إِذا فَزِعنا فَإِنَّ الأَمنَ غايَتُنا

إِذا فَزِعنا فَإِنَّ الأَمنَ غايَتُنا

وَإِن أُمِّنا فَما نَخلو مِنَ الفَزَعِ

وَإِن أُمِّنا فَما نَخلو مِنَ الفَزَعِ

When we are afraid, safety is indeed our goal.

If we are frightened, security is still our goal,

And if we are made safe, we are not free from fear.

Yet being secure, fear we cannot forego,

وَشيمَةُ الإِنسِ مَمزوجٌ بِها مَلَلٌ

وَشيمَةُ الإِنسِ مَمزوجٌ بِها مَلَلٌ

فَما نَدومُ عَلى صَبرٍ وَلا جَزَعِ

فَما نَدومُ عَلى صَبرٍ وَلا جَزَعِ

And weariness is mingled into human nature,

For man's nature is mixed with weariness,

So we persist in neither patience nor distress.

So we waver 'twixt patience and woe.

وَسَبتُكَ الشَعَرَ الغِربيبَ تَطرَحُهُ

وَسَبتُكَ الشَعَرَ الغِربيبَ تَطرَحُهُ

ما رَغَّبَ الشَيخُ في البادي مِنَ النَزَعِ

ما رَغَّبَ الشَيخُ في البادي مِنَ النَزَعِ

And your shaving off the jet-black hair, casting it away,

You spurned poetry which oft comfort brings,

Has not made the old man desire the onset of baldness.

No more allured by odes mellow,

وَنَغبَةٌ إِثرَ أُخرى أَطفَأَت ظَمَأً

وَنَغبَةٌ إِثرَ أُخرى أَطفَأَت ظَمَأً

وَرُبَّ مَلبَسِ دَجنٍ خيطَ مِن قَزَعِ

وَرُبَّ مَلبَسِ دَجنٍ خيطَ مِن قَزَعِ

And sip after sip has quenched thirst,

Craving follows craving, thirst unslaked,

And many a cloak of cloud-darkness was sewn from scattered cloudlets.

Many a rough cloak's made of finest cloth though.

وَشَرٌّ ساكِنَ هَذي الأَرضِ عالَمُنا

وَشَرٌّ ساكِنَ هَذي الأَرضِ عالَمُنا

وَاللَوبُ في الجِزعِ أَغلى قيمَةَ الجَزَعِ

وَاللَوبُ في الجِزعِ أَغلى قيمَةَ الجَزَعِ

And our kind are the worst inhabitants of this earth;

Evil lurks in this world, our abode,

The black rocks at the valley’s bend have raised the value of onyx.

Yet impatience is costlier than composure.

لَولا فَوارِسُ فَوقَ الأَرضِ مُشرِعَةً

لَولا فَوارِسُ فَوقَ الأَرضِ مُشرِعَةً

ما هابَت الوَحشَ قُربَ الشُزَّبِ المُزَعِ

ما هابَت الوَحشَ قُربَ الشُزَّبِ المُزَعِ

Were it not for horsemen upon the earth, when coming to water,

Were it not for knights riding with banners unfurled,

Wild beasts would not fear the nearness of lean, swift steeds.

Beasts would not fear settlements they could smash.

زَع نَفسَكَ اليَومَ وَاِندُبها إِلى حَسَنٍ

زَع نَفسَكَ اليَومَ وَاِندُبها إِلى حَسَنٍ

فَإِن أَطاعَت فَأَدِّب غَيرَها وَزَعِ

فَإِن أَطاعَت فَأَدِّب غَيرَها وَزَعِ

Restrain your soul today, and summon it to what is good;

Chide yourself today and urge it to goodness,

If it obeys, then teach others good conduct and restrain them.

If it obeys, discipline others, take heart!