سكُت وصدري فيه تغلي مراجلُ

سكُت وصدري فيه تغلي مراجلُ

وبعض سكوتِ المرءِ للمرءِ قاتلُ

وبعض سكوتِ المرءِ للمرءِ قاتلُ

I kept silent, while cauldrons seethed within my breast.

I kept silent, while cauldrons boiled within my breast.

And some silence between one person and another can kill.

And some silence is deadly to the one who keeps it.

وبعضُ سكوتِ المرءِ عارٌّ وهُجْنَةٌ

وبعضُ سكوتِ المرءِ عارٌّ وهُجْنَةٌ

يحاسَبُ من جّراهُما ويُجادَل

يحاسَبُ من جّراهُما ويُجادَل

Some silence is also shame and ignominy,

And some silence is shame and disgrace,

For which a man is called to account and challenged.

for both of which one is called to account and challenged.

ولا عجبٌ أنْ يُخْرِسَ الوضعُ ناطقاً

ولا عجبٌ أنْ يُخْرِسَ الوضعُ ناطقاً

بلى عجبٌ أنْ يُلْهَمَ القولَ قائل

بلى عجبٌ أنْ يُلْهَمَ القولَ قائل

No wonder if the prevailing order strikes a speaker dumb;

It is no wonder that circumstances silence a speaker;

The wonder is that any speaker should still be moved to speak.

yes, the wonder is that a speaker finds inspiration to speak.

جزى الله والشعرُ المجوَّدُ نَسْجُهُ

جزى الله والشعرُ المجوَّدُ نَسْجُهُ

بأنكد ما تُجْزَى لئامٌ أراذل

بأنكد ما تُجْزَى لئامٌ أراذل

May God reward finely woven poetry

May God—and poetry, finely wrought in its weave—recompense

With the bleakest reward ever dealt to ignoble wretches.

with the harshest recompense vile scoundrels receive,

مخامِرُ غدرٍ طوَّحَتْ بي وعودُهُ

مخامِرُ غدرٍ طوَّحَتْ بي وعودُهُ

فغُِررتُ والتفَّتْ علىَّ الحبائل

فغُِررتُ والتفَّتْ علىَّ الحبائل

The fumes of treachery cast me far away, with promises in tow;

a schemer in treachery whose promises flung me astray.

I was deceived, and snares closed round me.

So I was deceived, and the snares coiled around me.

وكنتُ امرَءاً لي عاجلٌ فيه بُلْغَةٌ

وكنتُ امرَءاً لي عاجلٌ فيه بُلْغَةٌ

سدادٌ ومرجُوٌّ من الخير آجل

سدادٌ ومرجُوٌّ من الخير آجل

I was a man whose present means afforded sustenance,

I was a man with present means sufficient to sustain me,

With sound provision, and future good still hoped for:

adequate provision, and future good to hope for.

رخياً أمينَ السربِ محسودَ نِعمةٍ

رخياً أمينَ السربِ محسودَ نِعمةٍ

تَرِفُّ على جنَبيَّ منها مباذل

تَرِفُّ على جنَبيَّ منها مباذل

At ease, secure in my domain, envied for my blessings,

At ease, secure in my home, envied for a blessing,

With comforts spilling lavishly on either side.

whose everyday garments fluttered about my sides.

فغُودرتُ منها في عَراءٍ تَلُفُّني

فغُودرتُ منها في عَراءٍ تَلُفُّني

مَفاوِزُ لا أعتادُها ومجاهل

مَفاوِزُ لا أعتادُها ومجاهل

Then I was abandoned in a wilderness that wrapped me round—

Then, bereft of it, I was abandoned in the open, enveloped

Wastes I had never known, and unfamiliar regions.

by unfamiliar deserts and unknown wastes.

طُموحٌ إلى الحتفِ المدبَّر قادني

طُموحٌ إلى الحتفِ المدبَّر قادني

وقد يُزهِقُ النفسَ الطُموحُ المُعاجل

وقد يُزهِقُ النفسَ الطُموحُ المُعاجل

My ambition led me toward death as it retreated;

Ambition led me toward a death contrived for me;

Headlong ambition may indeed destroy the soul.

and hasty ambition can extinguish the soul.

