اقطَعْ مؤاخاةَ أخٍ جافِ

اقطَعْ مؤاخاةَ أخٍ جافِ

أرضعَهُ اللؤمُ بأخلافِ

أرضعَهُ اللؤمُ بأخلافِ

Sever brotherhood with a cold-hearted brother,

Sever your brotherly bond with a cold-hearted brother,

whom baseness suckled at its udders.

Whom baseness suckled at its teats.

ولا تذِلْ جوهرَ شعرٍ لهُ

ولا تذِلْ جوهرَ شعرٍ لهُ

فكرُكَ من أصونِ أصدافِ

فكرُكَ من أصونِ أصدافِ

Do not abase poetry’s jewel for his sake;

And do not debase a pearl of verse for which

your thought is among the most jealously guarded shells.

Your mind is among the most protective shells.

إني أرى الشِعْرَ عفا رسمُه

إني أرى الشِعْرَ عفا رسمُه

في معشرٍ جُودُهمُ عافِ

في معشرٍ جُودُهمُ عافِ

I see that even poetry’s trace has been effaced

Indeed, I see poetry's traces have faded

among a company whose generosity, too, has vanished.

Among a people whose generosity has vanished.

كسَتْ أيادي البُخْلِ أعطافَهُم

كسَتْ أيادي البُخْلِ أعطافَهُم

غلائلاً ليستْ بأفْوافِ

غلائلاً ليستْ بأفْوافِ

The hands of avarice have clothed their shoulders

The hands of miserliness have clothed their flanks

in under-robes not woven of fine patterned cloth.

In thin undergarments, not fine striped robes.

لا كيلُهُمْ وافٍ ولا عرْضُهُم

لا كيلُهُمْ وافٍ ولا عرْضُهُم

صافٍ ولا مَعروفُهُم ضافِ

صافٍ ولا مَعروفُهُم ضافِ

Neither is their measure full, nor their honor

Their measure is not full, nor their honor

pure, nor is their dwelling spacious.

Untarnished, nor their bounty ample.

فاركَبْ من العزْمِ وجنّبْهُمُ

فاركَبْ من العزْمِ وجنّبْهُمُ

قَرى أمونِ الخَطْوِ مِهْيافِ

قَرى أمونِ الخَطْوِ مِهْيافِ

So mount resolve, and shun them,

So ride with resolve, and shun them,

upon the back of a sure-stepping, lean she-camel.

On the back of a sure-footed, thirst-prone she-camel.

حظٌّ بقومٍ أسّسوا مجدَهُمْ

حظٌّ بقومٍ أسّسوا مجدَهُمْ

بحدِّ أقلامٍ وأسْيافِ

بحدِّ أقلامٍ وأسْيافِ

Fortune lies with a people who founded their glory

Good fortune lies with people who founded their glory

with the edges of pens and swords.

With the keen edge of pens and swords.

قد أوقَدوا نارَ الوغى والقِرى

قد أوقَدوا نارَ الوغى والقِرى

لذي عنادٍ ولأضيافِ

لذي عنادٍ ولأضيافِ

They have kindled the fires of battle and hospitality

They have kindled the fire of battle and hospitality,

for the stubborn foe, and for guests.

For the defiant and for guests.