رَأَتكَ اللَيالي يا اِبنَ آدَمَ ظالِماً

وَخيرُ الوَرى مَن يَعفُ عِندَ اِقتِدارِهِ

The nights have witnessed you, O son of Adam, acting unjustly,

Yet the best of mortals is he who pardons when he holds the power.

يَقولُ لَكَ العَقلُ الَّذي زَيَّنَ الوَرى

إِذا لَم تَكُن تَقْدِر عَدوَّكَ دارِهِ

Reason, which has adorned mankind, says to you:

"If you cannot overpower your enemy, then appease him.

وَلاقيهِ بِالتَرحيبِ وِالرَحرِ وَالقِرى

وَيَمّم لَهُ ما دُمتَ تَحتَ اِقتِدارِهِ

Meet him with welcome, cheerfulness, and hospitality,

And defer to him as long as you remain under his sway.

وَقبِّل يَدَ الجاني الَّذي لَستَ قادِراً

عَلى قَطعِها وَارقُب سُقوطَ جِدارِهِ

Kiss the hand of the offender that you are unable

To sever, and wait patiently for the collapse of his wall.

إِذا لَم تَكُن في مَنزِلَ المَرءِ حُرَّةٌ

تَدبِّرُه ضاعَت مَصالِحَ دارِهِ

If there is not a noble woman in a man's home

To manage it, the interests of his household are lost.

فَإِن شِئتَ أَن تَختَر لِنَفسِكَ حُرَّةً

عَلَيكَ بِبَيتِ الجودِ خُذ مِن خيارِهِ

So if you wish to select a virtuous wife for yourself,

Cling to the house of generosity and choose from its best.

وَإيّاكَ وَالبَيتِ الدَنيءِ فَرُبَّما

تُعار بِطولٍ في الزَمانِ بِعارِهِ

And beware of a base lineage, for it may be

That you are shamed for a long time by its disgrace.

فَفيهنّ من تَأتي الفَتى وَهُوَ مُعسِرٌ

فَيُصبِحُ كُلُّ الخَيرِ في وَسَطِ دارِهِ

For among women is she who comes to a youth when he is destitute,

And soon every goodness comes to dwell within his home.

وَفيهِنّ مَن تَأتيهِ وَهوَ مُيَسَّرٌ

فَيُصبِحُ لا يَملُكُ عَليقَ حِمارِهِ

And among them is she who comes to him when he is wealthy,

Until he is left owning not even the fodder for his donkey.

وَفيهِنّ مَن لا بَيَّضَ اللَهُ عَرضَها

إِذا غابَ عَنها الشَخصُ طَلَّت لِجارِهِ

And among them is she whose honor God has not cleansed—

If her husband is absent, she gazes out at his neighbor.

وَفيهِنَّ نِسوَةٌ يخربُ كَعبُها

وَفيهِنَّ مَن تُغنيهِ عِندَ اِفتقارِهِ

And among them are women whose very footsteps bring ruin,

And among them is she who enriches him during his poverty.

فَلا رَحِمَ الرَحمَنُ خائِنَةَ النِسا

وَيَحرِقُ كُلَّ الخائِناتِ بِنارِهِ

So may the Merciful show no mercy to the treacherous among women,

And may He burn all traitresses in His fire."