كَرِهْتُ مداجاةً فرُحْتُ مشاغبا

كَرِهْتُ مداجاةً فرُحْتُ مشاغبا

ولم يُجدِني شَغْب فرُحْتُ أُجامل

ولم يُجدِني شَغْب فرُحْتُ أُجامل

I hated dissembling, so I turned combative;

I hated dissimulation, so I became defiant;

And when combat failed me, I turned conciliatory.

defiance did me no good, so I began to conciliate.

وأغْرقْتُ في إطراءِ من لا أهابُه

وأغْرقْتُ في إطراءِ من لا أهابُه

وساجلت بالتقريع من لا يساجَل

وساجلت بالتقريع من لا يساجَل

I lavished praise upon those whom I did not fear,

I lavished praise on those I did not fear,

And matched with rebuke those who could not match me.

and vied in rebuke with those beyond challenge.

وأصْحَرْتُ عن قلبي فكان تكالُبٌ

وأصْحَرْتُ عن قلبي فكان تكالُبٌ

عليّ لإصحاري وكان تواكُل

عليّ لإصحاري وكان تواكُل

I laid my heart bare, and they rushed upon me;

I laid my heart bare, and there was a ravenous onslaught

For my candor brought their onslaught—and others’ desertion.

against me for my candor, and mutual shirking,

نزولاً على حكمٍ وحفظاً لغاية

نزولاً على حكمٍ وحفظاً لغاية

يكون وسيطاً بينهن التعاُدل

يكون وسيطاً بينهن التعاُدل

I submitted to judgment, preserving one final aim:

in submission to a judgment and in safeguarding an aim,

That equity should serve as mediator among them.

with balance acting as mediator among them.

وما خِلْتُني عبْءا عليهم وأنهم

وما خِلْتُني عبْءا عليهم وأنهم

يريدون أن يُجتَثَّ متنٌ وكاهل

يريدون أن يُجتَثَّ متنٌ وكاهل

I never thought myself a burden upon them, nor imagined

I had not thought myself a burden upon them, nor that they

That they wished to uproot me, trunk and all.

wanted back and shoulders uprooted.

ولما بدا لي أنه سدُّ مَخْرَجٍ

ولما بدا لي أنه سدُّ مَخْرَجٍ

وقد أُرتِجَ البابُ الذي أنا داخل

وقد أُرتِجَ البابُ الذي أنا داخل

When it became clear that every exit was blocked

And when it became clear to me that an exit was being blocked,

And the door I had entered had been firmly barred,

while the door through which I had entered was bolted,

وأخلَتْ صدورٌ عن قلوبٍ خبيثةٍ

وأخلَتْ صدورٌ عن قلوبٍ خبيثةٍ

ولاحت من الغدرِ الصريحِ مخايل

ولاحت من الغدرِ الصريحِ مخايل

I emptied my breast of hearts steeped in malice,

and breasts laid bare wicked hearts,

While signs of open treachery came into view.

and signs of overt treachery appeared,

رجعت لعُش ٍّ مُوحشٍ أقبلتْ به

رجعت لعُش ٍّ مُوحشٍ أقبلتْ به

علي الهمومُ الموحشاتُ القواتل

علي الهمومُ الموحشاتُ القواتل

I returned to a desolate nest that received me,

I returned to a desolate nest, where there descended

As caravans of desolating cares arrived.

upon me desolating, murderous cares.

وكنتُ كعُصفورٍ وديعٍ تحاملت

وكنتُ كعُصفورٍ وديعٍ تحاملت

عليه ممن الستِ الجهاتِ أجادِل

عليه ممن الستِ الجهاتِ أجادِل

I became like a meek and yielding sparrow,

I was like a gentle sparrow beset

Bearing what I lacked the strength to dispute.

by falcons from all six directions.

ورَوَّضْتُ بالتوطينِ نفساً غريبةً

ورَوَّضْتُ بالتوطينِ نفساً غريبةً

تراني وما تبغيه لا نتشاكل

تراني وما تبغيه لا نتشاكل

I trained a spirit alien to such resignation,

Through self-conditioning I tamed an estranged soul

Though what it sought and what I sought could never agree.

that sees no likeness between me and what it seeks.

وقلتُ لها صبراً وان كان وطؤهُ

وقلتُ لها صبراً وان كان وطؤهُ

ثقيلا ولكن ليس في الحزن طائل

ثقيلا ولكن ليس في الحزن طائل

I told it: Be patient, however crushing patience feels;

I told it, 'Patience, even though its tread is

Yet mere forbearance, without resolution, profits nothing.

heavy; yet sorrow yields no gain.'

