قضى اللّه فيما بيننا بقرابة

قضى اللّه فيما بيننا بقرابة

وودٍّ وإشفاقٍ فلا نتنكَّبُ

وودٍّ وإشفاقٍ فلا نتنكَّبُ

God ordained kinship between us,

Allah has decreed kinship between us

and affection and compassion, so let us not turn aside.

Of affection and compassion, so let us not turn away

فلا حَطَّتِ الدنيا بناءً لكم ولا

فلا حَطَّتِ الدنيا بناءً لكم ولا

فُقِدْتُم وإن طال المدى والتَّجنُّبُ

فُقِدْتُم وإن طال المدى والتَّجنُّبُ

May the world never pull down a structure of yours, nor

Neither has worldly life made any buildings between you and us

may you be lost, though time and estrangement grow long.

Nor has long separation and avoidance occurred

ولا فَقَدَت أفواهُنا ذكركم ولا

ولا فَقَدَت أفواهُنا ذكركم ولا

ذكرناكمُ إلا بخير ونُطْنِبُ

ذكرناكمُ إلا بخير ونُطْنِبُ

Nor have our mouths ceased to mention you, nor

Neither have our mouths lacked mention of you

have we spoken of you except with praise, and at length.

Nor have we mentioned you except with good and extolment

وإن بَعُدَت دار وطالت مسافةٌ

وإن بَعُدَت دار وطالت مسافةٌ

وحالت صحارى دوننا ثم أسهُبُ

وحالت صحارى دوننا ثم أسهُبُ

And though a dwelling be far and the distance grow long,

Even if a house is far and distance is long

and deserts bar our way, followed by broad plains,

And deserts come between us, then slopes

فلا البُعدُ يمحق ودَّنا وودادنا

فلا البُعدُ يمحق ودَّنا وودادنا

قديمٌ ولا قُرْبُ المزار يُقَرِّبُ

قديمٌ ولا قُرْبُ المزار يُقَرِّبُ

still, distance does not efface our affection; and our love

Neither does distance erase our love and affection

is longstanding; nor does nearness of the place visited bring us closer.

Ancient, nor does proximity of visit bring nearer

وربَّ صديق لا يزور من النَّوَى

وربَّ صديق لا يزور من النَّوَى

وربَّ عدوٍّ بالدنا يتقرَّبُ

وربَّ عدوٍّ بالدنا يتقرَّبُ

And many a friend does not visit because of distance,

Many a friend does not visit from afar

and many an enemy seeks closeness through proximity.

And many a foe draws near to our abode

وكم من محبٍّ ليس يُظهِرُ حبه

وكم من محبٍّ ليس يُظهِرُ حبه

لديك وكم من ذي قِلىً يتحبَّبُ

لديك وكم من ذي قِلىً يتحبَّبُ

And how many a loving person does not reveal his love

And how many a lover whose love is not apparent to you

to you, while many a hater makes a show of affection.

And how many a spiteful one curries your favor

وحاذر القُرْبَى إذا ما جفوتهم

وحاذر القُرْبَى إذا ما جفوتهم

فأَعْدَى أعاديك الذي هو أقربُ

فأَعْدَى أعاديك الذي هو أقربُ

And beware of kinsfolk if you treat them coldly,

And beware of kin if you are harsh to them

for your bitterest enemy is the one who is closest.

The most hostile of your enemies does the greatest harm

وإياك أن تدنى جهولاً فإنه

وإياك أن تدنى جهولاً فإنه

يفعل الدنايا للبِلَى يتسبَّبُ

يفعل الدنايا للبِلَى يتسبَّبُ

And beware of bringing an ignorant man close, for he

And beware that you approach an ignoramus

commits base deeds and brings about ruin.

Who makes the world's ordeals recur and brings tribulation

وقبِّل يد الأقوى ولا تعصينه

وقبِّل يد الأقوى ولا تعصينه

فإنك إن قاوَمْتَه فهو يغلِبُ

فإنك إن قاوَمْتَه فهو يغلِبُ

And kiss the hand of the stronger, and do not disobey him,

And kiss the hand of the powerful, do not disobey him

for if you resist him, he will prevail.

For if you resist him, he will overcome

وسلِّمْ إليه لا تُخالف مُراده

وسلِّمْ إليه لا تُخالف مُراده

فإنك إن خالفْتَ فالضرَّ يجلِبُ

فإنك إن خالفْتَ فالضرَّ يجلِبُ

And yield to him; do not oppose his will,

And submit to him, do not oppose his desire

for if you oppose him, he will bring harm.

For if you oppose, harm will result

ولا تجفُه مهما بَدَت منه زَلةٌ

ولا تجفُه مهما بَدَت منه زَلةٌ

وكن ذا صَفاءِ إن تكدَّر مشربُ

وكن ذا صَفاءِ إن تكدَّر مشربُ

And do not shun him, whatever lapse may appear from him,

And do not spurn him no matter how many slips he makes

and remain clear-hearted if the drinking-place grows turbid.

