أأِنْ عزمَ الخليطُ على وداع

أأِنْ عزمَ الخليطُ على وداع

دعاك إلى مهمِّ الشوقِ داعي

دعاك إلى مهمِّ الشوقِ داعي

Is it because the companions resolved to part

Has the firm resolution to bid farewell seized you?

that a caller summoned you to the grave burden of longing?

The longing's task has summoned you insistently.

أعاذلتي أَطَلْتِ اللومَ جهلاً

أعاذلتي أَطَلْتِ اللومَ جهلاً

وما ذو الجهل فينا بالمطاع

وما ذو الجهل فينا بالمطاع

O my reproacher, you have prolonged your blame in ignorance,

My blamer, have you blamed me out of ignorance?

and an ignorant person is not obeyed among us.

Yet ignorance in us is no justification.

أراهمْ أزمعوا بيناً وَمَن ذا

أراهمْ أزمعوا بيناً وَمَن ذا

يُطيقُ تجلُّداً عند الوداع

يُطيقُ تجلُّداً عند الوداع

I see they have resolved to part—and who

I see they have turned against me, but who

can muster fortitude at farewell?

Can tolerate with composure at farewell?

سلي ما يستطاع ولا تَجَنَّيْ

سلي ما يستطاع ولا تَجَنَّيْ

إذا ما شئتِ يوماً أن تطاعي

إذا ما شئتِ يوماً أن تطاعي

Ask for what is possible, and do not be unfair,

Ask gently what you can, do not drive me away,

if you ever wish to be obeyed.

If one day you desire I obey.

أَبَى لي نقضَ ذاك العهد أَني

أَبَى لي نقضَ ذاك العهد أَني

لعد الخلِّ إن لم يرعَ راعي

لعد الخلِّ إن لم يرعَ راعي

What bars me from breaking that pledge is that I

I refused to break that pact, for I

keep my friend's [pledge], even if he does not keep it.

Would not tend the rift if left by the tender.

تنازعني السُّلُوّ وكيف يَسْلو

تنازعني السُّلُوّ وكيف يَسْلو

فتىً ما إِن يفيقُ من النزاع

فتىً ما إِن يفيقُ من النزاع

You press me to forget—but how can he forget,

Distraction seizes me, how can one be consoled

a youth who never recovers from yearning?

When a youth wakes from slumber to strife?

وهل عَجَبٌ تَقطُّعُ قلبِ صَبٍّ

وهل عَجَبٌ تَقطُّعُ قلبِ صَبٍّ

رَمَتْهُ يدُ الليالي بانقطاع

رَمَتْهُ يدُ الليالي بانقطاع

And is it any wonder that a lover's heart is torn apart,

Is it any wonder a lad's heart is rent

when the hand of the nights has struck him with separation?

When the nights' hands sever him with interruption?

أضاعَ الحزمَ مَن أمسى مطيعاً

أضاعَ الحزمَ مَن أمسى مطيعاً

طوال الدهر ذا حزمٍ مضاع

طوال الدهر ذا حزمٍ مضاع

He has squandered prudence who becomes obedient

He lost composure who spent his nights obeying,

all his life to one whose prudence is squandered.

Though all his life he had steadfast composure.

رأيتُ الدهرَ يهدمُ ما بناه

رأيتُ الدهرَ يهدمُ ما بناه

له الآباءُ من شَرفِ المساعي

له الآباءُ من شَرفِ المساعي

I have seen time demolish what was built

I saw time demolish what the fathers built

for him by his forefathers through noble endeavors.

Of glorious ambitions through their exertion.

وذاك لأن سُمَّ الجهد أمضى

وذاك لأن سُمَّ الجهد أمضى

شباً في الجسم من سُمِّ الأفاعي

شباً في الجسم من سُمِّ الأفاعي

And that is because hardship's venom has a keener

That is because the poison of effort is more lasting

edge in the body than the venom of vipers.

In the body than snakes' poison.

