فَقالَت الأيكيَّه

فَقالَت الأيكيَّه

مَقالة سريَّه

مَقالة سريَّه

Then the woodland dove spoke

The wise owl spoke

a noble utterance:

In secret tones

إِن علو الهمه

إِن علو الهمه

متعبة وَنقمه

متعبة وَنقمه

Indeed, lofty ambition

"Lofty ambitions

is a burden and a curse.

Are toilsome vexations

قَد قالَ أَهل الحكمه

قَد قالَ أَهل الحكمه

إِن الخُمول نعمه

إِن الخُمول نعمه

The wise have indeed said:

The wise have stated

indeed, obscurity is a blessing.

Indolence is blessed

إِذا وَلَيت فَاِعدل

إِذا وَلَيت فَاِعدل

فَالعَدل دَأب المقبل

فَالعَدل دَأب المقبل

If you take office, be just,

When holding office be just

for justice is the way of the fortunate;

For justice is best

وَهوَ مَلاك العمل

وَهوَ مَلاك العمل

بِه بَقاء الدول

بِه بَقاء الدول

and it is the mainstay of action;

The root of all good

through it states endure.

By which kingdoms have stood

الملك بِالرجال

الملك بِالرجال

وَالجُند بِالأَموال

وَالجُند بِالأَموال

Kingship depends on men,

The king through men

and troops depend on wealth.

The army through pay

وَالمال بِالعمارَه

وَالمال بِالعمارَه

يحصل كَالتِّجاره

يحصل كَالتِّجاره

And wealth, through cultivation,

Commerce through building

is obtained, as it is through trade.

As business makes way

وَإِنَّما العُمران

وَإِنَّما العُمران

بِالعَدل يا إِنسان

بِالعَدل يا إِنسان

And prosperity comes only

Construction depends

through justice, O man.

On justice, fellow man

عمارة البِلاد

عمارة البِلاد

والرفق بِالعِباد

والرفق بِالعِباد

Cultivating the lands

Improving the land

and kindness toward the people

And being mild to your band

مِن عادة المُلوك

مِن عادة المُلوك

وَالنهب للصعلوك

وَالنهب للصعلوك

are the custom of kings;

Is the way of great kings

and plunder is for the vagabond.

While plunder sin brings

وَإِنَّما لا يعدل

وَإِنَّما لا يعدل

مُستهدم مُستَعجل

مُستهدم مُستَعجل

And the only one who fails to act justly

No justice from one

is a man facing ruin, in haste,

Who grabs ere he's done

يَحوش قَبل العَزل

يَحوش قَبل العَزل

ذُخراً لِوَقت الأَزَل

ذُخراً لِوَقت الأَزَل

hoarding before his dismissal

Amassing ahead

a reserve for times of hardship—

Against his time of dread

كَسارِقٍ أَو سالب

كَسارِقٍ أَو سالب

أَو غاصِبٍ أَو ناهب

أَو غاصِبٍ أَو ناهب

like a thief or robber,

Like thief, bandit or looter

or a usurper or plunderer.

Caring not what he ruins

وَلا يُبالي ما خرب

وَلا يُبالي ما خرب

مِن البِلاد وَعطب

مِن البِلاد وَعطب

And he cares nothing what falls to ruin

Of cities and boons

and lies wasted in the land.

But a king with wisdom

أَما الَّذي بِلاده

أَما الَّذي بِلاده

يَرثها أَولاده

يَرثها أَولاده

As for the man whose lands

Securing his kingdom

his children inherit,

For sons yet to come

وَملكه كَملكه

وَملكه كَملكه

مُستَهجن في فَتكه

مُستَهجن في فَتكه

and whose kingdom is like his own property,

From plunder shall shun

he is blameworthy for his violence;

And show righteous rage

وَهوَ جَدير بِالغَضَب

وَهوَ جَدير بِالغَضَب

من عامل إِذا نَهَب

من عامل إِذا نَهَب

and he is entitled to be angry

When officials engage

at an official when he plunders.

In pillage and theft

فَأدِّب العمالا

فَأدِّب العمالا

وَهذَّب الأَعمالا

وَهذَّب الأَعمالا

So discipline the officials,

Chastise them, correct their ways

and reform their conduct;

And supervision raise

تكثر لَكَ الأَموال

تكثر لَكَ الأَموال

حَيثُ بِها تَنال

حَيثُ بِها تَنال

wealth will increase for you,

To increase your treasure

for through it you attain your ends.

For it you should measure

لا تخدَع الرِّجال

لا تخدَع الرِّجال

إِلا إِذا ما نالوا

إِلا إِذا ما نالوا

You cannot deceive men

Deceit avoids among men

unless they have gained something,

Unless by their ken

أَو رَغِبوا أَو رهِبوا

أَو رَغِبوا أَو رهِبوا

أَو أَدرَكوا ما طَلبوا

أَو أَدرَكوا ما طَلبوا

or desire something, or fear,

They're tempted or cowed

or have attained what they sought.

Or attained what they vowed

أَرغب فَما بِالرَّهبه

أَرغب فَما بِالرَّهبه

تَصفو لَكَ المَحبه

تَصفو لَكَ المَحبه

Offer inducements: it is not through fear

With reward, not fear

that affection for you becomes sincere.

Shall you loyalty steer

وَالحَرب بِالإِكراه

وَالحَرب بِالإِكراه

مِن أَعظَم الدواهي

مِن أَعظَم الدواهي

And war waged under compulsion

Force breeds but resentment

is among the greatest calamities.

So rule by contentment

هَزل المُلوك جد

هَزل المُلوك جد

سَهو المُلوك عَمد

سَهو المُلوك عَمد

Kings' jesting is serious business;

A king's jest is solemn

kings' lapses are deliberate.

His slip an omen