أَراني مِنكَ يا كَعبَ بنَ عَمروٍ

أَراني مِنكَ يا كَعبَ بنَ عَمروٍ

عَلى قُربِ المَوَدَّةِ في تَقالِ

عَلى قُربِ المَوَدَّةِ في تَقالِ

I find myself with you, O Kaʿb son of ʿAmr,

I see that you, Ka'b bin 'Amr,

despite our close affection, in mutual aversion.

Consider me close in affection.

عَلَيكَ إِذا حَسَدتَ طِلابَ فَضلي

عَلَيكَ إِذا حَسَدتَ طِلابَ فَضلي

وَلَيسَ عَلَيَّ أَن أَذَرَ المَعالي

وَلَيسَ عَلَيَّ أَن أَذَرَ المَعالي

If you envy me, you must strive to match my excellence;

If you envy seekers of my merit,

and I need not forsake the heights of honor.

It is not for me to neglect excellence.

حَوَيتَ فَضائِلاً ما نِلتَ مِنها

حَوَيتَ فَضائِلاً ما نِلتَ مِنها

سِوى بَثَّ العَداوَةِ في الرِّجالِ

سِوى بَثَّ العَداوَةِ في الرِّجالِ

You have amassed virtues, gaining from them nothing

You have encompassed virtues you did not attain

but the spreading of enmity among men.

Except spreading enmity among men.

وَما ذَنبي إِلى الأَقوامِ إِلّا

وَما ذَنبي إِلى الأَقوامِ إِلّا

مُكاثَرَتي لأَطرافِ العَوالي

مُكاثَرَتي لأَطرافِ العَوالي

And my only offense against people is

And my sin against people is only

my vying in number with the points of tall lances.

My competing for the heights of glory.

وَإِنّي لا أَعُدُّ الرِّفدَ جوداً

وَإِنّي لا أَعُدُّ الرِّفدَ جوداً

لِمَن حَمَّلتُهُ ذُلَّ السُّؤالِ

لِمَن حَمَّلتُهُ ذُلَّ السُّؤالِ

And I do not count a gift as generosity

I do not consider provision generosity

to one whom I have made bear the humiliation of asking.

For one whom I burden with pleading.

وَلا أَبغي طَريفَ المالِ إِلّا

وَلا أَبغي طَريفَ المالِ إِلّا

لِتُروى راحَتايَ مِنَ النَّوالِ

لِتُروى راحَتايَ مِنَ النَّوالِ

And I seek newly acquired wealth only

I do not seek abundant wealth

so that my two palms may drink their fill of giving.

Except to quench my rest from bounty.

عَرَفتُ الدَّهرَ مَعرِفَتي بَنيهِ

عَرَفتُ الدَّهرَ مَعرِفَتي بَنيهِ

فَلَستُ أَفِرُّ مِن نُوَبِ اللَّيالي

فَلَستُ أَفِرُّ مِن نُوَبِ اللَّيالي

I have come to know Time as I know its sons,

I know fate like my own children,

so I do not flee the calamities of the nights.

So I do not flee from turns of nights.