If a Man Does Not Seek a Livelihood for Himself

Original Poem in Arabic

إِذا المَرءُ لَم يَطلُب مَعاشاً لِنَفسِهِ
شَكا الفَقرَ أَو لامَ الصَديقَ فَأَكثَرا
وَصارَ عَلى الأَدنَينَ كَلّاً وَأَوشَكَت
صِلاتُ ذَوي القُربى لَهُ أَن تَنَكَّرا
وَما طالِبُ الحاجاتِ مِن كُلِّ وِجهَةٍ
مِنَ الناسِ إِلّا مَن أَجَدَّ وَشَمَّرا
فَسِر في بِلادِ اللَهِ وَاِلتَمِسِ الغِنى
تَعِش ذا يَسارٍ أَو تَموتَ فَتُعذَرا

Translation

If a man does not seek a livelihood for himself,
He complains of poverty or excessively blames his friend.

He becomes a burden to those near him,
And soon, the ties of kinship may turn away from him.

And the one who seeks his needs from every direction,
Finds success only by striving and working hard.

So travel the lands of God and seek wealth,
You will live in comfort, or die and be excused.