1. بَني آدَمٍ مَن نالَ مَجداً فَإِنَّهُ

    سَيَنقُلُهُ مِن ذَلِكَ المَجدِ ناقِلُ

    Children of Adam, whoever attains glory—surely

    someone will remove him from that glory.

  2. وَمِثلانِ زَيدُ الخَيلِ فيكُم وَغَيرُهُ

    وَسَيّانَ قُسٌّ في الكَلامِ وَباقِلُ

    And among you, Zayd al-Khayl and anyone else are alike;

    and Quss and Baqil are equal in speech.

  3. لِكُلِّ أَخي نَفسٍ حِجّىً وَفَطانَةٌ

    وَتَعرِفُ أَفعالَ الحُسامِ الصَياقِلُ

    Every possessor of a soul has reason and discernment;

    and sword-polishers know the deeds of the keen sword.

  4. وَلَو لَم يَكُن مُستَنفِرُ العُصمِ

    لَما باتَ في أَعلى الذُرى وَهُوَ عاقِلُ

    And were there no one to startle the white-footed mountain goats,

    it would not spend the night on the highest peaks, being prudent.