إذا ما أجَلْتَ الفِكْرَ في مَطلبٍ فَلَمْ

إذا ما أجَلْتَ الفِكْرَ في مَطلبٍ فَلَمْ

تجدْ حِيْلَةً فِيْهِ فَذَرْهُ بحالِهِ

تجدْ حِيْلَةً فِيْهِ فَذَرْهُ بحالِهِ

If you turn your thought upon some quest, yet still

If you turn your thoughts to a goal and do not

find no way to it, then leave it as it stands.

find a way to it, then leave it as it is.

فَلِلْيأْسِ عن إدراكِ ما عَزَّ نَيْلُهُ

فَلِلْيأْسِ عن إدراكِ ما عَزَّ نَيْلُهُ

عَلى القلبِ بَرْدٌ مثلُ بَرْدِ مَنالِهِ

عَلى القلبِ بَرْدٌ مثلُ بَرْدِ مَنالِهِ

For despair of attaining what is hard to gain

For giving up hope of attaining what is hard to obtain

cools the heart like the coolness of attaining it.

brings the heart a coolness like the coolness of obtaining it.