمَضروبُ

A free man willingly fulfilled his promise,

A freeman made true his word willingly,

while the slave is worn out with toil and beaten.

While the slave is beaten and cowed.

لِلمَرءِ مِن أَفعالِهِ مُشبِهٌ

لِلمَرءِ مِن أَفعالِهِ مُشبِهٌ

فَاِفعَل شَبيهاً بِكَ يَعقوبُ

فَاِفعَل شَبيهاً بِكَ يَعقوبُ

Among a man's deeds are those that resemble him;

A person's actions show his likeness,

so act in a way befitting you, Yaqub.

So act like your namesake, O Jacob!

حَلَبتَ لِلقَومِ فَلا تَنسَني

حَلَبتَ لِلقَومِ فَلا تَنسَني

وَأَنتَ عَرفُ الجودِ مَحلوبُ

وَأَنتَ عَرفُ الجودِ مَحلوبُ

You have milked for the people, so do not forget me;

You have milked for the people, do not forget me,

and you, generosity's fragrance, are milked.

You are the spring of generosity, freshly drawn.

يُبقي لِذي المَعروفِ مَعروفُهُ

يُبقي لِذي المَعروفِ مَعروفُهُ

حَمداً وَتَنزاحُ الأَكاذيبُ

حَمداً وَتَنزاحُ الأَكاذيبُ

A benefactor's kindness preserves for him

He who has done good, his good remains

praise, and falsehoods fade away.

As praise, and falsehoods pass away.