يا علي صاحباً جاء منه شيء لست أرجيه

يا علي صاحباً جاء منه شيء لست أرجيه

ما صحب عاقل ذا جهل إلا ويؤذيه

ما صحب عاقل ذا جهل إلا ويؤذيه

O Ali, something came from a companion that I never expected.

O Ali, a companion came from whom something I do not hope for

No wise man befriends an ignorant one without being hurt by him.

No wise companion is ignorant except to harm him

كلّ من لا يفكر في عواقب معانيه

كلّ من لا يفكر في عواقب معانيه

يضعف أمره ويفرح عنه سقطته شانيه

يضعف أمره ويفرح عنه سقطته شانيه

Whoever does not consider the consequences of his intentions

Everyone who does not think of the consequences of his meanings

Weakens his standing, and his hater rejoices at his fall.

His matter becomes weak and his downfall rejoices over him

كلّ من لا يكون الدّين والعقل حاديه

كلّ من لا يكون الدّين والعقل حاديه

لا تصاحبه واحذر يا ضنيني تؤاخيه

لا تصاحبه واحذر يا ضنيني تؤاخيه

Whoever is not guided by religion and reason,

Everyone who does not make religion and reason his guide

Do not befriend him; beware, my cherished one, of taking him as a brother.

Do not accompany him, and beware, my stingy one, befriending him

كلّ من ليس يرقى في النسب لا معاليه

كلّ من ليس يرقى في النسب لا معاليه

لا ترجى نواله فانه لا مرتجى فيه

لا ترجى نواله فانه لا مرتجى فيه

Whoever does not rise to the heights of lineage,

Everyone who does not excel in lineage or glory

Do not hope for his bounty: there is nothing to hope for in him.

Do not expect to attain him, for there is no hope in him

قلّ في الناس من تصحب ومن باتوا ليه

قلّ في الناس من تصحب ومن باتوا ليه

ما تجد صاحباً يحفظ لسرّك ويوعيه

ما تجد صاحباً يحفظ لسرّك ويوعيه

Few among people are those you can befriend, and those who stay by his side.

Few among people are those you should accompany and spend the night with them

You find no companion who guards your secret and keeps it safe,

You will not find a companion who keeps your secret and comprehends it

غير صاحب منافق خوف شرّه تداريه

غير صاحب منافق خوف شرّه تداريه

يصحبك ما برح كفك بلقمتك في فيه

يصحبك ما برح كفك بلقمتك في فيه

Only a hypocritical companion whom you placate for fear of his evil.

Other than a hypocritical companion, beware of his evil fleeing from him

He stays your friend as long as your hand feeds your morsel into his mouth.

He accompanies you as long as your palm is with your morsel in it

حسبما تقصر ايدك جا بما كان يخفيه

حسبما تقصر ايدك جا بما كان يخفيه

ريته كان ما شاهد من السرّ يحكيه

ريته كان ما شاهد من السرّ يحكيه

As soon as your hand falls short, he brings out what he had hidden.

According as your hand is short, he comes with what he was hiding

If only he told just what he had witnessed of the secret!

I wish he had not seen the secret to tell it

بل يزيد وينقل شيء ما حدن عينيه

بل يزيد وينقل شيء ما حدن عينيه

أين في الناس من لاقط له حدّ يعاديه

أين في الناس من لاقط له حدّ يعاديه

Instead, he adds to it and reports something his eyes never saw.

Rather he adds and conveys something his eye has not limited

Where among people is someone who has never had anyone oppose him?

Where are people whose jealousy has a limit that makes him an enemy?

كلما عزّ شخص ثم زاد الندى فيه

كلما عزّ شخص ثم زاد الندى فيه

زاد في الناس حساده وكثرت أعاديه

زاد في الناس حساده وكثرت أعاديه

Whenever someone gains honor and his generosity grows,

The more a person becomes honored, and wetness increases in him

His enviers among people increase, and his enemies multiply.

His enviers increase, and his enemies multiply

لا يفتش ولا يظهر على ما تغطيه

لا يفتش ولا يظهر على ما تغطيه

ان ذا الدهر معدوم الصفا والوفا فيه

ان ذا الدهر معدوم الصفا والوفا فيه

He does not pry or gain knowledge of what you conceal.

He does not investigate or reveal what covers him

Indeed, this age is bereft of sincerity and faithfulness.

Verily this life lacks loyalty and faithfulness in it

قد عدم شاكره بل قد كثر فيه شاكيه

قد عدم شاكره بل قد كثر فيه شاكيه

ساير الدهر في سيره واجر في مجاريه

ساير الدهر في سيره واجر في مجاريه

None is grateful for it; rather, many within it complain of it.

It lacks gratitude, but rather its complainers have increased in it

Keep pace with time in its course, and flow along its channels.

Go along with life in its course, and flow in its streams

واقبلن منه يا علي مرّه وحاليه

واقبلن منه يا علي مرّه وحاليه

من سمع شعرنا هذا فإن شاء أوصيه

من سمع شعرنا هذا فإن شاء أوصيه

And accept from it, O Ali, its bitter and its sweet.

And accept from it, O Ali, its bitterness and sweetness

Whoever hears this poetry of ours—if he wishes, I will counsel him:

Whoever hears this poetry of ours, I advise him

لا تصاحب سفيهاً وإن صحبت لا تماريه

لا تصاحب سفيهاً وإن صحبت لا تماريه

ان عرق الجدع لو كان بالشهد تسقيه

ان عرق الجدع لو كان بالشهد تسقيه

Do not befriend a fool; and if you do, do not argue with him.

Do not accompany a fool, and if you do accompany, do not contend with him

Indeed, the jadʿ's root, even if you water it with honey,

If the sweat of his brow was watered with honey

لم يزل مرّ يندم عند مجناه جانيه

لم يزل مرّ يندم عند مجناه جانيه

ثم تمت بحمد اللَه ما خاب داعيه

ثم تمت بحمد اللَه ما خاب داعيه

Remains bitter; its gatherer regrets it at harvest.

He would remain bitter, regretting at his demise, his pernicious deed

Thus it ends with praise to God; none who calls upon Him is disappointed.

Then what his supplication did not fail was completed, praise be to Allah

وأودع اللَه أن يصلح سوء قلبي ويهديه

وأودع اللَه أن يصلح سوء قلبي ويهديه

ثم صلوا على أحمد ما أعدّت أياديه

ثم صلوا على أحمد ما أعدّت أياديه

And I entrust to God the mending of my heart's evil and its guidance.

And I entrust to Allah to correct the evil of my heart and guide it

Then invoke blessings upon Ahmad for all his hands have made ready,

Then bestow prayers upon Ahmed as long as hands make effort

عدّ ما الليل سارى وانعكس جنح داجيه

عدّ ما الليل سارى وانعكس جنح داجيه

As many times as night journeys on and its dark wing turns back.

Count what the night has passed and the wings of its darkness have turned