أبلغ نجاحاً فتى الكتَّاب مألكةً

أبلغ نجاحاً فتى الكتَّاب مألكةً

تمضي بها الريح اصدارا وإيرادا

تمضي بها الريح اصدارا وإيرادا

Convey to Najāḥ, the young secretary, a message—

Convey to Najah, the young scribe, a message

The most successful writer sends forth

one the wind may carry back and forth:

That the wind carries to and fro:

Words drifting on the wind both coming and going

لا يخرج المال عفوا من يَدي عمر

لا يخرج المال عفوا من يَدي عمر

أو يَغْمَد السيفُ في فَوْدْيِه اغْمادا

أو يَغْمَد السيفُ في فَوْدْيِه اغْمادا

Money will not leave ʿUmar’s hands freely

Money does not leave Umar's hands freely

Money does not leave ‘Umar’s hand freely

unless the sword is driven into his temples.

Unless the sword is sheathed firmly in his two temples.

Nor is a sword sheathed carelessly in its scabbard

الرخجيون لا يوفون ما وعدوا

الرخجيون لا يوفون ما وعدوا

والرّخَّجيات لا يُخْلِفنَ ميعادا

والرّخَّجيات لا يُخْلِفنَ ميعادا

The men of al-Rukhkhaj never fulfill what they promise,

The Rukhkhaji men do not fulfill what they promised,

The stingy do not keep their promise

but the women of al-Rukhkhaj never fail to keep a tryst.

And the Rukhkhaji women never fail to keep an appointment.

While the generous never miss an appointment