يَقولُ لَكَ العَقلُ الَّذي بَيَّنَ الهُدى

يَقولُ لَكَ العَقلُ الَّذي بَيَّنَ الهُدى

إِذا أَنتَ لَم تَدرَء عَدُوّاً فَدارِهِ

إِذا أَنتَ لَم تَدرَء عَدُوّاً فَدارِهِ

Reason, which has made the right way clear, tells you:

Reason tells you, who made clear the path of guidance

If you cannot ward off an enemy, then placate him.

That if you do not ward off an enemy, leave his home

وَقَبِّل يَدَ الجاني الَّذي لَستَ واصِلاً

وَقَبِّل يَدَ الجاني الَّذي لَستَ واصِلاً

إِلى قَطعِها وَاِنظُر سُقوطَ جِدارِهِ

إِلى قَطعِها وَاِنظُر سُقوطَ جِدارِهِ

And kiss the wrongdoer's hand, which you are unable

And kiss the hand of the wrongdoer, whom you do not have the power

to cut off; and await the fall of his wall.

To cut it off, and watch the collapse of his wall

وَما الوَقتُ إِلّا طائِرٌ يَأخُذُ المَدى

وَما الوَقتُ إِلّا طائِرٌ يَأخُذُ المَدى

فَبادِرهُ إِذ كُلُّ النُهى في بِدارِهِ

فَبادِرهُ إِذ كُلُّ النُهى في بِدارِهِ

And time is but a bird that covers the distance;

For time is but a bird that travels far

so outpace it, for all wisdom lies in outpacing it.

So seize it, for all inhibitions are in its dwellings

رَأَتكَ البَرايا ظالِماً يا اِبنَ آدَمٍ

رَأَتكَ البَرايا ظالِماً يا اِبنَ آدَمٍ

وَبِئسَ الفَتى مَن جارَ عِندَ اِقتِدارِهِ

وَبِئسَ الفَتى مَن جارَ عِندَ اِقتِدارِهِ

Creation has seen you as unjust, O son of Adam;

The righteous saw you a wrongdoer, O son of Adam

and vile is the man who oppresses when he has power.

And wretched is the lad when he wrongs with power

وَنالَت أَذاةٌ عَنهُ جاراً وَنائِياً

وَنالَت أَذاةٌ عَنهُ جاراً وَنائِياً

وَأُمِّنَ مِنهُ ضَيغَمٌ في خِدارِهِ

وَأُمِّنَ مِنهُ ضَيغَمٌ في خِدارِهِ

And harm from him has reached a neighbor and one far away,

He caused harm to a neighbor and one far away

while a lion in its lair was made safe from him.

And from him a wretched one felt safe in his ruins

وَفارَةُ دارينِ اِفتَراها لِطيبِهِ

وَفارَةُ دارينِ اِفتَراها لِطيبِهِ

وَما أَمِنَت بَلواهُ فارَةُ دارِهِ

وَما أَمِنَت بَلواهُ فارَةُ دارِهِ

And he slit open Darin's musk-pod for his perfume,

The exile of two homes, he mistook it for its goodness

nor was the mouse in his house safe from his harm.

And the exile of his home did not feel secure from his afflictions

وَيَجهَلُ حَتّى يَسأَلَ الفَلَكَ الَّذي

وَيَجهَلُ حَتّى يَسأَلَ الفَلَكَ الَّذي

يَدورُ عَلَيهِ كَيفَ بَدءُ مَدارِهِ

يَدورُ عَلَيهِ كَيفَ بَدءُ مَدارِهِ

And he is so ignorant that he asks the celestial sphere that

He remains ignorant until he asks the revolving heavens

revolves above him how its orbit began.

How its orbit began revolving above it

يُحاوِرُ نَجمَ اللَيلِ جَهلاً كَأَنَّهُ

يُحاوِرُ نَجمَ اللَيلِ جَهلاً كَأَنَّهُ

عَلى طولِ نَأيٍ طالِعٌ في اِنحِدارِهِ

عَلى طولِ نَأيٍ طالِعٌ في اِنحِدارِهِ

He ignorantly converses with the night-star, as though it,

He converses with the night star in ignorance as if

despite its great distance, were rising in its descent.

He is ascending in its descent, despite the great distance

وَما بَرِحَت في الصِدرِ لِلضَغنِ أَنؤُرٌ

وَما بَرِحَت في الصِدرِ لِلضَغنِ أَنؤُرٌ

عَجِبتُ لَها لَم تَشتَعِل في صِدارِهِ

عَجِبتُ لَها لَم تَشتَعِل في صِدارِهِ

And fires of rancor still remain within the breast;

And there remained in the chests burning coals of resentment

I marvel that they have not flared up in his vest.

I wonder that they did not ignite within his chest