وكَظْمُ الفتى غيظاً على ما يسوؤه

وكَظْمُ الفتى غيظاً على ما يسوؤه

من الأمر دربٌ عبَّدته الأماثل

من الأمر دربٌ عبَّدته الأماثل

For a young man to swallow anger at what wounds him

A man's restraining his anger at what distresses him

Is a path the noblest before him have trodden.

in life's affairs is a road paved by the noblest.

ولِلعْقلِ من معنى العقالِ اشتقاقُه

ولِلعْقلِ من معنى العقالِ اشتقاقُه

إذا اقتِيدَ إنسان به فهو عاقل

إذا اقتِيدَ إنسان به فهو عاقل

The very notion of restraint is kin to the tether:

Reason derives its name from the meaning of a tether:

A person led by it is therefore called rational.

if a person is led by it, he is rational.

وكنتُ ودعوايَ احتمالا كفاقدٍ

وكنتُ ودعوايَ احتمالا كفاقدٍ

حُساماً وقد رَفَّت عليه الحمائل

حُساماً وقد رَفَّت عليه الحمائل

Yet I, for all my claim to endurance, was like one who had lost

And I, professing endurance, was like one who had lost

A sword whose straps still fluttered at his side.

a sharp sword, though its straps fluttered about him.

حبستُ لساني بين شِدْقَيَّ مُرغماً

حبستُ لساني بين شِدْقَيَّ مُرغماً

على أنه ماضي الشَّبا إذ يناضل

على أنه ماضي الشَّبا إذ يناضل

I imprisoned my tongue between my jaws against its will,

I imprisoned my tongue between my jaws, against my will,

Though its edge was keen whenever it contended.

though it is keen-edged whenever it struggles.

وعهدي به لا يُرسلُ القولَ واهناً

وعهدي به لا يُرسلُ القولَ واهناً

ولا في بيانٍ عن مرادٍ يعاضل

ولا في بيانٍ عن مرادٍ يعاضل

I had known it never to send forth feeble speech,

I have known it never to send forth feeble words,

Nor stumble when declaring what it meant.

nor to grow tangled in explaining an intention.

وبيني وبينَ الشعرِ عهدٌ نكثتُه

وبيني وبينَ الشعرِ عهدٌ نكثتُه

ورثَّتْ حبالٌ أُحكِمَتْ ووسائل

ورثَّتْ حبالٌ أُحكِمَتْ ووسائل

Between poetry and me there was a covenant I broke;

Between me and poetry was a covenant I broke,

I loosened well-knotted cords and severed every bond.

and firmly bound cords and connections grew worn.

وجهّلتُ نفسي لا خمولا وإنما

وجهّلتُ نفسي لا خمولا وإنما

تيقنت – ان السيّدَ المتجاهل

تيقنت – ان السيّدَ المتجاهل

I feigned ignorance—not from stupidity, but because

I made myself appear ignorant—not from indolence, but because

I knew that the masterful man may choose to seem unaware.

I became convinced that the master is the one who feigns ignorance.

وما خلت أني في العراق جميعِه

وما خلت أني في العراق جميعِه

سأفقِدُ حراً عن مغيبي يسائل

سأفقِدُ حراً عن مغيبي يسائل

I never thought that throughout all Iraq

I never thought that throughout all Iraq

I would lack one free man to ask after my absence.

I would lack a free man who would inquire about my absence.

سَتَرْتُ على كَرْهٍ وضِعْنٍ مَقاتلي

سَتَرْتُ على كَرْهٍ وضِعْنٍ مَقاتلي

إلى أن بدتْ للشامتينّ المقاتل

إلى أن بدتْ للشامتينّ المقاتل

Against my will, I concealed my rancor and my vulnerable places,

Reluctantly and resentfully, I concealed my vulnerable places

Until even the silent revealed their mortal spots.

until those vulnerabilities appeared to the gloating.

أهذا مصيري بعد عشرين حِجَّةً

أهذا مصيري بعد عشرين حِجَّةً

تحلت بأشعاري فهن أواهل ؟

تحلت بأشعاري فهن أواهل ؟

Is this my fate after twenty years

Is this my fate after twenty years

Adorned by my poems and made illustrious through them?

adorned by my poems, and filled with life?