فاكثرْ ما استطعتَ الحلمَ إِني

فاكثرْ ما استطعتَ الحلمَ إِني

رأيتُ الحلمَ من كَرَمِ الطِّباع

رأيتُ الحلمَ من كَرَمِ الطِّباع

Practice as much forbearance as you can, for I

So be as patient as you can, I have seen

have found forbearance to be part of noble character.

Patience is the height of noble temper.

ولا تعجلْ إذا حاولتَ أمراً

ولا تعجلْ إذا حاولتَ أمراً

تنلْ ما رُمْتَ من غيرِ امْتناع

تنلْ ما رُمْتَ من غيرِ امْتناع

And do not rush when you attempt a task;

Be not hasty when you attempt a matter,

you will attain what you seek without hindrance.

Attain what you sought without resistance.

وما لم تَسْتَطِعْهُ فَعَدِّ عنه

وما لم تَسْتَطِعْهُ فَعَدِّ عنه

وأَوْضِعْ في سبيلِ المستطاع

وأَوْضِعْ في سبيلِ المستطاع

And what you cannot accomplish, turn away from it,

What you cannot do, leave it be,

and hasten along the path of what is possible.

And place the attainable before you.

فرزقُكَ سوفَ تُدْرِكُهُ جميعاً

فرزقُكَ سوفَ تُدْرِكُهُ جميعاً

ولو أَضْحَىْ بأفواهِ السِّباع

ولو أَضْحَىْ بأفواهِ السِّباع

For you will obtain your sustenance in full,

Your sustenance will reach you in full

even if it lies in the mouths of beasts of prey.

Even if the lions' mouths have engulfed it.

لسانُكَ فليكنْ في الحقِّ أَمْضَى

لسانُكَ فليكنْ في الحقِّ أَمْضَى

من الصَّمصامِ في كفِّ الشُّجاع

من الصَّمصامِ في كفِّ الشُّجاع

Let your tongue be sharper in speaking truth

Let your tongue in truth be sharper

than the keen sword in a brave man's palm.

Than a keen sword in the grip of the brave.

وَحِفْظُ اللَّفظِ للإنسانِ زَيْنٌ

وَحِفْظُ اللَّفظِ للإنسانِ زَيْنٌ

إذا ما زانه حُسْنُ استماع

إذا ما زانه حُسْنُ استماع

And retaining words is an adornment for a person,

Restraining speech is man's adornment

when attentive listening lends it grace.

If listening well has graced him.

فكم من سامعٍ علماً يَعيهِ

فكم من سامعٍ علماً يَعيهِ

ومن مُصْغٍ إليه غيرِ واعي

ومن مُصْغٍ إليه غيرِ واعي

For many hear knowledge and comprehend it,

How many who hear knowledge do not grasp it!

and many listen to it without understanding.

How many listeners are inattentive!

مُصَاحَبَةُ السَّفيهِ الحرَّ غَبْنٌ

مُصَاحَبَةُ السَّفيهِ الحرَّ غَبْنٌ

ولو كال اللجينَ له بصاع

ولو كال اللجينَ له بصاع

A fool's companionship is a loss to a noble man,

Befriending the witless libertine is loss

even if he measures out silver for him by the ṣāʿ.

Even if both hands proffered him measures.

فلا تتبعْ أخا سفهٍ وَدَعْهُ

فلا تتبعْ أخا سفهٍ وَدَعْهُ

وكنْ للحرِّ دَهْرَكَ ذا اتباع

وكنْ للحرِّ دَهْرَكَ ذا اتباع

So do not follow a man of folly; leave him,

So follow no foolish brother, leave him be,

and follow the noble man throughout your life.

And spend your days in the learned's company.

رأيتَ العُرْفَ شيئاً كان حيّاً

رأيتَ العُرْفَ شيئاً كان حيّاً

فأصبح قد نعاهُ اليومَ ناعي

فأصبح قد نعاهُ اليومَ ناعي

You saw benevolence as a thing once alive,

You saw custom, once so alive,

but today a herald has announced its death.

Now mourned by the herald of its death.