الصَدرُ بَيتٌ إِذا ما السِرُّ زايَلَهُ

الصَدرُ بَيتٌ إِذا ما السِرُّ زايَلَهُ

فما يَكُنُّ بِبَيتٍ بَعدَهُ أَبَدا

فما يَكُنُّ بِبَيتٍ بَعدَهُ أَبَدا

The breast is a house: once the secret leaves it,

The heart is a house when the secret departs from it

it will never stay concealed in a house again.

Then it will never be a house after that, ever.

فَاِحفَظ ضَميرَكَ عَن خِلٍّ تُجانِسُهُ

فَاِحفَظ ضَميرَكَ عَن خِلٍّ تُجانِسُهُ

فَكَم خَفِيٍّ شَفاهُ ماكِرٌ فَبَدا

فَكَم خَفِيٍّ شَفاهُ ماكِرٌ فَبَدا

So guard your inner thoughts from a friend akin to you;

So guard your conscience from the flaws that befriend it

for many a hidden thing a schemer has exposed, and it came to light.

For how hidden is the sly mouth yet it appears.

وَلِلحَقودِ عَلاماتٌ يَبِنُّ بِها

وَلِلحَقودِ عَلاماتٌ يَبِنُّ بِها

كَما رَأَيتَ بِشَدقِ الهادِرِ الزَبَدا

كَما رَأَيتَ بِشَدقِ الهادِرِ الزَبَدا

And the spiteful man has signs that betray his scent,

And grudges have signs that show clearly

just as you have seen foam at the bellowing camel’s mouth.

As you saw in the cheek of the furious, foam.

يَستَحسِنُ المَرءُ دُنياهُ فَتُقلَتُه

يَستَحسِنُ المَرءُ دُنياهُ فَتُقلَتُه

وَالعَينُ تَستَحسِنُ الهِندِيَّ وَالرُبَدا

وَالعَينُ تَستَحسِنُ الهِندِيَّ وَالرُبَدا

A man finds his world beautiful, and it destroys him;

One admires their world though it makes them abased

and the eye admires the Indian sword and dusky vipers.

And the eye admires fine clothes and worn ones.

فَاِزجُر هَواكَ وَحاذِر أَن تُطاوِعَهُ

فَاِزجُر هَواكَ وَحاذِر أَن تُطاوِعَهُ

فَإِنَّهُ لَغَويٌّ طالَما عُبِدا

فَإِنَّهُ لَغَويٌّ طالَما عُبِدا

So curb your desire, and beware of obeying it;

So restrain your desires and beware obeying it

for it is surely wayward, and has long been worshipped.

For it is delusional, long has it been worshipped.