And be pure of spirit even if he is muddied of drink

فإنك إن جازيته عِشْتَ نادماً

فإنك إن جازيته عِشْتَ نادماً

على فعلك الماضي كأنك مُذنِبُ

على فعلك الماضي كأنك مُذنِبُ

For if you repay him in kind, you will live in regret

For if you repay him, you will live regretting

over your past deed, as though you were guilty.

Your past deed as if you were a sinner

وقل قوله إن وافَقَ الحق والهدى

وقل قوله إن وافَقَ الحق والهدى

وإن لم يوافق فالتجنب أصوبُ

وإن لم يوافق فالتجنب أصوبُ

And repeat his statement if it accords with truth and guidance,

And speak his words if they agree with truth and guidance

and if it does not, avoidance is sounder.

And if they do not, avoidance is best

وحاذر من الزلات في النطق غِيبة

وحاذر من الزلات في النطق غِيبة

فإنك مأخوذٌ بما كنت تكسبُ

فإنك مأخوذٌ بما كنت تكسبُ

And beware of slips in speech—backbiting,

And beware of slips of the tongue and backbiting

for you are held accountable for what you have earned.

For you are seized for what you used to earn

ولا تك في إنفاقِ مالك مُسرفاً

ولا تك في إنفاقِ مالك مُسرفاً

فإن أخا الإسرافِ بالمال يذهَبُ

فإن أخا الإسرافِ بالمال يذهَبُ

And do not be extravagant in spending your wealth,

And do not be extravagant in spending your money

for one given to extravagance fritters wealth away.

For the brother of extravagance is loss of wealth

ولاتك جَمَّاعاً لمالك خازِناً

ولاتك جَمَّاعاً لمالك خازِناً

لغيرك مَنَّاعاً تِشحُّ وتسلُبُ

لغيرك مَنَّاعاً تِشحُّ وتسلُبُ

And do not be a hoarder of your wealth, storing it up

And do not hoard your wealth, denying it

for others, withholding it, being miserly and plundering.

To others, stingy and withholding

ولاتك مِخْلافاً لوَعْدِك يَجترى

ولاتك مِخْلافاً لوَعْدِك يَجترى

عليك سفيه أو إلى الخلف تُنْسَبُ

عليك سفيه أو إلى الخلف تُنْسَبُ

And do not habitually break your promise, lest boldness be shown

And do not break your word which you repeat

against you by a fool, or you be accused of breaking your word.

So a fool attributes lies to you or you are called treacherous

ولا تعص سلطاناً ولا قاضَي الورى

ولا تعص سلطاناً ولا قاضَي الورى

ولا وَالياً واغضب له حين يغضَبُ

ولا وَالياً واغضب له حين يغضَبُ

And do not disobey a ruler, nor the judge of humankind,

And do not disobey a sultan, nor the judge of affairs

nor a governor; and be angry on his behalf when he grows angry.

Nor a governor, but be angry when he is angry

ودَارِهم لو كان في القلبِ جَمرةٌ

ودَارِهم لو كان في القلبِ جَمرةٌ

من الغيظ في وسط الحَشا تتلَهَّبُ

من الغيظ في وسط الحَشا تتلَهَّبُ

And deal tactfully with them, even if in the heart there is an ember

Were there in the heart a burning ember

of wrath, blazing in the midst of the breast.

Of rage amidst the intestines kindling

فإنك إن دارَيْتَهُم فُزْتَ بالذي

فإنك إن دارَيْتَهُم فُزْتَ بالذي

أردتَ وإن خالفتهم يتصلَّبُوا

أردتَ وإن خالفتهم يتصلَّبُوا

For if you deal tactfully with them, you will attain what

For if you befriend them, you attain what

you wished for; but if you oppose them, they will grow obstinate.

You want, but if you oppose them, they harden

ولا تغشينْ أسرارهم واخْفِ قولهم

ولا تغشينْ أسرارهم واخْفِ قولهم

لئلا يجدُّوا في قِلاك ويغضبوا

لئلا يجدُّوا في قِلاك ويغضبوا

And do not pry into their secrets, and conceal their words,

And do not conceal their secrets but hide their words

lest they become intent on hating you and grow angry.

Lest they sense evil in your heart and are angry

وقس كل قولٍ إن أردت مَقالةً

وقس كل قولٍ إن أردت مَقالةً

فإنك مسئولٌ وقولك يكتَبُ

فإنك مسئولٌ وقولك يكتَبُ

And weigh every word if you wish to speak,

And examine every saying if you desire speech

for you are accountable, and your words are recorded.

For you are asked and your words are written

وسارع إلى الخير ما عشت جاهِداً

وسارع إلى الخير ما عشت جاهِداً

فإنك مجزىٌّ وأنت المهذَّبُ

فإنك مجزىٌّ وأنت المهذَّبُ

And hasten toward good, striving as long as you live,

And hasten to goodness as long as you live, striving

for you will be rewarded, and you are well-mannered.

For you are rewarded and you are the polished