أهذا مصيرُ الشعرِ ريّانَ تنتمي

أهذا مصيرُ الشعرِ ريّانَ تنتمي

إليه القوافي المغدقاتُ الحوافل!؟

إليه القوافي المغدقاتُ الحوافل!؟

Is this the fate of poetry, abundant and well-watered,

Is this the fate of lush poetry, to which

To which full-laden, rain-rich rhymes belong?

abundantly flowing, richly laden rhymes belong?

سلاسلُ صِيغتْ من معانٍ مُبَغَّضٍ

سلاسلُ صِيغتْ من معانٍ مُبَغَّضٍ

لها الذهبُ الأبريزُ وهو سلاسل

لها الذهبُ الأبريزُ وهو سلاسل

Chains fashioned out of divided meanings—

Chains wrought from meanings to which

Their substance pure gold, yet chains nevertheless.

pure gold is hateful when it is chains.

ومن عجبٍ أنّ القوافي سوائلا

ومن عجبٍ أنّ القوافي سوائلا

اذا شُحِذَتْ للحَصْدِ فِهي مَناجل

اذا شُحِذَتْ للحَصْدِ فِهي مَناجل

How strange that rhymes can flow like water,

And it is a wonder that rhymes, though liquid,

Yet, sharpened to an edge, become sickles.

when sharpened for harvesting, become sickles.

وهنَّ كماءِ المُزْنِ لطفاً ورقةً

وهنَّ كماءِ المُزْنِ لطفاً ورقةً

وهنَّ إذا جدَّ النضالُ مَعاول

وهنَّ إذا جدَّ النضالُ مَعاول

They are as gentle and delicate as rainwater,

They are like rain-cloud water in gentleness and delicacy,

But when the struggle grows earnest, they become pickaxes.

yet when the struggle grows earnest, they are pickaxes.

فأمّا وقد بانت نفوسٌ وكُشِّفَتْ

فأمّا وقد بانت نفوسٌ وكُشِّفَتْ

ستائرُ قومٍ واستُشِفَّت دخائل

ستائرُ قومٍ واستُشِفَّت دخائل

Now that souls have plainly shown themselves,

But now that souls stand revealed, and lifted

Their veils removed and their hidden motives discerned,

are a people's veils, and their inner secrets are discerned,

ولم يبق إلا أن يقالَ مساومٌ

ولم يبق إلا أن يقالَ مساومٌ

أخو غرضٍ أو ميّتُ النفسِ خامل

أخو غرضٍ أو ميّتُ النفسِ خامل

Nothing remains except that I be called a bargainer,

and nothing remains but to call me a bargainer,

A servant of private interest, or a lifeless, listless soul.

a man of self-interest, or dead of soul and idle,

فلا عذرَ للأشعار حتى يردَّها

فلا عذرَ للأشعار حتى يردَّها

إلى الحق مرضيُّ الحكومةِ فاصل

إلى الحق مرضيُّ الحكومةِ فاصل

No excuse remains for poetry until one restores it

poems have no excuse until they are brought back

To truth—an accepted arbiter, decisive in judgment.

to truth by a decisive arbiter whose judgment is trusted.

لأمِّ القوافي الويلُ إن لم يَقُمْ لها

لأمِّ القوافي الويلُ إن لم يَقُمْ لها

ضجيجٌ ولم ترتجَّ منها المحافل

ضجيجٌ ولم ترتجَّ منها المحافل

I shall fill my rhymes with woe if they do not raise

Woe to the mother of rhymes if there rises for them no

An uproar and make the assemblies tremble.

uproar, and the assemblies do not quake at them!

سأقذِفُ حُرَّ القولِ غيرَ مُخاتِل

سأقذِفُ حُرَّ القولِ غيرَ مُخاتِل

ولا بدّ أن يبدو فيُخْزَى المُخاتل

ولا بدّ أن يبدو فيُخْزَى المُخاتل

I shall hurl forth free speech without deceit;

I shall hurl forth free speech, without deceit,

The deceiver must at last appear and be disgraced.

and the deceiver must be exposed and put to shame.

