إِذا غامَرتَ في شَرَفٍ مَرومