اِنفُض ثِيابَكَ مِن وُدّي وَمَعرِفَتي

اِنفُض ثِيابَكَ مِن وُدّي وَمَعرِفَتي

فَإِنَّ شَخصي هَباءٌ في الضُحى هابي

فَإِنَّ شَخصي هَباءٌ في الضُحى هابي

Shake from your clothes all trace of my affection and acquaintance.

Shake your garments free of my affection and acquaintance with me.

For my very person is dust, drifting in the bright forenoon.

For my person is dust drifting in the morning light.

وَقَد نَبَذتُ عَلى جَمرٍ خَبا يَبَساً

وَقَد نَبَذتُ عَلى جَمرٍ خَبا يَبَساً

فَإِن يَكُن فيهِ سِقطٌ يَذكُ إِلهابي

فَإِن يَكُن فيهِ سِقطٌ يَذكُ إِلهابي

I have cast dry tinder upon an ember that had died down.

And I have cast dry tinder upon embers that have died down;

If any spark remains in it, my kindling will blaze.

Then, if there is a spark within, my kindling will blaze.

وَقَد نَصَحتُكَ فَاِحذَر أَن تَرى أُذُناً

وَقَد نَصَحتُكَ فَاِحذَر أَن تَرى أُذُناً

تَرمي إِلى السَهبِ إِكثاري وَإِسهابي

تَرمي إِلى السَهبِ إِكثاري وَإِسهابي

I have counseled you: beware lest you encounter an ear

And I have counseled you, so beware lest you find an ear

That casts my copious words and prolixity into the open waste.

That casts my profuse speech and lengthy discourse into the wide plain.