لئن كان بالتهديم تُبْنى رغائبٌ

لئن كان بالتهديم تُبْنى رغائبٌ

وبلخبط والتكديرِ تصفو مناهل

وبلخبط والتكديرِ تصفو مناهل

If desires can be built only through demolition,

If desires are built through demolition,

And limpid springs cleared only by beating and muddying them,

and watering places run clear through stirring and muddying,

وإن كان بالزلفى يؤمَّلُ آيسٌ

وإن كان بالزلفى يؤمَّلُ آيسٌ

وبالخُطَّةِ المُثلى يُخيَيَّبُ آمل

وبالخُطَّةِ المُثلى يُخيَيَّبُ آمل

If hope is reached only through servile flattery,

and if flattery gives hope to one who has despaired,

While the finest address leaves its hopeful speaker disappointed,

while the finest course disappoints the hopeful,

فَلَلْجهلُ مرهوبُ الغرارين صائبٌ

فَلَلْجهلُ مرهوبُ الغرارين صائبٌ

ولَلْحِلْمُ رأيٌ بَيّنُ النقصِ فائل

ولَلْحِلْمُ رأيٌ بَيّنُ النقصِ فائل

Then ignorance possesses talons feared in attack,

then recklessness, feared for its two edges, is right,

While forbearance is dismissed as defective judgment.

and forbearance is a plainly deficient, mistaken judgment;

ولَلْغَرَضُ الموصومُ أعلى محلةً

ولَلْغَرَضُ الموصومُ أعلى محلةً

من المرءِ منبوذاً علته الأسافل

من المرءِ منبوذاً علته الأسافل

Then fevered self-interest holds a higher station

and tainted self-interest holds a higher rank

Than the person whom the rabble have cast aside.

than a cast-out man whom the basest have risen above.

أرى القومَ من يُقرَّبْ إليهِمُ

أرى القومَ من يُقرَّبْ إليهِمُ

ومن يَجْتَنِبْ يَكْثُرْ عليه التحامل

ومن يَجْتَنِبْ يَكْثُرْ عليه التحامل

I see the people drawing some men close to themselves

I see that, with these people, whoever is drawn close to them,

And heaping accusations upon whoever keeps apart.

and whoever keeps away, faces mounting hostility,

على غيرِ ما سنَّ الكرامُ وما التقت

على غيرِ ما سنَّ الكرامُ وما التقت

عليه شعوبٌ جمةٌ وقبائل

عليه شعوبٌ جمةٌ وقبائل

This is not the law the honorable established,

contrary to what the noble have established, and what

Nor that by which great peoples and tribes protected themselves.

many peoples and tribes have agreed upon.

فلا ينخدعْ قومٌ بفرط احتجازةٍ

فلا ينخدعْ قومٌ بفرط احتجازةٍ

تَخَيَّلَ أني قُعْدُدٌ متكاسل

تَخَيَّلَ أني قُعْدُدٌ متكاسل

Let no one be deceived by the excess of my protest

So let no people be deceived by excessive restraint,

And imagine that I sit inactive and indolent.

imagining that I am a sedentary, sluggish man.

فإني لذاكَ النجمُ لم يخبُ نَوُؤه

فإني لذاكَ النجمُ لم يخبُ نَوُؤه

ولا كَذَبَتْ سيماؤُه والشمائل

ولا كَذَبَتْ سيماؤُه والشمائل

I am a star whose light has never failed,

For I am that very star whose rain has never failed,

Whose signs and noble qualities have never lied.

nor have its signs and traits proved false.

وما فَلَّتِ الايامُ مني صرامة

وما فَلَّتِ الايامُ مني صرامة

ولا زحزحت علمي بانيَ باسل

ولا زحزحت علمي بانيَ باسل

The days have not blunted my resolve,

The days have not blunted my resolve,

Nor has my patience kept me from being valiant.

nor shaken my knowledge that I am brave.

ولكنني مما جناه تسرُّعٌ

ولكنني مما جناه تسرُّعٌ

توهمت أنَّ الأسْبَقَ المتثاقل

توهمت أنَّ الأسْبَقَ المتثاقل

Yet from what reckless haste has brought upon me,

But, because of what haste had wrought,

I imagined myself foremost among the prudent.

I fancied that the laggard would come first.

وإنّي بَعْدَ اليومِ بالطيش آخذُّ

وإنّي بَعْدَ اليومِ بالطيش آخذُّ

وإني على حكمٍ الجهالةِ نازل

وإني على حكمٍ الجهالةِ نازل

From this day onward, I shall take myself firmly in hand,

After today, I shall embrace recklessness,

Even if I must descend to meet folly on its own ground.

and submit to the rule of folly.

