وَلَيسَand is not بِنافِعٍof benefit to ذاthe possessor of البُخلِmiserliness مالٌwealth
وَلَيسَ بِنافِعٍ ذا البُخلِ مالٌ
وَلاnor مُزرٍdishonoring بِصاحِبِهِto its possessor السَخاءُgenerosity
وَلا مُزرٍ بِصاحِبِهِ السَخاءُ
And wealth is of no benefit to the miser,
nor does generosity dishonor its possessor.
وَبَعضُand some of الداءِillness مُلتَمَسٌsought شِفاهُits cure
وَبَعضُ الداءِ مُلتَمَسٌ شِفاهُ
وَداءُand the disease of النوكِfolly لَيسَis not لَهُfor it شِفاءُa cure
وَداءُ النوكِ لَيسَ لَهُ شِفاءُ
And for some ailments a cure is sought,
but the disease of folly has no cure.
يَوَدُّlongs for المَرءُa person ماwhat تَعِدُpromise اللَياليthe nights
يَوَدُّ المَرءُ ما تَعِدُ اللَيالي
وَكانَand was فَناؤُهُنَّtheir ending لَهُfor him فَناءُan end
وَكانَ فَناؤُهُنَّ لَهُ فَناءُ
A man longs for what the nights promise,
yet their ending is his own end.
كَذاكَthus الدَهرُtime يَصرِفُalternates حالَتَيهِits two states
كَذاكَ الدَهرُ يَصرِفُ حالَتَيهِ
وَيُعقِبُand follows طَلعَةَthe rising of الصُبحِdawn المَساءُevening
وَيُعقِبُ طَلعَةَ الصُبحِ المَساءُ
Thus time alternates its two states,
and evening follows the rising of dawn.
فَإِنَّfor indeed الضَغطَpressure قَدmay يَحويencompass وِعاءًa vessel
فَإِنَّ الضَغطَ قَد يَحوي وِعاءً
وَيَترُكُهُand leaves it إِذاwhen فَرَغَbecomes empty الوِعاءُthe vessel
وَيَترُكُهُ إِذا فَرَغَ الوِعاءُ
For pressure may grip a vessel,
and leave it when the vessel is empty.
وَماand not مُلِئَwas filled الإِناءُthe vessel وَشُدَّand was tied shut إِلّاexcept
وَما مُلِئَ الإِناءُ وَشُدَّ إِلّا
لِيُخرِجَin order to release ماthat which بِهِwith it اِمتَلَأَbecame full الإِناءُthe vessel
لِيُخرِجَ ما بِهِ اِمتَلَأَ الإِناءُ
And a vessel is filled and tied shut only
to release what filled the vessel.