1. و لي خلق يأبى مجاراة سافلٍ

    و من أن أراه يعتريني التأفُّفُ

    And I have a character that refuses to go along with a vile man.

    And at the sight of him, disgust overtakes me.

  2. كفاه و قد أمسى قذى كل مقلةٍ

    به منتدى الأخلاق لا يتشرفُ

    It is enough for him, now a mote in every eye,

    that the assembly of virtue gains no honor from him.

  3. على مقاسك فالبسْ دائما أبدا

    و دعْ لباسا تراه لا يواتيكا

    So wear what fits you, always and forever,

    and leave aside a garment you see does not suit you.

  4. لو خضت بحرا و لا تدري سباحته

    فإن لجته بالحتف تأتيكا

    If you entered a sea and did not know how to swim in it,

    then its depths would bring you death.

  5. أسامحه على ما جاء منه

    و أعفو قائلا:ذا للصداقةْ

    I forgive him for what he has done,

    and pardon him, saying, 'This is for friendship.'

  6. يراني البعض أني ذو صواب

    و آخر ظنَّه مني حماقةْالأرض لمن يمشي بمناكبها يتأبّطُ وحدته

    Some see me as being in the right,

    and another deemed it folly on my part. The earth belongs to whoever walks upon its shoulders, carrying his solitude under his arm.

  7. يلقم فمها الخصب

    و يرسم فوق محياها بستانا

    He feeds its mouth with fertility,

    and draws a garden upon its face.

  8. داخلَ كفيه يثوي شجر

    هوَ كل لغات العالم،

    Within his two palms, trees dwell;

    they are all the languages of the world.

  9. الأرض لمن يجلس في الظلِّّ

    يخمّن أن النخلة تتحلى برداء نبيٍّ،

    The earth belongs to whoever sits in the shade,

    surmising that the palm tree adorns itself with a prophet's robe,

  10. و لمن يخرج فجرا

    يبحث عن نجمٍ فرَّ مساء الأمس

    and to whoever goes out at dawn,

    searching for a star that fled yesterday evening

  11. من غسقٍ كان أساء إليه دون مبالاةٍ،

    الأرض نشيدٌ

    from a dusk that had wronged it without a care.

    The earth is a song

  12. ليس يفيض عصافيرا إلا

    عند ضريح شهيد

    that does not pour forth sparrows except

    at the tomb of a martyr

  13. ترك الخيمة كي يشرب من نقع الوقعة

    حين أحس بريح حملت تَتَراً

    who left the tent to drink from the dust of battle,

    when he sensed a wind that carried Tatars.

  14. فيه شيَمُ الحجر الواقف في القيظ

    تعوَّدَ أن يتهيَّبَه سدر القفر

    In him are the traits of a stone standing in the scorching heat,

    which has grown accustomed to the wilderness's lote trees standing in awe of it.

  15. أقول لكم:

    الأرض لنا

    I say to you:

    The earth is ours,

  16. و لذا هي كانت منذ قديم

    ليستْ لأحدْ

    and so, since ancient times, it has been

    no one's.