إِذا جارَيتَ في خُلُقٍ دَنيئاً

إِذا جارَيتَ في خُلُقٍ دَنيئاً

فَأَنتَ وَمَن تُجاريهِ سَواءُ

فَأَنتَ وَمَن تُجاريهِ سَواءُ

If you emulate a base man in character,

When you act with a base nature

then you and the one you emulate are equal.

You and the one you act with are equal

رَأَيتُ الحُرَّ يَجتَنِبُ المَخازي

رَأَيتُ الحُرَّ يَجتَنِبُ المَخازي

وَيَحميهِ عَنِ الغَدرِ الوَفاءُ

وَيَحميهِ عَنِ الغَدرِ الوَفاءُ

I have seen the noble man shun disgraceful deeds,

I have seen the free man avoid dishonor

and loyalty shield him from treachery.

And protect himself from treachery through loyalty

وَما مِن شِدَّةٍ إِلّا سَيَأتي

وَما مِن شِدَّةٍ إِلّا سَيَأتي

لَها مِن بَعدِ شِدَّتِها رَخاءُ

لَها مِن بَعدِ شِدَّتِها رَخاءُ

There is no hardship but there will come

There is no hardship without respite after

ease for it after its severity.

Its intensity passes and comfort comes

لَقَد جَرَّبتُ هَذا الدَهرَ حَتّى

لَقَد جَرَّبتُ هَذا الدَهرَ حَتّى

أَفادَتني التَجارِبُ وَالعَناءُ

أَفادَتني التَجارِبُ وَالعَناءُ

I have experienced this world until

I have experienced time until

experiences and hardship have taught me.

Experiences and tribulations have taught me

إِذا ما رَأسُ أَهلِ البَيتِ وَلّى

إِذا ما رَأسُ أَهلِ البَيتِ وَلّى

بَدا لَهُمُ مِنَ الناسِ الجَفاءُ

بَدا لَهُمُ مِنَ الناسِ الجَفاءُ

When the head of a household departs,

When the head of a household leaves

people's coldness toward them becomes plain.

The people's indifference appears to them

يَعيشُ المَرءُ ما اِستَحيا بِخَيرٍ

يَعيشُ المَرءُ ما اِستَحيا بِخَيرٍ

وَيَبقى العودُ ما بَقِيَ اللِحاءُ

وَيَبقى العودُ ما بَقِيَ اللِحاءُ

A person lives well while retaining a sense of shame,

One lives well as long as he lives with honor

and a bough endures as long as its bark remains.

And wood remains as long as its bark remains

فَلا وَاللَهِ ما في العَيشِ خَيرٌ

فَلا وَاللَهِ ما في العَيشِ خَيرٌ

وَلا الدُنيا إِذا ذَهَبَ الحَياءُ

وَلا الدُنيا إِذا ذَهَبَ الحَياءُ

So no, by God, there is no good in life,

No, by God, there is no good in life

nor in this world, when the sense of shame is gone.

When modesty is gone from the world

إِذا لَم تَخشَ عاقِبَةَ اللَيالي

إِذا لَم تَخشَ عاقِبَةَ اللَيالي

وَلَم تَستَحيِ فَاِفعَل ما تَشاءُ

وَلَم تَستَحيِ فَاِفعَل ما تَشاءُ

If you do not fear what the nights may bring,

If you do not fear the consequences of nights

and feel no shame, then do whatever you wish.

And are not shy, then do as you wish

لَئيمُ الفِعلِ مِن قَومٍ كِرامٍ

لَئيمُ الفِعلِ مِن قَومٍ كِرامٍ

لَهُ مِن بَينِهِم أَبَداً عُواءُ

لَهُ مِن بَينِهِم أَبَداً عُواءُ

A man of base deeds, from a noble people,

Vile deeds from a noble people

forever howls in their midst.

Will bring them eternal disgrace amongst their own