لا تَقنَعَنَّ وَمَطلَبٌ لَكَ واسِعٌ

لا تَقنَعَنَّ وَمَطلَبٌ لَكَ واسِعٌ

فَإِذا تَضايَقَت المَطالِبُ فَاِقنَعِ

فَإِذا تَضايَقَت المَطالِبُ فَاِقنَعِ

Never be content while a broad field of pursuit is open to you;

Do not be satisfied while your ambitions remain boundless,

then, when the avenues of pursuit narrow, be content.

For when demands seem too narrow, be content.

وَإِذا حَرَصتَ فَأَلقِ سَترَ قَناعَةٍ

وَإِذا حَرَصتَ فَأَلقِ سَترَ قَناعَةٍ

مِن دونِ حِرصِكَ لا تَلَجَّ فَتَطبَعِ

مِن دونِ حِرصِكَ لا تَلَجَّ فَتَطبَعِ

And if you are eager, cast a veil of contentment

When you are greedy, feign contentment,

over your eagerness; do not be importunate and so become sullied.

Lest your greed lead you astray.

وَمِنَ المُروءَةِ قانِعٌ ذو هِمَّةٍ

وَمِنَ المُروءَةِ قانِعٌ ذو هِمَّةٍ

يَسعى لَها فَإِذا نَبَت لَم يَقلَعِ

يَسعى لَها فَإِذا نَبَت لَم يَقلَعِ

And noble is the contented man possessed of ambition,

It is manly when one of ambition is content

who strives for it and, if it eludes him, does not desist.

And strives for it; once successful, he does not waver.

ما كُنتُ إِمَّعَةً وَلَكِن هِمَّةٌ

ما كُنتُ إِمَّعَةً وَلَكِن هِمَّةٌ

تَأبى الهَوانَ وَفُسحَةٌ في المَنجَعِ

تَأبى الهَوانَ وَفُسحَةٌ في المَنجَعِ

I was never a mindless follower, but had ambition

I was not lazy, but ambitious

that spurns humiliation, and ample scope to seek sustenance.

Refusing disgrace, yearning for open spaces.