1. الوَغدُ يَجعَلُ ما أُنيلَ غَنيمَةً

    وَيُغَيِّرُ في الأَطماعِ كُلَّ مَغارِ

    The base man counts whatever he is given as booty,

    and makes every foray in pursuit of greedy hopes.

  2. وَالحُرُّ يُجزي بِالصَنيعَةِ مُسدِياً

    فَكَأَنَّ فِعلَهُما نِكاحُ شِغارِ

    The noble man repays a benefactor with a favor,

    so their deeds resemble a dowryless exchange-marriage.

  3. وَلِكُلِّ ما أَصبَحتَ تُدرِكُ حِسَّهُ

    ضِدٌّ وَكِبرَةُ مَن تَرى كَصِغارِ

    And everything you now perceive with your senses

    has an opposite; the great you see are like the small.

  4. شِيَعٌ أَجَلَّت يَومَ خُمٍّ وَاِنثَنَت

    أُخرى تُعارِضُها بِيَومِ الغّارِ

    Some factions venerated the day of Khumm; in turn,

    others countered them with the day of the Cave.

  5. فَاِصغُر لِتَعظُمَ كَم تَجَمَّعَ واثِبٌ

    ثُمَّ اِستُعِزَّ فَعَزَّ بَعدَ صَغارِ

    So make yourself small to grow great: many a leaper crouched,

    then was held in honor and grew mighty after abasement.