دَعْ يومَ أمسِ وخُذْ في شأنِ يومِ غَدِ

دَعْ يومَ أمسِ وخُذْ في شأنِ يومِ غَدِ

واعدِدْ لِنفسِك فيهَ أفضَلَ العُدَدِ

واعدِدْ لِنفسِك فيهَ أفضَلَ العُدَدِ

Leave yesterday behind, and attend to tomorrow's affairs.

Leave yesterday behind and take care of tomorrow's affairs,

And prepare for yourself the best provisions for it.

And count for yourself the best numbers within it.

واقنَعْ بما قَسَمَ اللهُ الكريمُ ولا

واقنَعْ بما قَسَمَ اللهُ الكريمُ ولا

تَبسُطْ يَديَكَ لنَيلِ الرِّزقِ من أحَدِ

تَبسُطْ يَديَكَ لنَيلِ الرِّزقِ من أحَدِ

Be content with what God, the Generous, has allotted, and do not

Be content with what the Generous God has apportioned; extend not

Stretch out your hands to anyone for sustenance.

Your hands to gain sustenance from anyone.

والبَسْ لكُلِّ زمانٍ بُرْدةً حَضَرَت

والبَسْ لكُلِّ زمانٍ بُرْدةً حَضَرَت

حتى تُحاكَ لك الأُخرى من البُرَدِ

حتى تُحاكَ لك الأُخرى من البُرَدِ

And always wear whichever cloak is at hand,

Don for each era a cloak that suits it,

Until another cloak is woven for you.

Until the next is tailored for you from burdah cloth.

ودُرْ مَعَ الدَّهرِ وانظُرْ في عَواقبِهِ

ودُرْ مَعَ الدَّهرِ وانظُرْ في عَواقبِهِ

حِذارَ أن تُبتَلى عَيناكَ بالرَّمَدِ

حِذارَ أن تُبتَلى عَيناكَ بالرَّمَدِ

And turn with time, and consider its consequences,

Coexist with time and look into its consequences,

Beware lest your eyes be afflicted with inflammation.

Beware that your eyes become afflicted with cataracts.

مَتَى تَرَ الكلبَ في أيَّامِ دَوْلتِهِ

مَتَى تَرَ الكلبَ في أيَّامِ دَوْلتِهِ

فاجَعلْ لرِجْليكَ أطواقاً من الزَرَدِ

فاجَعلْ لرِجْليكَ أطواقاً من الزَرَدِ

Whenever you see the dog in its days of ascendancy,

When you see the dog in the days of its reign,

Then fit your legs with rings of chain mail.

Make anklets of chrysolite for your feet.

واعمْ بأنَّ عليكَ العارَ تَلْبَسُهُ

واعمْ بأنَّ عليكَ العارَ تَلْبَسُهُ

من عَضَّةِ الكلبِ لا من عضَّةِ الأسَدِ

من عَضَّةِ الكلبِ لا من عضَّةِ الأسَدِ

And know that the disgrace you wear comes upon you

You are shamed by the dog’s bite, not by the lion’s,

From the bite of a dog, not from the bite of a lion.

So beware of being bitten and stung.

لا تأمُلِ الخيرَ من ذي نعمةٍ حَدَثَت

لا تأمُلِ الخيرَ من ذي نعمةٍ حَدَثَت

فَهْوَ الحريصُ على أثوابهِ الجُدُدِ

فَهْوَ الحريصُ على أثوابهِ الجُدُدِ

Do not expect good from one whose prosperity is newfound,

Do not hope for good from one whose grace is newly found,

For he is jealously protective of his new garments.

For he is keen to wear his new clothes.

واحرِصْ على الدُرِّ أن تُعطِي قلائدَهُ

واحرِصْ على الدُرِّ أن تُعطِي قلائدَهُ

مَن لا يُميِّزُ بينَ الدُرِّ والبَرَدِ

مَن لا يُميِّزُ بينَ الدُرِّ والبَرَدِ

And guard the pearls, lest you give their necklaces

Be eager for pearls that you may give them as necklaces

To one who does not distinguish pearls from hailstones.

To one who cannot tell pearls from beads.

أعدَى العُداةِ صَديقٌ في الرَّخاءِ فإن

أعدَى العُداةِ صَديقٌ في الرَّخاءِ فإن

طَلَبْتَهُ في أوانِ الضِّيقِ لم تَجِدِ

طَلَبْتَهُ في أوانِ الضِّيقِ لم تَجِدِ

The bitterest of enemies is a friend in prosperity, for if

The most hostile of foes is a friend in prosperity. If

You seek him in a time of hardship, you will not find him.

You seek him in times of woe, you will not find him.

وأوثَقُ العهدِ ما بينَ الصِّحابِ لِمَنْ

وأوثَقُ العهدِ ما بينَ الصِّحابِ لِمَنْ

عاقَدتَ قلباً بقلبٍ لا يَداً بيَدِ

عاقَدتَ قلباً بقلبٍ لا يَداً بيَدِ

And the firmest bond between companions is with one

The strongest pact between companions is for one

With whom you have made a pact, heart to heart, not hand to hand.

