ليسَthere is no خُلُقٌcharacter trait إلاexcept وفيهand in it إذاwhen ماemphatic particle
ليسَ خُلُقٌ إلا وفيه إذا ما
وقَعَtook place الفَحْصُexamination عَنْهُof it خيرٌgood وشَرُّand evil
وقَعَ الفَحْصُ عَنْهُ خيرٌ وشَرُّ
There is no disposition but, whenever
There is no character trait that does not contain, when
it is examined, good and evil appear.
examined, both good and evil.
لازمٌinherent ذاكthat فيin الجِبِلّةِinnate nature لاnot يدbegins 'denies it'
لازمٌ ذاك في الجِبِلّةِ لا يد
فَعُهُcompletes 'denies it' منwhoever لهhe has بِذَلِكَof that خُبْرُknowledge
فَعُهُ من له بِذَلِكَ خُبْرُ
That inheres in nature; not even one
That is inherent in nature; it is not
who knows this well can ward it off.
denied by anyone who has knowledge of this.
حكمةُwisdom الصانِعِthe Maker المُقَدّرِthe Ordainer أنthat لاno
حكمةُ الصانِعِ المُقَدّرِ أن لا
شيءَthing إلاexcept وَفِيْهِand in it نَفْعٌbenefit وَضَرُّand harm
شيءَ إلا وَفِيْهِ نَفْعٌ وَضَرُّ
The wisdom of the Maker, the Ordainer, is that no
The wisdom of the Maker, the Ordainer, is that no
thing exists but with both benefit and harm.
thing exists without benefit and harm.
فاجتهِدْso strive أنthat يكونbe أكثرُthe greater قِسْمَيْtwo portions
فاجتهِدْ أن يكون أكثرُ قِسْمَيْ
كَyour منof النّفْعِbenefit والأقَلُّand the lesser الأضَرُّthe more harmful
كَ من النّفْعِ والأقَلُّ الأضَرُّ
Strive, then, to make the greater of your two
Strive, then, that the greater of your two portions
portions benefit, and the lesser harm.
be beneficial, and the more harmful be the lesser.
وتحمّلْand endure مَرَارَةَbitterness الرأيjudgment واعْلَمْand know
وتحمّلْ مَرَارَةَ الرأي واعْلَمْ
أنّthat عُقْبىoutcome هواكَyour desire مِنْهthan it أمَرُّmore bitter
أنّ عُقْبى هواكَ مِنْه أمَرُّ
Bear the bitterness of sound counsel, and know
Endure the bitterness of judgment, and know
that the outcome of your desire is bitterer still.
that the outcome of your desire is more bitter still.
رُضْtrain بهذاby this التّدبيرregimen نَفْسَكَyour soul وأقصُرْand confine
رُضْ بهذا التّدبير نَفْسَكَ وأقصُرْ
هاit عليهِto it ففيهfor in it فَضْلٌmerit وَفَخْرُand glory
ها عليهِ ففيه فَضْلٌ وَفَخْرُ
Train your soul to this governance, and confine
Train your soul by this regimen, and confine
it to it; therein lie virtue and honor.
it to this, for therein lie merit and glory.
لاdo not تُطِعْهَاobey it علىin الذيthat which تَبْتَغِيْهِit seeks it
لا تُطِعْهَا على الذي تَبْتَغِيْهِ
وليرْعَهاand let it be tended مِنْكَfrom you اعتسافٌharsh treatment وَقَهْرُand coercion
وليرْعَها مِنْكَ اعتسافٌ وَقَهْرُ
Do not obey it in whatever it seeks;
Do not obey it in what it seeks;
let severity and force from you cow it.
and let your harshness and coercion keep it in check.
إنّindeed منof شأنِهاits nature مجانَبَةَshunning الخيْbegins 'goodness'
إنّ من شأنِها مجانَبَةَ الخيْ
رِcompletes 'goodness' وإيثارَand preferring كلِّall ماthat which قَدْmay يَعُرُّcause harm
رِ وإيثارَ كلِّ ما قَدْ يَعُرُّ
Indeed, it is in its nature to shun
For it is its nature to shun goodness
the good, and favor all that brings disgrace.
and prefer all that may do harm.
