وَقائِلٍ لَيسَت لَهُ هِمَّةٌ

وَقائِلٍ لَيسَت لَهُ هِمَّةٌ

كَلّا وَلَكِن ما لَهُ مالُ

كَلّا وَلَكِن ما لَهُ مالُ

And someone says, “He has no ambition.”

The man without ambition says,

No! Rather, he has no money.

"No, it's just that I have no money."

وَهِمَّةُ المُقتِرِ أُمنِيَّةٌ

وَهِمَّةُ المُقتِرِ أُمنِيَّةٌ

عَونٌ عَلى الدَهرِ وَإِشغالُ

عَونٌ عَلى الدَهرِ وَإِشغالُ

And the poor man's ambition is a wish,

But a poor man's ambition is merely a wish;

An aid against time and a distraction,

Help against fate and distraction.

لا حِدَّةٌ تَنهَضُ في عَزمِها

لا حِدَّةٌ تَنهَضُ في عَزمِها

وَالناسُ سُؤّالٌ وَبُخّالٌ

وَالناسُ سُؤّالٌ وَبُخّالٌ

Not an ardor that rises in its resolve;

No firm resolve arises in him

And people are beggars and misers.

When people are so demanding and stingy.

فَاِصبِر مَعَ الدَهرِ إِلى دَولَةٍ

فَاِصبِر مَعَ الدَهرِ إِلى دَولَةٍ

تَحمِلُ فيها حالِكَ الحالُ

تَحمِلُ فيها حالِكَ الحالُ

So be patient with time until fortune turns,

So be patient with fate until there comes

When circumstances will bear you up.

A time that makes your state tolerable.