Who bonds heart to heart, not hand to hand.

عليكَ بالشُّكرِ للُمعطي على هِبةٍ

عليكَ بالشُّكرِ للُمعطي على هِبةٍ

ودَعْ حَسُودَكَ يَشوي فِلْذَة الكَبِدِ

ودَعْ حَسُودَكَ يَشوي فِلْذَة الكَبِدِ

You must thank the giver for a gift,

Give thanks to the Giver for a gift,

And let your envier roast a piece of his liver.

And leave your envious ones to broil their livers.

لو كانَ يَفَعلُ في ذي نِعمةٍ حَسَدٌ

لو كانَ يَفَعلُ في ذي نِعمةٍ حَسَدٌ

لم ينجُ ذو نعمةٍ من غائلِ الحَسَدِ

لم ينجُ ذو نعمةٍ من غائلِ الحَسَدِ

If envy had any effect on one blessed with prosperity,

If envy could affect the prosperous,

No one blessed with prosperity would escape envy's harm.

No prosperous one would be safe from harm by envy.

مَحَضْتُك النُّصحَ عن خُبرٍ وتجرِبةٍ

مَحَضْتُك النُّصحَ عن خُبرٍ وتجرِبةٍ

واللهُ سُبحانَهُ الهادي إلى الرَشَدِ

واللهُ سُبحانَهُ الهادي إلى الرَشَدِ

I have given you sincere counsel from knowledge and experience;

I have counseled you out of experience and wisdom,

And God, glory be to Him, is the guide to right conduct.

And God, glorified is He, is the Guide to the right way.

فاخَترْ لنفسِكَ غيري صاحباً فأنا

فاخَترْ لنفسِكَ غيري صاحباً فأنا

شُغِلتُ عنكَ بما قد جدَّ في البَلَدِ

شُغِلتُ عنكَ بما قد جدَّ في البَلَدِ

So choose someone other than me as your companion, for I

So choose for yourself another friend besides me, for I

Have been kept from you by what has newly occurred in the town.

Am preoccupied with pressing matters in town.

قد شَرَّفَ اليومَ إبراهيمُ بلَدتَنا

قد شَرَّفَ اليومَ إبراهيمُ بلَدتَنا

كأنَّهُ الرُوحُ قد فاضَتْ على الجَسَدِ

كأنَّهُ الرُوحُ قد فاضَتْ على الجَسَدِ

Today Ibrahim has honored our town,

Ibrahim has honored our country today,

As though he were the spirit poured forth upon the body.

As if spirit has overflowed into body.

اهدَت إلينا ضَواحي مِصرَ جَوْهرةً

اهدَت إلينا ضَواحي مِصرَ جَوْهرةً

من مالِنا فهي قد جادَتْ ولم تَجُدِ

من مالِنا فهي قد جادَتْ ولم تَجُدِ

Egypt's outlying regions have given us a jewel,

The suburbs of Egypt have gifted us a jewel

From our own wealth—so she has been generous, yet has not been.

From our wealth, so they have given generously without reserve.

ما زالتِ الشَّامُ تشكو طُولَ وَحْشتِهِ

ما زالتِ الشَّامُ تشكو طُولَ وَحْشتِهِ

كالأمِّ طالتْ عليها غُربةُ الوَلَدِ

كالأمِّ طالتْ عليها غُربةُ الوَلَدِ

Al-Sham has kept lamenting his long absence,

Damascus still complains of the length of his absence,

Like a mother for whom her child's absence has dragged on.

Like a mother long separated from her son.

سُرَّتْ بزَوْرتِهِ يوماً ونَغَّصَها

سُرَّتْ بزَوْرتِهِ يوماً ونَغَّصَها

خوفُ الفِراقِ فلم تَسلَمْ من الكَمَدِ

خوفُ الفِراقِ فلم تَسلَمْ من الكَمَدِ

She rejoiced one day at his visit, but was troubled

She was gladdened by his visit one day, but then

By fear of parting, and so was not spared grief.

Saddened by the fear of parting, so was not spared sorrow.

عليلةٌ من دواعي الشَّوقِ حينَ دَرَى

عليلةٌ من دواعي الشَّوقِ حينَ دَرَى

من لُطفِهِ ما بها وافَى كمُفتقِدِ

من لُطفِهِ ما بها وافَى كمُفتقِدِ

She was ailing from the pangs of longing; when he learned

She is sick with pining, for when she saw

What ailed her, he came in his kindness like one inquiring after her.

His kindness, it cured her like a caring visitor.

لئنْ يكُنْ من حِماها غيرَ مُقترِبٍ

لئنْ يكُنْ من حِماها غيرَ مُقترِبٍ

فقلبُهُ عن هَواها غيرُ مُبتعِدِ

فقلبُهُ عن هَواها غيرُ مُبتعِدِ

Though he may not be near her domain,

If he is forbidden from nearing her,

Yet his heart is not far from loving her.

