إِذَا سُدْتَ فِي مَعْشَرٍ فَاتَّبِعْ

إِذَا سُدْتَ فِي مَعْشَرٍ فَاتَّبِعْ

سَبِيلَ الرَّشَادِ وَكُنْ مُخْلِصَا

سَبِيلَ الرَّشَادِ وَكُنْ مُخْلِصَا

If you rule among a people, then follow

When you sit in a group, follow

the path of right guidance, and be sincere.

The path of righteousness and be sincere.

وَوَالِ الْكَريمَ وَدَارِ السَّفيهَ

وَوَالِ الْكَريمَ وَدَارِ السَّفيهَ

وَصِلْ مَنْ أَطَاعَ وَخُذْ مَنْ عَصَى

وَصِلْ مَنْ أَطَاعَ وَخُذْ مَنْ عَصَى

And befriend the noble, and treat the fool with tact.

Befriend the generous and avoid the foolish,

And reward whoever obeys, and punish whoever disobeys.

Reconcile with those who obey and seize those who disobey.

وَنَقِّبْ لِتَعْلَمَ غَيْبَ الأُمُورِ

وَنَقِّبْ لِتَعْلَمَ غَيْبَ الأُمُورِ

فَإِنَّ مِنَ الْحَزْمِ أَنْ تَفْحَصَا

فَإِنَّ مِنَ الْحَزْمِ أَنْ تَفْحَصَا

And investigate to learn what lies hidden in affairs,

Investigate to learn the unseen truths,

for careful inquiry is part of prudence.

For prudence requires you examine.

وَلا تُبْقِيَنَّ عَلَى فَاجِر

وَلا تُبْقِيَنَّ عَلَى فَاجِر

فَإِنَّ اللِّئَامَ عَبِيدُ الْعَصَا

فَإِنَّ اللِّئَامَ عَبِيدُ الْعَصَا

And never show mercy to an evildoer,

Do not leave a transgressor remain,

for the base are slaves to the rod.

As the wicked are slaves of the stick.

وَإِنْ خَفِيَ الْحَقُّ فَاصْبِرْ لَهُ

وَإِنْ خَفِيَ الْحَقُّ فَاصْبِرْ لَهُ

وَبَادِرْ إِلَيْهِ إِذَا حَصْحَصَا

وَبَادِرْ إِلَيْهِ إِذَا حَصْحَصَا

And if the truth is hidden, wait patiently for it,

If truth is hidden, be patient for it

and hasten to it when it becomes clear.

And hasten to it when it peeks.

وَأَخْلِصَ لِرَبِّكَ فِي كُلِّ ما

وَأَخْلِصَ لِرَبِّكَ فِي كُلِّ ما

نَوَيْتَ تَجِدْ عِنْدَهُ مَخْلَصَا

نَوَيْتَ تَجِدْ عِنْدَهُ مَخْلَصَا

And be sincere to your Lord in all that

Sincerely devote yourself to your Lord in all

you intend; you will find deliverance with Him.

That you intend, and you will find Him sincere.

فَمَا الدَّهْرُ إِلَّا خَيَالٌ سَرَى

فَمَا الدَّهْرُ إِلَّا خَيَالٌ سَرَى

وَظِلٌّ إِذَا مَا سَجَا قَلَّصَا

وَظِلٌّ إِذَا مَا سَجَا قَلَّصَا

For time is but a phantom passing by night,

For this life is but a fleeting illusion,

and a shadow that, when it settles, shrinks away.

A shadow that recedes when the sun angles.