تَجافَ عَنِ الْعُفاةِ وَلا تَرُعْهُمْ

تَجافَ عَنِ الْعُفاةِ وَلا تَرُعْهُمْ

فَإِنِّي ناصِحٌ لَكَ يا زَمانُ

فَإِنِّي ناصِحٌ لَكَ يا زَمانُ

Leave those seeking gifts alone, and do not frighten them.

Turn away from the negligent ones and do not pasture them

For I offer you sincere counsel, O Time.

For I am an honest advisor to you, O time

أَخافُ نَدى يَمِينِ الْمُلْكِ يَقْضِي

أَخافُ نَدى يَمِينِ الْمُلْكِ يَقْضِي

عَلَيْكَ إِذا هَمَتْ تِلْكَ الْبَنانُ

عَلَيْكَ إِذا هَمَتْ تِلْكَ الْبَنانُ

I fear the bounty of Yamin al-Mulk will bring doom

I fear the softness of the right hand of the kingdom may decide

upon you, when those fingertips rain down.

Upon you when those fingers intend

وَقَدْ عايَنْتَ سَطْوَتَها غَداةَ اسْ

وَقَدْ عايَنْتَ سَطْوَتَها غَداةَ اسْ

تَطَلْتَ وَلَيْسَ كَالْخَبَرِ الْعِيانُ

تَطَلْتَ وَلَيْسَ كَالْخَبَرِ الْعِيانُ

And you have witnessed their might on the morning you

And you have witnessed its tyranny one morning when

overreached; seeing firsthand is not like hearsay.

You extended yourself, and witnessing is not like hearing