1. لا تَسهُ عَن أَدَبِ الصَغي

    رِ وَإِن بَكى أَلمَ التَعَب

    Do not neglect the discipline of the young

    child, even if he weeps from the pain of weariness.

  2. وَدَعِ الكَبيرَ لِشَأنِهِ

    كَبِرَ الكَبيرُ عَنِ الأَدَب

    And leave the adult to his own affairs;

    the adult has grown too old for discipline.

  3. حَتّى مَتى وَإِلى مَتى

    هَذا التَمادي في اللَعِب

    How long, and until when,

    will this persistence in play continue?

  4. لا تَستَفيقُ وَلا تُفي

    قُ وَلا تَمَلُّ مِنَ الطَلَب

    You do not come to your senses, nor wake

    up, nor tire of seeking.

  5. وَالرِزقُ لَو لَم تَأَتِهِ

    لأَتاكَ عَفواً مِن كَثَب

    And sustenance, were you not to seek it,

    would surely come to you, unbidden, from close at hand.

  6. إِن نِمتَ عِنهُ لَم يَنَم

    حَتّى يُحَرِّكَهُ السَبَب

    If you sleep, heedless of it, it does not sleep,

    until the cause sets it in motion.