قضى اللّه فيما بيننا بقرابة

وودٍّ وإشفاقٍ فلا نتنكَّبُ

Allah has decreed kinship between us

Of affection and compassion, so let us not turn away

فلا حَطَّتِ الدنيا بناءً لكم ولا

فُقِدْتُم وإن طال المدى والتَّجنُّبُ

Neither has worldly life made any buildings between you and us

Nor has long separation and avoidance occurred

ولا فَقَدَت أفواهُنا ذكركم ولا

ذكرناكمُ إلا بخير ونُطْنِبُ

Neither have our mouths lacked mention of you

Nor have we mentioned you except with good and extolment

وإن بَعُدَت دار وطالت مسافةٌ

وحالت صحارى دوننا ثم أسهُبُ

Even if a house is far and distance is long

And deserts come between us, then slopes

فلا البُعدُ يمحق ودَّنا وودادنا

قديمٌ ولا قُرْبُ المزار يُقَرِّبُ

Neither does distance erase our love and affection

Ancient, nor does proximity of visit bring nearer

وربَّ صديق لا يزور من النَّوَى

وربَّ عدوٍّ بالدنا يتقرَّبُ

Many a friend does not visit from afar

And many a foe draws near to our abode

وكم من محبٍّ ليس يُظهِرُ حبه

لديك وكم من ذي قِلىً يتحبَّبُ

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

And how many a spiteful one curries your favor

وحاذر القُرْبَى إذا ما جفوتهم

فأَعْدَى أعاديك الذي هو أقربُ

And beware of kin if you are harsh to them

The most hostile of your enemies does the greatest harm

وإياك أن تدنى جهولاً فإنه

يفعل الدنايا للبِلَى يتسبَّبُ

And beware that you approach an ignoramus

Who makes the world's ordeals recur and brings tribulation

وقبِّل يد الأقوى ولا تعصينه

فإنك إن قاوَمْتَه فهو يغلِبُ

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

For if you resist him, he will overcome

وسلِّمْ إليه لا تُخالف مُراده

فإنك إن خالفْتَ فالضرَّ يجلِبُ

And submit to him, do not oppose his desire

For if you oppose, harm will result

ولا تجفُه مهما بَدَت منه زَلةٌ

وكن ذا صَفاءِ إن تكدَّر مشربُ

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

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

فإنك إن جازيته عِشْتَ نادماً

على فعلك الماضي كأنك مُذنِبُ

For if you repay him, you will live regretting

Your past deed as if you were a sinner

وقل قوله إن وافَقَ الحق والهدى

وإن لم يوافق فالتجنب أصوبُ

And speak his words if they agree with truth and guidance

And if they do not, avoidance is best

وحاذر من الزلات في النطق غِيبة

فإنك مأخوذٌ بما كنت تكسبُ

And beware of slips of the tongue and backbiting

For you are seized for what you used to earn

ولا تك في إنفاقِ مالك مُسرفاً

فإن أخا الإسرافِ بالمال يذهَبُ

And do not be extravagant in spending your money

For the brother of extravagance is loss of wealth

ولاتك جَمَّاعاً لمالك خازِناً

لغيرك مَنَّاعاً تِشحُّ وتسلُبُ

And do not hoard your wealth, denying it

To others, stingy and withholding

ولاتك مِخْلافاً لوَعْدِك يَجترى

عليك سفيه أو إلى الخلف تُنْسَبُ

And do not break your word which you repeat

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

ولا تعص سلطاناً ولا قاضَي الورى

ولا وَالياً واغضب له حين يغضَبُ

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

Nor a governor, but be angry when he is angry

ودَارِهم لو كان في القلبِ جَمرةٌ

من الغيظ في وسط الحَشا تتلَهَّبُ

Were there in the heart a burning ember

Of rage amidst the intestines kindling

فإنك إن دارَيْتَهُم فُزْتَ بالذي

أردتَ وإن خالفتهم يتصلَّبُوا

For if you befriend them, you attain what

You want, but if you oppose them, they harden

ولا تغشينْ أسرارهم واخْفِ قولهم

لئلا يجدُّوا في قِلاك ويغضبوا

And do not conceal their secrets but hide their words

Lest they sense evil in your heart and are angry

وقس كل قولٍ إن أردت مَقالةً

فإنك مسئولٌ وقولك يكتَبُ

And examine every saying if you desire speech

For you are asked and your words are written

وسارع إلى الخير ما عشت جاهِداً

فإنك مجزىٌّ وأنت المهذَّبُ

And hasten to goodness as long as you live, striving

For you are rewarded and you are the polished