خُذي رَأييِ وَحَسبُكِ ذاكَ مِنّي

خُذي رَأييِ وَحَسبُكِ ذاكَ مِنّي

عَلى ما فِيَّ مِن عِوَجٍ وَأَمتِ

عَلى ما فِيَّ مِن عِوَجٍ وَأَمتِ

Take my counsel; let that from me suffice you,

Take my advice, and let that suffice from me,

Despite the crookedness and unevenness within me.

Despite my crookedness and blindness.

وَماذا يَبتَغي الجُلَساءُ عِندي

وَماذا يَبتَغي الجُلَساءُ عِندي

أَرادوا مَنطِقي وَأَرَدتُ صَمتي

أَرادوا مَنطِقي وَأَرَدتُ صَمتي

And what do my companions seek from me?

What do my companions seek when with me?

They wanted my speech, while I wanted my silence.

They wanted my speech, but I sought my silence.

وَيوجَدُ بَينَنا أَمَدٌ قَصِيٌّ

وَيوجَدُ بَينَنا أَمَدٌ قَصِيٌّ

فَأَمّوا سَمتَهُم وَأَمَمتُ سَمتي

فَأَمّوا سَمتَهُم وَأَمَمتُ سَمتي

And a great distance lies between us,

Between us lies a great, far chasm,

So they went their way, and I went mine.

So they aimed their course, and I aimed my stillness.

فَإِنَّ القَرَّ يَدفَعُ لابِسيهِ

فَإِنَّ القَرَّ يَدفَعُ لابِسيهِ

إِلى يَومٍ مِنَ الأَيّامِ حَمتِ

إِلى يَومٍ مِنَ الأَيّامِ حَمتِ

For the cold drives those clad in it

For distress pushes its wearer

Toward some day of scorching heat.

To a day of days of protection.

أَرى الأَشياءَ تَجمَعُها أُصولٌ

أَرى الأَشياءَ تَجمَعُها أُصولٌ

وَكَم في الدَهرِ مِن ثُكلٍ وَشَمتِ

وَكَم في الدَهرِ مِن ثُكلٍ وَشَمتِ

I see things united by common roots,

I see things gathered by origins,

And how much bereavement and gloating time holds!

And how much loss and joy in fate.

هُوَ الحَيوانُ مِن إِنسٍ وَوَحشٍ

هُوَ الحَيوانُ مِن إِنسٍ وَوَحشٍ

وَهُنَّ الخَيلُ مِن دُهمٍ وَكُمتِ

وَهُنَّ الخَيلُ مِن دُهمٍ وَكُمتِ

It is the animal kind—humans and wild beasts;

It is the animal of human and beast,

And they are horses—black and bay.

And they are horses of bay and chestnut.