أَلا قُل لِرُكنِ الدينِ ذي الفَضلِ وَالحَجا

أَلا قُل لِرُكنِ الدينِ ذي الفَضلِ وَالحَجا

مَقالَةَ غَيرانٍ عَلَيهِ إِذا زالا

مَقالَةَ غَيرانٍ عَلَيهِ إِذا زالا

Lo, say to Rukn al-Din, endowed with merit and wisdom,

Say to the pillar of religion, of excellence and glory,

the words of one jealous for his sake when he strays:

The words of a critic against him, should they transgress:

زُبالَة لا بَأسٌ لَدَيهِ وَلا نَدى

زُبالَة لا بَأسٌ لَدَيهِ وَلا نَدى

بِنَيلٍ وَلا رَأياً لَدَيهِ وَلا أَصلا

بِنَيلٍ وَلا رَأياً لَدَيهِ وَلا أَصلا

Zubāla has neither valor nor generosity

"Worthless rubbish to him, neither worthy nor eminent,

in giving, nor judgment, nor lineage.

With neither sense nor wisdom, neither origin nor root.

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ المَرءَ يُعرَفُ دائِماً

أَلَم تَرَ أَنَّ المَرءَ يُعرَفُ دائِماً

بِصاحِبِهِ فَاِبعِد بِهِ صاعِباً نَدلا

بِصاحِبِهِ فَاِبعِد بِهِ صاعِباً نَدلا

Have you not seen that a man is always known

Do you not see that a man is known always

by his companion? So away with him, unruly and base.

By his companion? So avoid the fool and ignoble.

عَهِدتُكَ مَيّالاً إِلى الطيبِ ما الَّذي

عَهِدتُكَ مَيّالاً إِلى الطيبِ ما الَّذي

بَدا لَكَ حَتّى صِرتَ تَحتَكِمُ الزَبَلا

بَدا لَكَ حَتّى صِرتَ تَحتَكِمُ الزَبَلا

I knew you fond of perfume; what is it

I knew you inclined toward goodness - what has appeared to you

that came over you, that you now turn to dung for judgment?

That you judge by garbage?"