المرء بالفكر لا باللحية الطولَي

المرء بالفكر لا باللحية الطولَي

والفخر بالفضل لا بالرتبة الأولى

والفخر بالفضل لا بالرتبة الأولى

A person's worth lies in thought, not in the longest beard.

A man is by his thoughts, not his beard's length

And pride lies in merit, not in the foremost rank.

And pride is in merit, not in rank's height

وبالخلائق تمتاز الخلائق لا

وبالخلائق تمتاز الخلائق لا

بشارة تجعل المعلوم مجهولا

بشارة تجعل المعلوم مجهولا

And creatures are distinguished by character, not

And by morals essences are distinguished, not

by an insignia that makes the known unknown.

By features that make the known unknown

لو لم يخَلْ ربُّها جهل الرجالِ به

لو لم يخَلْ ربُّها جهل الرجالِ به

ما احتاج منها على معناه تدليلا

ما احتاج منها على معناه تدليلا

Had its bearer not supposed that men were ignorant of him,

If Her Lord did not let men's ignorance of Her be

he would not have needed it as evidence of his worth.

She would not have needed exposition as evidence

وما الكمال بموقوف على سمة

وما الكمال بموقوف على سمة

ما أوسعت قط أهل النقص تكميلا

ما أوسعت قط أهل النقص تكميلا

Nor does perfection depend on a badge

And perfection isn't dependent on a trait

that has never made the deficient complete.

That the flawed could ever fully attain

والسيف لو كان مقصوداً لمنظره

والسيف لو كان مقصوداً لمنظره

أو للحمائل لم تنظره محمولا

أو للحمائل لم تنظره محمولا

And if a sword were desired for its appearance

And the sword, if it was wanted for its looks

or for its sword-belts, you would not see it carried.

Or the scabbards, would not be seen held

لولا مضاربه ساوى العصىَّ ولم

لولا مضاربه ساوى العصىَّ ولم

يحز إذا ما التقى الجمعانُ تفضيلا

يحز إذا ما التقى الجمعانُ تفضيلا

Without its cutting edges, it would equal sticks and would not

Were it not for its blows, a stick would equal it and would not

win distinction when the two armies meet.

Cut when the two groups meet, making distinction

لا يفخر الحرّ بالوجه الجميل ولا ال

لا يفخر الحرّ بالوجه الجميل ولا ال

خاء الأسيل ولا الإعراض إن نيلا

خاء الأسيل ولا الإعراض إن نيلا

A free man does not boast of a handsome face, nor of the

The free man takes no pride in the pretty face, nor the

smooth khāʾ [unclear in the source], nor of aloofness, if attained.

Ignoble in noble lineage or disdain if attained

ولم يُلمّ بأخبار العلا رجل

ولم يُلمّ بأخبار العلا رجل

يُمِلّ لمته دَهناً وترجيلا

يُمِلّ لمته دَهناً وترجيلا

Nor has any man become acquainted with accounts of greatness

And no man versed in the news of the sublime

who wearies his locks with oiling and combing.

Would wear his turban tilted and perfumed

تظل مرآته لولا تنفسه

تظل مرآته لولا تنفسه

مصقولة وشبا موساه مفلولا

مصقولة وشبا موساه مفلولا

But for his breathing, his mirror would remain

His mirror but for his breath would still be

polished, while his razor's edge stays blunted.

Burnished, and the comb for his hair unused