جُبلَ النساءُ عَلى التَكَتُّمِ فَاحتَرز

مِن كَيدِهِنَّ فَإِنَّهُ لَعَظيمُ

Women are inclined to be secretive, so beware

Of their plots, for they are indeed great.

فَمَتى تَعِفُّ فَرُبَّما عَفَّت فَإِن

تُهمَل فَكَشحٌ يُستَباحُ هَضيمُ

When she is chaste, maybe she has been, so if

Neglected, she becomes violable prey.

وَكَذا الصَبِيُّ إِذا عَرَتهُ خَصاصَةٌ

يَبدو لَهُ لَفظٌ يُعدُّ رَخيمُ

Thus a boy, when puberty visits him,

Utters words considered vile.

وَتَراهُ يَسمَحُ بِالَّذي هُوَ باخِلٌ

وَيَعودُ بَعدَ الحَمدِ وَهوَ ذَميمُ

You see him generous, he who was stingy,

And returning, after thanks, despised.

قَد مَسَّ ظهرَ الأَرضِ حُرُّ جَبينهِ

فَيَقومُ وَهوَ مِن الحَياءِ عَديمُ

The heat of his brow touched the earth’s back,

So he stands, from shyness devoid.

طوراً نَديمٌ للقِحابِ وَتارَةً

لِلائِطينَ الفاسِقينَ نَديمُ

At times a boon companion to revelers,

At others a companion to debauched profligates.

وِإِذا التَحى فَفَقيرٌ أَو لصٌ وَفي

بابِ القُضاةِ أَو الوُلاةِ خَديمُ

And when alone, either a pauper or a thief,

At the judges’ or governors’ doors a servile attendant.