Let days go forth

A poem by Imam Shafi’ī’, may Allāh SWT have mercy on him:

دَعِ الأَيَّامَ تَفْعَل مَا تَشَاءُ *** وَطِبْ نَفْسَاً إِذَا حَكَمَ القَضَاءُ

Let days go forth and do as they please, And remain firm when settled is the Decree.

وَلاَ تَجْزَعْ لِحَادِثَةِ اللَّيَالِي *** فَمَا لِحَوادِثِ الدُّنْيَا بَقَاءُ

Don’t be afraid of what happens by night, For the affairs of this world are not to last.

وََكُنْ رجُلاً عَلَى الأَهْوَالِ جَلْداً *** وَشِيمَتُكَ السَّمَاحَةُ وَالوَفَاءُ

And be a man strong in the face of calamities,
And let your nature be that of kindness and honesty.

وَإِنْ كَثُرَتْ عُيُوبُكَ فِي البَرَايَا *** وَسَرَّكَ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهَا غِطَاءُ

If your faults become too much in front of the people,
And you wish that they were to be concealed.

يُغَطّى بِالسَّمَاحَةِ كُلُّ عَيْبٍ *** وَكَمْ عَيْبٍ يُغَطِّيهِ السَّخَاءُ

Then know that kindness covers all faults, And how many faults are kept hidden by kindness!

وَلاَ حُزْنٌ يَدُومُ وَلاَ سُرُورٌ *** وَلاَ بُؤْسٌ عَلَيْكَ وَلاَ رَخَاءُ

No sadness lasts forever, nor any happiness,
And you shall not remain in poverty, or any luxury.

وَلاَ تَرْجُ السَّمَاحَةَ مِنْ بَخِيلٍ *** فَمَا فِي النَّارِ لِلظَّمْآنِ مَاءُ

Generosity cannot be hoped from the miserly,
For no water exists in the Fire for the thirsty.

وَرِزْقُكَ لَيْسَ يُنْقِصُهُ التَّأَنِّي *** وَلَيْسَ يَزِيدُ فِي الرِّزْقِ العَنَاءُ

Your provision will not be lessened due to life’s delays,
And it cannot be increased due to your haste.

إِذَا مَا كُنْتَ ذَا قَلْبٍ قَنُوعٍ *** فَأَنْتَ وَمَالِكُ الدُّنْيَا سَواءُ

If in your heart you possess contentment,Then you and those who possess the world are equal.

وَمَنْ نَزَلتْ بِسَاحَتِهِ المَنَايَا *** فَلاَ أَرْضٌ تَقِيهِ وَلاَ سَماءُ

And for him upon whose horizon death descends,
No earth can offer him protection, nor any sky.

وَأَرْضُ اللَّهِ وَاسِعَةٌ وَلكِنْ *** إِذَا نَزَلَ القَضَا ضَاقَ الفَضَاءُ

Indeed the earth of Allah is certainly vast,
But if decree descends then decree is constricted.

دَعِ الأَيَّامَ تَغْدُرْ كُلَّ حِيْنٍ *** وَلاَ يُغْنِي عَنِ المَوْتِ الدَّوَاءُ

Let days be the ones that betray you at all times,
For no cure can avail a person of death.