إِذا لَم تَجِد ما يَبتُرُ الفَقرَ قاعِداً

إِذا لَم تَجِد ما يَبتُرُ الفَقرَ قاعِداً

فَقُم وَاِطلُبِ الشَيءَ الَّذي يَبتُرُ العُمرا

فَقُم وَاِطلُبِ الشَيءَ الَّذي يَبتُرُ العُمرا

If, while sitting, you find nothing that cuts poverty short,

If poverty sits beside you, do not sit

If you find nothing to sever poverty while sitting idle,

Then rise and seek the thing that cuts life short.

Seeking what makes life depart in haste

Then rise and seek that which severs life itself.

هُما خَلَّتانِ ثَروَةٌ أَو مَنِيَّةٌ

هُما خَلَّتانِ ثَروَةٌ أَو مَنِيَّةٌ

لَعَلَّكَ أَن تُبقي بِواحِدَةٍ ذِكرا

لَعَلَّكَ أَن تُبقي بِواحِدَةٍ ذِكرا

There are two outcomes: wealth or death;

Wealth or death are two fates

Two fates alone exist: great wealth or death,

Perhaps through one of them you will leave a name to be remembered.

Perhaps with one your name will last

Perhaps through one, you will leave a legacy behind.