1. I strengthen your hands with what I say
Yet some people's words are pearls
١. أُشدُد يَدَيكَ بِما أَقو
لُ فَقَولُ بَعضِ الناسِ دُرُّ
2. Do not draw near to women
For the hiding of the honorable is difficult
٢. لا تَدنُوَنَّ مِنَ النِسا
ءِ فَإِنَّ غِبَّ الأَريِ مُرُّ
3. B is like b, it lowers
For inferiority or degrades
٣. وَالباءُ مِثلُ الباءِ تَخ
فِضُ لِلدَناءَةِ أَو تَجُرُّ
4. Occupy your heart away from life
For it is evil and much evil
٤. سَلِّ الفُؤادَ عَنِ الحَيا
ةِ فَإِنَّها شَرٌّ وَشُرُّ
5. You have gotten from it what suffices you
Yet you have not won what gives joy
٥. قَد نِلتَ مِنها ما كَفا
كَ فَما ظَفِرتَ بِما يَسُرُّ
6. The doctor prohibited food
And said its consumption hurts
٦. صَدَفَ الطَبيبُ عَنِ الطَعا
مِ وَقالَ مَأكَلُهُ يَضُرُّ
7. Eat, O doctor, and do not differ
From the right course, for whom do you dig pits?
٧. كُل يا طَبيبُ وَلا خَلا
صَ مِنَ الرَدى فَلِمَن تَغُرُّ
8. The year passes by two revolutions
Of which there is extension and contract
٨. وَالعامُ يَمضي دَولَتَي
نِ فَمِنهُما وَمِدٌ وَقُرُّ
9. And so too a year after it
And you forgot about an age that passes
٩. وَكَذاكَ عامٌ بَعدَهُ
وَغَفَلتَ عَن عُمرٍ يَمُرُّ
10. And I see misfortunes do not cease
As if they are clouds that roll
١٠. وَأَرى النَوائِبَ لا تَزا
لُ كَأَنَّها سُحُبٌ تَدُرُّ
11. If cavalry are defeated
Beware of others that recoil
١١. إِن تَنهَزِم خَيلٌ لَها
فَحَذارِ مِن أُخرى تَكُرُّ
12. A moon appears informing
Of destruction or a sun that scatters
١٢. قَمَرٌ يَلوحُ مُخَبِّراً
بِالهُلكِ أَو شَمسٌ تَذُرُّ
13. Two years have reached us
And in them there was no deceit
١٣. دُهماً تُوافَينا السُنو
نَ وَلَم يَكُن فيهِنَّ غُرُّ
14. And the coat of mail does not save the young man
And it is as if there is blindness in the eye
١٤. وَالدِرعُ لا تُنجي الفَتى
وَكَأَنَّها في العَينِ كُرُّ