عِش بَخيلاً كَأَهلِ عَصرِكَ هَذا

عِش بَخيلاً كَأَهلِ عَصرِكَ هَذا

وَتَبالَه فَإِنَّ دَهرَكَ أَبلَه

وَتَبالَه فَإِنَّ دَهرَكَ أَبلَه

Live miserly, like the people of this age of yours,

Live miserly as the people of your time,

and feign stupidity, for your age is foolish.

And bear it patiently, for your age is decadent.

قَومُ سوءٍ فَالشِبلُ مِنهُم يَغولُ اللَي

قَومُ سوءٍ فَالشِبلُ مِنهُم يَغولُ اللَي

ثَ فَرساً وَاللَيثُ يَأكُلُ شِبلَه

ثَ فَرساً وَاللَيثُ يَأكُلُ شِبلَه

An evil people: their cub slays the li—

An evil people, so the cub amongst them preys on the old lion at night,

—on by savaging it, and the lion eats its cub.

Then the lion eats its cub in the morning light.

إِن تُرِد أَن تَخُصَّ حُرّاً مِنَ النا

إِن تُرِد أَن تَخُصَّ حُرّاً مِنَ النا

سِ بِخَيرٍ فَخُصَّ نَفسَكَ قَبلَه

سِ بِخَيرٍ فَخُصَّ نَفسَكَ قَبلَه

If you wish to favor a noble man among peo—

If you wish to favor one of the people with kindness,

—ple with kindness, favor yourself before him.

Then favor yourself before all others.

بَعِدَ الشَربُ قَرَّبوا أُمَّ لَيلى

بَعِدَ الشَربُ قَرَّبوا أُمَّ لَيلى

لِتَعيرَ اللِسانَ في اللَفظِ خَبلَه

لِتَعيرَ اللِسانَ في اللَفظِ خَبلَه

May the drinkers perish! They brought Umm Layla near,

After drinking, they brought Umm Layla close,

to lend the tongue its madness in speech.

To shame the tongue with babbling speech.

أَورَدوكَ الأَذى لِتَغرَقَ فيهِ

أَورَدوكَ الأَذى لِتَغرَقَ فيهِ

وَأَروكَ الخَنى لِتَعرِفَ سُبُلَه

وَأَروكَ الخَنى لِتَعرِفَ سُبُلَه

They led you into harm so that you might drown in it,

They led you into harm that you might drown in it,

and showed you obscenity so that you might learn its paths.

And showed you spite that you might learn its ways.

وَجَدوا مِشمِشاً ثَقيلاً يُريدو

وَجَدوا مِشمِشاً ثَقيلاً يُريدو

نَ بِهِ مَن يَنَم يُنَبَّه بِقُبلَه

نَ بِهِ مَن يَنَم يُنَبَّه بِقُبلَه

They found a heavy 'apricot,' mean—

They found the apricots too heavy,

—ing by it one who, when asleep, is awakened with a kiss.

Wishing to wake those asleep with their kisses.

وَأَراني مَرمى لِصِرفِ اللَيالي

وَأَراني مَرمى لِصِرفِ اللَيالي

يَحتَذيني فَلَستُ أَعدَمُ نَبلَه

يَحتَذيني فَلَستُ أَعدَمُ نَبلَه

And I see myself as a target for the vicissitudes of night;

And they made me the target of passing nights,

it follows my example, so I never lack its arrows.

Assailing me, but I do not lack for arrows.

هَل تَرى ناعِباً كَعَنتَرَةَ العَب

هَل تَرى ناعِباً كَعَنتَرَةَ العَب

سِيِّ يَبكي عَلى مَنازِلِ عَبلَه

سِيِّ يَبكي عَلى مَنازِلِ عَبلَه

Do you see a cawing crow like Antarah al-Ab—

Do you see a weeping elegist like 'Antara,

—si, weeping over Ablah's dwellings,

Crying for the encampments of 'Abla?

أَو خُفافٍ يَرثي رِجالَ سُلَيمٍ

أَو خُفافٍ يَرثي رِجالَ سُلَيمٍ

أَو سُحَيمٍ يَحدو مَعَ الرَكبِ إِبلَه

أَو سُحَيمٍ يَحدو مَعَ الرَكبِ إِبلَه

or Khufaf, lamenting the men of Sulaym,

Or a swift runner eulogizing the men of Sulaym,

or Suhaym, driving his camels with song alongside the caravan?

Or Suhaym reciting poetry with the camel drove?

لا تَهَبهُ وَلا سِواهُ مِنَ الطَي

لا تَهَبهُ وَلا سِواهُ مِنَ الطَي

رِ فَما يَتَّقي أَخو الُبِّ تَبلَه

رِ فَما يَتَّقي أَخو الُبِّ تَبلَه

Do not fear it, nor any other among the bi—

Do not give him or any other bird your love,

—rds: a man of understanding does not fear its malice.

For the brothers of hyenas do not avoid filth.