1. إِذا أَنتَ عادَيتَ الرِجالَ فَلاقِهِم

    وَعِرضُكَ عَن غِبِّ الأُمورِ سَليمُ

    If you make enemies of men, then face them,

    with your honor unscathed by the aftermath of affairs.

  2. وَإِنَّ مَقاديرَ الحِمامِ إِلى الفَتى

    لَسَوّاقَةٌ ما لا يَخافُ هُمومُ

    And indeed, toward a young man, the decrees of death

    surely drive troubles he does not fear.

  3. وَقَد يَسبِقُ الجَهلُ النُهى ثُمَّ إِنَّها

    تُريعُ لِأَصحابِ العُقولِ حُلومُ

    And folly may outrun reason; but then

    sound judgments return to those endowed with intellect.

  4. وَقَد تَزدَري النَفسُ الفَتى وَهوَ عاقِلٌ

    وَيُؤفَنُ بَعدَ القَومِ وَهوَ حَزيمُ

    And the soul may scorn a young man though he is wise,

    and he is deemed foolish after the others, though prudent.

  5. وَلا يَعدِمُ الغاوي عَلى الغَيِّ لائِماً

    وَإِن هُوَ لَم يُشفِق عَلَيهِ يَلومُ

    And the wayward man never lacks a reprover for his error;

    even if he feels no concern for him, he reproaches him.

  6. لَها لَجَبٌ حَولَ الحِياضِ كَأَنَّهُ

    تَجاوُبُ أَغياثٍ لَهُنَّ هَزيمُ

    Its clamor around the watering troughs is like

    the answering calls of rainclouds, rumbling with thunder.