اذا المرء لم تشرف حقيقة طبعه

اذا المرء لم تشرف حقيقة طبعه

لوته الى الطبع الفظيع فاسرفا

لوته الى الطبع الفظيع فاسرفا

If the true essence of a man’s nature is not noble,

If a man's true nature is not noble,

It twists him toward a base disposition, and he goes to excess:

it turns him toward a vile disposition, and he goes to excess.

وصدق كذابا وكذب صادقا

وصدق كذابا وكذب صادقا

وصادق اعداء وخلانه جفا

وصادق اعداء وخلانه جفا

He takes a liar for truthful and calls a truthful man a liar;

He believes a liar and disbelieves a truthful man,

He befriends enemies and shuns his intimates;

and befriends enemies while shunning his friends.

وطيشاً يصابي مبغضيه وضلة

وطيشاً يصابي مبغضيه وضلة

يكدر للاحباب في الحب ما صفا

يكدر للاحباب في الحب ما صفا

Rashly he turns toward those who hate him, while his error

And recklessly he courts those who hate him, and in error

Sullies, for those he loves, whatever had been pure in love.

he muddies for his loved ones what was clear in love.

نروم الوفا من فاجر ساء خلقه

نروم الوفا من فاجر ساء خلقه

وهل سيءٌ الاخلاق يعرف ما الولاف

وهل سيءٌ الاخلاق يعرف ما الولاف

We seek loyalty from a profligate whose character is corrupt—

We seek loyalty from a wicked man whose character is vile;

But does a man of bad character know what loyalty is?

and does one of bad character know what affection is?