لَحى اللهُ أرضاً يرشُفُ المرءُ رِزقَه

لَحى اللهُ أرضاً يرشُفُ المرءُ رِزقَه

بها مُكرَهاً رشْفَ الذّعَافِ مِن السَمِّ

بها مُكرَهاً رشْفَ الذّعَافِ مِن السَمِّ

May God curse a land where a man sips his sustenance,

God created a land where one earns a living

There, unwillingly, as one sips deadly poison.

Reluctantly, like a sick man sipping bitter medicine.

تُشَيِّبُ حباتِ القلوبِ بجَورِهَا

تُشَيِّبُ حباتِ القلوبِ بجَورِهَا

وتُهرِمُ إنسانَ العُيون مِن الهَمِّ

وتُهرِمُ إنسانَ العُيون مِن الهَمِّ

It turns the cores of hearts gray through its injustice,

Its tyranny makes hearts gray,

And makes the pupils of the eyes grow old with grief.

And its worries make the eyes of men old.

لا تأسفَنَّ لذاهِبٍ أو فائتٍ

لا تأسفَنَّ لذاهِبٍ أو فائتٍ

يُرجَى ولا تُتْبِعْهُ زفرَةَ نَادِمِ

يُرجَى ولا تُتْبِعْهُ زفرَةَ نَادِمِ

Never grieve for something gone or something missed

Do not grieve over what is lost and gone,

That was hoped for, nor follow it with a sigh of regret.

With no hope of return; nor sigh like one regretful.

واصبِر على الحَدَثَانِ صَبَرَ مُسلِّمٍ

واصبِر على الحَدَثَانِ صَبَرَ مُسلِّمٍ

مُتيقِّنٍ أنْ ليسَ مِنهُ بسَالِمِ

مُتيقِّنٍ أنْ ليسَ مِنهُ بسَالِمِ

And endure time's vicissitudes with the patience of one resigned,

Endure trials with the patience of one resigned,

Certain that he is not safe from them.

Certain that no condition is everlasting.

فغضارَةُ الدّنيا كظلٍّ زائلٍ

فغضارَةُ الدّنيا كظلٍّ زائلٍ

والعيشُ فِيها مِثلُ حُلمِ النّائِمِ

والعيشُ فِيها مِثلُ حُلمِ النّائِمِ

For this world's prosperity is like a passing shadow,

For worldly life is a shadow, transient;

And life in it is like a sleeper's dream.

And living in it is like a dreamer's dream.

والدّهرُ يَمنحُ ثم يَمنعُ نَزْرَ ما

والدّهرُ يَمنحُ ثم يَمنعُ نَزْرَ ما

أعطى ويَبخلُ بالسّرورِ الدّائِمِ

أعطى ويَبخلُ بالسّرورِ الدّائِمِ

And time gives, then withholds the little that

Fate gives and then denies a sip of what

It gave, and begrudges lasting joy.

It granted, and is miserly with lasting joy.

والنَّاسُ مَن لَمْ يَصْطبِرْ لِمُصَابِهِ

والنَّاسُ مَن لَمْ يَصْطبِرْ لِمُصَابِهِ

صبرَ الرِّضا صبَرَ اصطبار الرَّاغِمِ

صبرَ الرِّضا صبَرَ اصطبار الرَّاغِمِ

And among people, whoever does not bear his misfortune

Those who cannot patiently bear misfortune

With contented patience must bear it with the patience of one compelled.

Must bear it perforce, like one compelled.