Then his heart is not estranged from her passion.

كريم نفسٍ يُراعي عهدَ صاحبهِ

كريم نفسٍ يُراعي عهدَ صاحبهِ

فلا يُقصِّرُهُ طُولٌ منَ المُدَدِ

فلا يُقصِّرُهُ طُولٌ منَ المُدَدِ

Noble in soul, he honors his bond with his companion,

He is a generous soul who respects his vow to a friend,

So no span of time can shorten it.

So neither length of separation makes him neglect it.

مُهذَّبٌ ليسَ في أقوالِهِ زَلَلٌ

مُهذَّبٌ ليسَ في أقوالِهِ زَلَلٌ

وليسَ في فِعلِهِ عَيبٌ لمُنتَقدِ

وليسَ في فِعلِهِ عَيبٌ لمُنتَقدِ

Refined, he makes no slip in his words,

Refined, with no flaws in his words,

Nor is there a fault in his deeds for a critic.

And no faults in his deeds to criticize.

يقومُ بالأمرِ بينَ النَّاسِ مُنفرِداً

يقومُ بالأمرِ بينَ النَّاسِ مُنفرِداً

والغيرُ قد كَلَّ عنهُ غيرَ مُنفرِدِ

والغيرُ قد كَلَّ عنهُ غيرَ مُنفرِدِ

He carries out the task among the people single-handedly,

He takes charge of affairs among the people single-handedly

While others, though not alone, have proved unequal to it.

While others have refrained, not equally prepared.

ويَحطِمُ المَنكِبَ الأعلى بهمَّتِهِ

ويَحطِمُ المَنكِبَ الأعلى بهمَّتِهِ

من قُوَّةِ الرأي لا من قُوَّةِ العَضُدِ

من قُوَّةِ الرأي لا من قُوَّةِ العَضُدِ

And with his resolve he crushes the loftiest shoulder,

With his determination, not his brawn, he shatters

By strength of judgment, not by strength of arm.

The loftiest shoulder, so strong is his wisdom and judgment.

منَ الرِّجالِ رجالٌ عَدُّهم عَبَثٌ

منَ الرِّجالِ رجالٌ عَدُّهم عَبَثٌ

وواحدٌ قد كَفَى عن كَثْرةِ العَدَدِ

وواحدٌ قد كَفَى عن كَثْرةِ العَدَدِ

Among men are men whom it is pointless to count,

Among men are those whose number is futile,

And one man has sufficed in place of a multitude.

While one man alone has sufficed against the multitude.

مالي وما لنُجوم الليلِ أحسُبُها

مالي وما لنُجوم الليلِ أحسُبُها

إذا ظَفِرتُ بوجهِ البَدرِ في الجَلَدِ

إذا ظَفِرتُ بوجهِ البَدرِ في الجَلَدِ

What have I to do with the stars of night, counting them,

What is it to me and the night stars? I deem them

When I have found the full moon's face in the firmament?

Naught, when favored by the face of the full moon shining bright.

أهديتُهُ بِنتَ فكرٍ قد فتحتُ لها

أهديتُهُ بِنتَ فكرٍ قد فتحتُ لها

من حُسنِ أوصافهِ كَنْزاً بلا رَصَدِ

من حُسنِ أوصافهِ كَنْزاً بلا رَصَدِ

I offered him a daughter of thought, for whom I opened

I gifted him a daughter born of my thoughts after

From the beauty of his qualities a treasure without a guard.

Unlocking for her treasures of his merits without count.

تَمكَّنت بعدَ ضُعفٍ من نَفائسِهِ

تَمكَّنت بعدَ ضُعفٍ من نَفائسِهِ

حتَّى ابتَنَتْ كُلَّ بيتٍ شامخِ العُمُدِ

حتَّى ابتَنَتْ كُلَّ بيتٍ شامخِ العُمُدِ

After weakness, she gained mastery over his treasures,

After weakness, I gained mastery of his gems

Until she built every verse with towering pillars.

Until each towering verse was built with foundation and pillar.

كلُّ الملابِسِ تَبلَى مثلَ لابِسِها

كلُّ الملابِسِ تَبلَى مثلَ لابِسِها

ومَلبَسُ الشِّعرِ لا يبلى إلى الأبدِ

ومَلبَسُ الشِّعرِ لا يبلى إلى الأبدِ

All garments wear out, like their wearer,

All garments wear out, like their wearers,

But the garment of poetry never wears out, for all eternity.

But the raiment of poetry will never fray.

وأفضَلُ المدحِ ما وازَنْتَ صاحبَهُ

وأفضَلُ المدحِ ما وازَنْتَ صاحبَهُ

وزْنَ العَروض فلم تَنْقُص ولم تَزِدِ

وزْنَ العَروض فلم تَنْقُص ولم تَزِدِ

And the best praise is that in which you weigh its subject

The best praise is to appraise the one you praise

By the measure of prosody, neither subtracting nor adding.

By the measure of verse – neither less nor more.