وَداوِ عَدواً داءَهُ لا تُدارِهُ

وَداوِ عَدواً داءَهُ لا تُدارِهُ

فَإِنَّ مُداراة العِدى لَيسَ تَنفَعُ

فَإِنَّ مُداراة العِدى لَيسَ تَنفَعُ

And treat an enemy's ailment; do not placate him.

Treat an enemy's injury, do not nurse his grudge,

Treat the enemy's disease, do not appease him,

For appeasing enemies is of no use.

For placating a foe will bring you no gain.

For the appeasement of enemies is of no avail.

فَإِنَّكَ لَو دارَيتَ عامَينِ عَقرَباً

فَإِنَّكَ لَو دارَيتَ عامَينِ عَقرَباً

وَقَد مُكِّنَت يَوماً مِنَ الدَهرِ تَلسَعُ

وَقَد مُكِّنَت يَوماً مِنَ الدَهرِ تَلسَعُ

For even if you pampered a scorpion for two years,

Though for years you might nurse a scorpion,

For were you to appease a scorpion for two years,

and it were given the chance one day, it would sting.

One day, when life gives it a chance, it will sting.

And it were given the chance one day, it would sting.