1. Behold, all who are mighty through injustice will be abased,
And whoso agrees not with truth's guidance goes astray,

2. And few among us follow truth,
And none will God guide save the few.

3. And whoso rules in ignorance oppressively,
Without exposition by reason, errs,

4. And whoso makes research and examination his guide
In doubtful points, hits upon evidence.

5. God grant He make us happy, if He deny
Forbidden things to us, and make lawful what He has allowed;

6. And each is pledged for what he has gained;
And every man is surety for what he has undertaken.

7. And no good is there for the free man in a life
Wherein upon the people he imposes burdens.

8. Nor is it strange to see tears course
Down the cheeks of tender maidens.

9. For this is a time wherein your friend
Befriends you craftily and your neighbour guilefully.

10. So be thou beautiful and make beautiful, be blind and close thine eye,
When thou seekest a neighbour and comrade.

11. For unless thou be content with a counselling friend,
Truthful and loving, thou wilt avoid all company.

12. Is not he most foolish and unwise
Who equals in aspect men, yet in breast cherishes rancour?

13. And whoso findeth not in his pleasure loyalty,
Leave him be and turn away when the matter turns its back.

14. For how many a dear friend have we seen
Who has parted from us and is ruined!

15. Yet the heart turns not for a little, a little, from him
Till it finds composure.

16. And how many a foe, stubbornly harsh to us,
Have we shown patience, until he changed

17. And one sick with the disease of love
Has found from people a cure, until he revived.

18. And how much blood, shed by the tender ones in love's way,
Have the self-deceivers shed recklessly!

19. So leave in love's path error and vain desire,
Leave coquetry, allurement and vain occupation,

20. Assume resolution, firmness and patience, and repulse
Perdition, and 'perchance' and 'it may be.'

21. For the freeman has earnest purpose and reason and zeal,
If affairs some day depend upon him.

22. And when the soul's need pressed hard upon us,
We set out for it, though the road were crooked.

23. So we joumeyed and took with us, O Zuhel, a youth
Aba-1-Hasan the noble.

24. When, if we asked him what wealth was in his hands,
He gave the best and concealed it not.

25. Nor said he to his questioner in difficulty,
'What now? Why? How now?'

26. Not a meadow for the Spring was adomed
And murmuring in it a gentle breeze and shadow,

27. Fed by the air night and day
With the downpour of the clouds, lofty and depressed,

28. Embroidered by dawn with flowers and light,
And clad by the clouds in chill and shade,

29. Fairer than Zuhel's vale and fresher,
When the riders on it alight and pitch their tents,

30. Than the scent of embracing arms a prayer,
More dazzling than the Yemini's bared sword;

31. A face lovely as morning's splendour when it dawns,
A hand plenteous as the clouds' outpour

32. When they begin to give abundantly;
Gentle, dignified, but, when invited

33. To the terrible conflict, a roaring lion;
By the favour I enjoy, the pleasure of my intimacy,

34. The relieving of my sorrow and the solace of my ardour,
Neither, if the good is achieved, does he weary,

35. Nor, if disasters must be faced, does he falter;
Going and coming, thoughtful only of

36. Fostering the Exalted and haunting the Mosque;
Fulfilling what the flock expects of him

37. And sufficing the clan for all its wants;
Gentle, generous, bearing what they have laid

38. Upon him of the burden, undertaking it himself,
With the purpose of a man whose purpose turns not back

39. And the reason of a man whose reason never fails.
Behold, Zuhel has in truth the merit;

40. If it be said, 'Is there the like of him?' say 'Nay.'
Abu-1-Hasan, O Zuhel, you at daybreak

41. Have the path of the Exalted easy and open before you;
You hasten and grasp liberalities

42. Whereof you see all others limping fail;
And your share in good deeds fully paid

43. And your place with the noblest known,
Nor have you ceased to show the fairest nature

44. And the loftiest rank and the highest position among men;
So that still your home is a refuge for the traveller

45. Who honours the lowly and enriches the destitute;
Nor have you ceased to befriend lovingly

46. And fortune propitiously and wealth abundant;
You are the most honoured with family and goods,

47. And every foe is the most abased;
And you have peopled, best of men, a noble town,

48. And broken your fast on a Feast day and prayed;
And your sons live, noble princes,

49. Lions in every month made bold.