ما رَكِبَ الخَائِنُ في فِعلِهِ

ما رَكِبَ الخَائِنُ في فِعلِهِ

أَقبَحَ مِمّا رَكِبَ السارِقُ

أَقبَحَ مِمّا رَكِبَ السارِقُ

What the traitor perpetrated in his deed

The traitor, in his deed, has done nothing

is more hideous than what the thief perpetrated.

More vile than what the thief has done.

شَتّانَ مَأمونٌ وَذو خُلسَةٍ

شَتّانَ مَأمونٌ وَذو خُلسَةٍ

كَأَنَّهُ مِن عَجَلٍ بّارِقُ

كَأَنَّهُ مِن عَجَلٍ بّارِقُ

Worlds apart: one trusted, and one who snatches by stealth,

Far apart are a trusted man and a stealthy thief,

as though, in his haste, he were a flash of lightning.

As though, in his haste, he were a flash of lightning.

قَد آنَسَت فِعلَكَ شُهُبُ الدُجى

قَد آنَسَت فِعلَكَ شُهُبُ الدُجى

لَيلاً وَقَد ابصَرَكَ الشارِقُ

لَيلاً وَقَد ابصَرَكَ الشارِقُ

The shooting stars of darkness witnessed your deed

The shooting stars of darkness have already seen your deed

by night—and the rising sun saw you.

At night, and the rising sun has already seen you.

فَكَيفَ لَم تُحرِقكَ شَمسُ الضُحى

فَكَيفَ لَم تُحرِقكَ شَمسُ الضُحى

وَكَيفَ لا يَرجُمُكَ الطارِقُ

وَكَيفَ لا يَرجُمُكَ الطارِقُ

How, then, did the noonday sun not burn you?

Then how has the midmorning sun not burned you,

And how can the night-star fail to stone you?

And how does the night-star not pelt you?

هَذي طِباعُ الناسِ مَعروفَةٌ

هَذي طِباعُ الناسِ مَعروفَةٌ

فَخالِطوا العالَمَ أَو فارِقوا

فَخالِطوا العالَمَ أَو فارِقوا

Such are human natures, well known;

These are people's natures, well known;

so mingle with the world—or part from it.

So mingle with the world, or leave it.