1. Time deceives me with its safety
And makes me taste the bitterness of its events
١. إِنَّ الزَمانَ يَغُرُّني بِأَمانِهِ
وَيُذيقُني المَكروهَ مِن حَدَثانِهِ
2. And I am the warner of time for everyone
Who yesterday evening and this morning was confident in his time
٢. وَأَنا النَذيرُ مِنَ الزَمانِ لِكُلِّ مَن
أَمسى وَأَصبَحَ واثِقاً بِزَمانِهِ
3. People are only for the one with a lot of money or
For an entertainer as long as he is in power
٣. ما الناسُ إِلّا لِلكَثيرِ المالِ أَو
لِمُسَلِّتٍ ما دامَ في سُلطانِهِ
4. So when time casts the young man with worries
His trusted friends become his supporters
٤. فَإِذا الزَمانُ رَمى الفَتى بِمُلُمَّةٍ
كانَ الثِقاتُ عَلَيهِ مِن أَعوانِهِ
5. Lessen your visits to a friend and do not prolong
His estrangement so he becomes immersed in his estrangement
٥. أَقلِل زِيارَتَكَ الصَديقَ وَلا تُطِل
هِجرانَهُ فَيَلِجَّ في هِجرانِهِ
6. And know that you cannot please everyone
Who has shown eagerness towards you with his tongue
٦. وَاِعلَم بِأَنَّكَ لا تُلائِمُ كُلَّ مَن
أَلقى إِلَيكَ تَلَهُّفاً بِلِسانِهِ
7. A friend becomes immersed in his estrangement
Of his friend so he gets bored of his estrangement
٧. إِنَّ الضَديقَ يَلِجُّ في غِشيانِهِ
لِصَديقِهِ فَيَمَلُّ مِن غِشيانِهِ
8. To the point that after a long intimacy
You see him feeling the weight of his place
٨. حَتّى تَراهُ بَعدَ طولِ مَسَرَّةٍ
بِمَكانِهِ مُستَثقِلاً لِمَكانِهِ
9. And the lightest thing a young man bears as a burden upon
His brothers is when he refrains from his brothers
٩. وَأَخَفُّ ما يُلفى الفَتى ثِقلاً عَلى
إِخوانِهِ ما كَفَّ عَن إِخوانِهِ
10. And when a man neglects to safeguard himself
His position is diminished and his status made light of
١٠. وَإِذا تَوانى عَن صِيانَةِ نَفسِهِ
رَجُلٌ تُنُقِّصَ وَاِستُخِفَّ بِشانِهِ