صاحِبُ الشُرطَةِ إِن أَنصَفَني

صاحِبُ الشُرطَةِ إِن أَنصَفَني

فَهوَ خَيرٌ لِيَ مِن عَدلٍ ظَلَم

فَهوَ خَيرٌ لِيَ مِن عَدلٍ ظَلَم

The chief of police—if he treats me justly—

The chief of police, if he treats me fairly,

is better for me than a devout worshipper who wrongs me.

is better for me than a just man who does wrong.

مَن أَرادَ الخَيرَ فَليَعمَل لَهُ

مَن أَرادَ الخَيرَ فَليَعمَل لَهُ

فَعَلَيهِ لِذَوي اللُبِّ عَلَم

فَعَلَيهِ لِذَوي اللُبِّ عَلَم

Whoever desires the good, let him labor for it;

Whoever desires good, let him work for it,

to those of understanding, its mark is upon him.

for it bears a sign for those of understanding.

حَكَم الناسَ غُواةٌ مِثلَ ما

حَكَم الناسَ غُواةٌ مِثلَ ما

حَكَمَت قَبلُ حَصاةٌ وَزَلَم

حَكَمَت قَبلُ حَصاةٌ وَزَلَم

Wayward men have passed judgment on people, just as

Misguided men ruled the people, just as

a pebble and a divining arrow once passed judgment.

a pebble and a divining arrow had ruled before.

لا تُهاوِن بِصَغيرٍ مِن عِدىً

لا تُهاوِن بِصَغيرٍ مِن عِدىً

فَقَديماً كَسَرَ الرُمحُ القَلَم

فَقَديماً كَسَرَ الرُمحُ القَلَم

Never make light of a lowly enemy;

Do not make light of a minor foe,

long ago, the spear broke the pen.

for long ago the spear broke the pen.

وَتَرَقَّب مِن سَليلٍ صُنعَهُ

وَتَرَقَّب مِن سَليلٍ صُنعَهُ

فَمِنَ البَيعِ قِياضٌ وَسَلَم

فَمِنَ البَيعِ قِياضٌ وَسَلَم

And await from a great one his young—or newly arising—issue;

And await a descendant's deeds,

for among sales are barter and salam, the advance sale.

for sales include barter and prepaid sales.

يَجمَعُ الجِنسُ شَريفاً وَلَقىً

يَجمَعُ الجِنسُ شَريفاً وَلَقىً

كَحَديدٍ مِنهُ سَيفٌ وَجَلَم

كَحَديدٍ مِنهُ سَيفٌ وَجَلَم

A single kind embraces both the noble and the base,

One kind includes the noble and the worthless,

as iron yields both sword and shears.

like iron, from which come a sword and shears.

خالِدٌ غاوٍ وَنَصرٌ صالِحٌ

خالِدٌ غاوٍ وَنَصرٌ صالِحٌ

وَمِنَ الأَشجارِ نَخلٌ وَسَلم

وَمِنَ الأَشجارِ نَخلٌ وَسَلم

Khalid is wayward, while Nasr is forbearing;

Khalid is astray, and Nasr is righteous,

and among trees are the date palm and the salam tree.

and among trees are date palms and acacias.

فَاِزجِرِ النَفسَ إِذا ما أَسرَفَت

فَاِزجِرِ النَفسَ إِذا ما أَسرَفَت

فَمَتى لَم يُقصِصِ الظُفرُ كَلَم

فَمَتى لَم يُقصِصِ الظُفرُ كَلَم

So rebuke the soul whenever it exceeds its bounds;

So restrain the soul when it exceeds bounds,

for when the claw is not pared, it wounds.

for whenever the nail is not clipped, it wounds.

رُبَّ شَيخٍ ظَلَّ يَهديهِ إِلى

رُبَّ شَيخٍ ظَلَّ يَهديهِ إِلى

سُبُلِ الحَقِّ غُلامٌ ما اِحتَلَم

سُبُلِ الحَقِّ غُلامٌ ما اِحتَلَم

Many a learned elder is guided

Many an old man has continued to be guided toward

to the paths of truth by a boy not yet come of age.

the paths of truth by a boy who has not reached puberty.

وَكَأَنَّ الشَرَّ أَصلٌ فيهُمُ

وَكَأَنَّ الشَرَّ أَصلٌ فيهُمُ

وَكَذا النورُ حَديثٌ في الظُلَم

وَكَذا النورُ حَديثٌ في الظُلَم

It is as though evil were rooted within them,

And it is as though evil were rooted in them,

and light, likewise, were a newcomer amid the darknesses.

and likewise, light is new amid the darkness.

أَعجَبَ العَضبُ لِما هَذَّ فَقَد

أَعجَبَ العَضبُ لِما هَذَّ فَقَد

كَلَّ أَو صادَفَ بُؤساً فَاِنثَلَم

كَلَّ أَو صادَفَ بُؤساً فَاِنثَلَم

Marvel at the keen blade when it hews, and then say:

The keen sword won admiration for its hewing, yet it has

“It has grown dull, or met adversity and become notched.”

grown blunt, or met adversity and become chipped.

وَمَعَ الضَيرِ بُلوغٌ لِلمُنى

وَمَعَ الضَيرِ بُلوغٌ لِلمُنى

وَمَعَ النَفعِ شَكاةٌ وَأَلَم

وَمَعَ النَفعِ شَكاةٌ وَأَلَم

With hardship comes the attainment of desires,

And with harm comes the attainment of wishes,

and with benefit come complaint and pain.

and with benefit come complaint and pain.