يُنَشَّرُ في الدُنِّيا الحَديثُ وَيَنطَوي

يُنَشَّرُ في الدُنِّيا الحَديثُ وَيَنطَوي

وَتَفرِسُ آسادُ العَرينِ وَتُفرَسُ

وَتَفرِسُ آسادُ العَرينِ وَتُفرَسُ

News is spread through the world and folded away.

The news spreads in the world and then folds back

And lions of the lair prey on others and are themselves preyed upon.

And the lions of the den scrutinize and are scrutinized

إِذا أَوجَدَت يَوماً مِنَ الوُجدِ أَوجَدَت

إِذا أَوجَدَت يَوماً مِنَ الوُجدِ أَوجَدَت

مِنَ الوَجدِ هَذا خُلُقُها وَهوَ أَشرَسُ

مِنَ الوَجدِ هَذا خُلُقُها وَهوَ أَشرَسُ

If one day it grants wealth, it also brings

Whenever they find passion one day they become passionate

grief: such is its nature, and it is most savage.

Such is their nature, for they are most ferocious

وَقَد يَعِظُ الإِنسانَ عَيٌّ مِنَ الدُجى

وَقَد يَعِظُ الإِنسانَ عَيٌّ مِنَ الدُجى

وَيَنذُرُهُ داعٍ مِنَ الصُبحِ أَخرَسُ

وَيَنذُرُهُ داعٍ مِنَ الصُبحِ أَخرَسُ

And a tongue-tied one from the darkness may admonish a person,

A man may be admonished by a bleary-eyed drunk

and a mute caller from the dawn may warn him.

And warned by a mute voice at dawn

وَما حِرصُهُ في العِلمِ يَدرُسُ كُتبَهُ

وَما حِرصُهُ في العِلمِ يَدرُسُ كُتبَهُ

وَقَد شاهَدَ الآثارَ تُمحى وَتُدرَسُ

وَقَد شاهَدَ الآثارَ تُمحى وَتُدرَسُ

And why his eagerness for knowledge, studying his books,

Yet his desire for knowledge does not make him peruse books

when he has seen traces erased and worn away?

Despite having witnessed relics being erased and buried

نَسيرُ نَهاراً ثُمَّ نَسري إِذا دَجَت

نَسيرُ نَهاراً ثُمَّ نَسري إِذا دَجَت

عَلَينا اللَيالي وَالخَفيرُ المُعَرِّسُ

عَلَينا اللَيالي وَالخَفيرُ المُعَرِّسُ

We travel by day, then journey by night when

We travel by day then walk stealthily when

the nights darken over us, while the guardian halts to rest.

The nights darken over us and the alert sentry

أَلَم تَرَ أَشجاراً تُحَرَّقُ عَهدُها

أَلَم تَرَ أَشجاراً تُحَرَّقُ عَهدُها

قَديمٌ وَأُخرى لِلشَبيبَةِ تُغرَسُ

قَديمٌ وَأُخرى لِلشَبيبَةِ تُغرَسُ

Have you not seen trees burned, whose years

Have you not seen trees burned whose era

are many, while others are planted because they are young?

Was ancient and others planted for youth

وَتَختَلِفُ الأَغراضُ ماءٌ عَلى الصَلى

وَتَختَلِفُ الأَغراضُ ماءٌ عَلى الصَلى

يُحَمُّ وَماءٌ في الشَمالِ يُغَرَّسُ

يُحَمُّ وَماءٌ في الشَمالِ يُغَرَّسُ

And purposes differ: water over the flame

And varying motives, water on plowed land seeps

is heated, and water in the north wind is chilled.

And water in the north is made to seep

مَتّى ما تُحاوِل فارِساً مِن فَراسَةٍ

مَتّى ما تُحاوِل فارِساً مِن فَراسَةٍ

فَإِنّي مِن زَيدٍ وَبِسطامَ أَفرَسُ

فَإِنّي مِن زَيدٍ وَبِسطامَ أَفرَسُ

Whenever you seek a knight of discernment,

Whenever you try a skilled horseman

then I am more discerning than Zayd and Bistam.

I am more skilled than Zayd and Bistaam

إِخالُ فَلا أُشوي وَتِلكَ فَضيلَةٌ

إِخالُ فَلا أُشوي وَتِلكَ فَضيلَةٌ

وَلَكِنَّني بِالخَيلِ لا أَتَمَرَّسُ

وَلَكِنَّني بِالخَيلِ لا أَتَمَرَّسُ

I surmise and do not miss the mark; that is a virtue,

I do not roast meat and that is a virtue

but I am unpracticed with horses.

But I am not accustomed to horses

وَنَومُكَ في الصَحراءِ أَروَحُ مِن ذُرى

وَنَومُكَ في الصَحراءِ أَروَحُ مِن ذُرى

تُشادُ وَأَموالٍ تُصانُ وَتُحرَسُ

تُشادُ وَأَموالٍ تُصانُ وَتُحرَسُ

And your sleep in the desert is more restful than lofty homes

Sleeping in the desert is more wholesome than homes

built high, and riches preserved and guarded.

That are built and wealth that is protected and guarded

وَكَم عُضَّ مُغبَرُّ البَنانِ تَنَدُّما

وَكَم عُضَّ مُغبَرُّ البَنانِ تَنَدُّما

عَلى ما جَنى قَبلُ البُنانُ المُوَرَّسُ

عَلى ما جَنى قَبلُ البُنانُ المُوَرَّسُ

And how often dust-covered fingertips are bitten in remorse

How often does the dusty wanderer feel regret

for what yellow-dyed fingertips once committed!

For what the settled and fortified settlement reaped