نَصَحتُكَ فَافعَل كُلَّ خَيرٍ لحُسنِهِ

نَصَحتُكَ فَافعَل كُلَّ خَيرٍ لحُسنِهِ

وَإِن لَم يَكُن فيهِ ثَناء وَلا أَجرُ

وَإِن لَم يَكُن فيهِ ثَناء وَلا أَجرُ

I have advised you: do every good deed for its own goodness,

I advised you, so do every good for its own sake

Even if there is neither praise nor reward in it.

Even if there is no praise or reward in it

تَكُن لِبَني حَوّاء حَرباً فَإِنَّما

تَكُن لِبَني حَوّاء حَرباً فَإِنَّما

وَفاؤُهُمُ غَدرٌ وَوَصلُهُمُ هَجرُ

وَفاؤُهُمُ غَدرٌ وَوَصلُهُمُ هَجرُ

You will be an enemy to Eve's children, for

Do not make war on the daughters of Eve, for

Their loyalty is but treachery, and their closeness abandonment.

Their loyalty is treason, and their bonding is estrangement

فَقَد وُعِظوا لَو يَنفَعِ الوَعظُ فيهِمُ

فَقَد وُعِظوا لَو يَنفَعِ الوَعظُ فيهِمُ

وَهَيهاتَ ما صمَّ الجَنادِلُ وَالزَّجرُ

وَهَيهاتَ ما صمَّ الجَنادِلُ وَالزَّجرُ

For they have been admonished—if only admonition could help them.

They have been admonished, if admonishment could benefit them

But alas—what have deaf stones to do with rebuke?

Alas! Neither warnings nor deterrents make the insolent heed

رَضيتُ عَلى عِلمي بِجَهلٍ حَكَيتُهُ

رَضيتُ عَلى عِلمي بِجَهلٍ حَكَيتُهُ

وَرُبَّ ظَلامٍ لا يُحَبَّ لَهُ فَجرُ

وَرُبَّ ظَلامٍ لا يُحَبَّ لَهُ فَجرُ

Despite my knowledge, I was content with ignorance I imitated;

I was content in my knowledge with the ignorance I related

And for many a darkness, no dawn is desired.

And many a darkness is not loved for its dawn

وَإِن دَبَّرَ الأَيّامَ مَن عَدِمَ النُّهى

وَإِن دَبَّرَ الأَيّامَ مَن عَدِمَ النُّهى

فَإِنَّ عَلى حُكّامِهِم يَجِبُ الحَجرُ

فَإِنَّ عَلى حُكّامِهِم يَجِبُ الحَجرُ

And if one who lacks reason governs the days,

And if the days are managed by one who lacks restraint

Then their rulers must indeed be placed under legal restraint.

Then their rulers deserve to be condemned