جانب مُعاشرة المُلوك لِزينةٍ

جانب مُعاشرة المُلوك لِزينةٍ

فَلرُبَّ داهية هُناك كَمينةٍ

فَلرُبَّ داهية هُناك كَمينةٍ

Shun the company of kings for the sake of prestige;

The company of kings is for adornment

For many a calamity lies hidden there.

Yet many a sly one lies in wait there

فَالناسُ في الدُنيا بكلّ سَكينةٍ

فَالناسُ في الدُنيا بكلّ سَكينةٍ

وَمَعاشر السُلطان شبهُ سفينَةٍ

وَمَعاشر السُلطان شبهُ سفينَةٍ

People in this world live in complete tranquillity,

People in the world live in tranquility

While the sultan's companion is like a ship

While company of the sultan is like a ship

في البَحر ترجفُ دائِماً مِن خَوفِهِ

في البَحر ترجفُ دائِماً مِن خَوفِهِ

لَو تَرتَجيه مَأمَناً مِن حيفها

لَو تَرتَجيه مَأمَناً مِن حيفها

At sea, forever trembling for fear of it.

In the sea it shudders constantly in fear

If she hoped in it for refuge from the world's injustice,

Were it to seek safety from its injustice

لَم تَرتَجف بشتائها وَبصيفها

لَم تَرتَجف بشتائها وَبصيفها

لَكنّها اِضطربت لشدّة خَوفِها

لَكنّها اِضطربت لشدّة خَوفِها

She would not tremble in its winter and summer.

It would not shudder in its winter or summer

But she tossed about, so great was her fear

But it shook from the intensity of its fear

أن أَدخَلَت مِن مائه في جَوفِها

أن أَدخَلَت مِن مائه في جَوفِها

يَغتالها مَع مائها في جَوفهِ

يَغتالها مَع مائها في جَوفهِ

Of letting some of its water into her hold:

That it took in from its water into its hold

It would destroy her, with her water, in its depths.

To ambush it along with its water in its hold