وإني لوثابٌ إلى كل فرصةٍ

وإني لوثابٌ إلى كل فرصةٍ

تعِنُّ وعدّاءٌ إليها فواصل

تعِنُّ وعدّاءٌ إليها فواصل

I shall leap toward every opening

I shall leap at every opportunity

Though hostile barriers stand between me and it.

that appears, race toward it, and reach it,

بخيرٍ وشرٍ ان ما ادرك الفتى

بخيرٍ وشرٍ ان ما ادرك الفتى

به سُؤْلَه فهو الخدينُ المماثل

به سُؤْلَه فهو الخدينُ المماثل

By good or ill—for whatever enables a man

through good and evil; for whatever lets a man attain

To attain his end becomes his fitting companion.

his desire is the companion that matches him.

وأعلَمُ علماً يقطعُ الظنَّ أنَّه

وأعلَمُ علماً يقطعُ الظنَّ أنَّه

لكلِ امرئٍ في كلِّ شيءٍ عواذل

لكلِ امرئٍ في كلِّ شيءٍ عواذل

I know with certainty beyond conjecture

And I know, with a certainty that ends all doubt, that

That every person, in every undertaking, has detractors.

every man has reproachers in everything.

فانْ لم يقولوا إنَّه مُتعنِّتٌ

فانْ لم يقولوا إنَّه مُتعنِّتٌ

عَنُودٌ يقولوا مُصْحِبٌ متساهل

عَنُودٌ يقولوا مُصْحِبٌ متساهل

If they do not call me stubborn and intractable,

If they do not call him obstinate

They will call my conduct weak and indulgent.

and stubborn, they call him compliant and indulgent,

تخالُفَ أذواقٍ وبغياً وإثْرَةً

تخالُفَ أذواقٍ وبغياً وإثْرَةً

ومن آدمٍ في العيش كان التّقاتُل

ومن آدمٍ في العيش كان التّقاتُل

Tastes differ; grudges and animosities multiply,

because of differing tastes, injustice, and selfishness;

And one deprived of substance lives by trading accusations.

since Adam, life has known mutual strife.

فما اسطعتَ فاجعلْ دأبَ نفسِكَ خَيرَها

فما اسطعتَ فاجعلْ دأبَ نفسِكَ خَيرَها

ولا تُدخِلَنَّ الناسَ فيما تحاول

ولا تُدخِلَنَّ الناسَ فيما تحاول

As far as you are able, make your own good your constant aim,

So, as far as you can, make your own good your soul's pursuit,

And do not bring everyone into what you seek to accomplish.

and never involve people in what you attempt.

فما الحرّ إلا من يُشاورُ عَقْلَهُ

فما الحرّ إلا من يُشاورُ عَقْلَهُ

وأمُّ الذي يستنصِحُ الغيرَ ثاكل

وأمُّ الذي يستنصِحُ الغيرَ ثاكل

The free man is only he who consults his own reason;

The free man is only he who consults his own mind;

How wretched is one who must borrow another’s judgment.

the mother of one who seeks others' counsel is bereaved.

نَصيحُكَ إما خائفٌ أو مغَرَّرٌ

نَصيحُكَ إما خائفٌ أو مغَرَّرٌ

كلا الرجلينِ في الملماتِ خاذل

كلا الرجلينِ في الملماتِ خاذل

Your counselor is either fearful or deceived:

Your adviser is either fearful or duped;

In adversity, either sort will fail you.

both men fail you in calamities.

وبينهما رأيٌ هو الفصلُ فيهما

وبينهما رأيٌ هو الفصلُ فيهما

ومعنىً هو الحقُ الذي لا يجادَل

ومعنىً هو الحقُ الذي لا يجادَل

Between them stands a judgment that settles the matter,

Between them lies a judgment that settles their case,

Whose meaning is the truth that admits no dispute.

and a meaning that is the truth beyond dispute:

على أنها العقبى – فباطلُ ناجحٍ

على أنها العقبى – فباطلُ ناجحٍ

يَحِقُّ . وحق العاثرِ الجَدِّ باطل

يَحِقُّ . وحق العاثرِ الجَدِّ باطل

Though the final outcome may let falsehood prosper,

it is the outcome that counts: a successful man's falsehood

It vindicates it—while even an earnest struggler’s truth may fail.

becomes truth, while the truth of the luckless is falsehood.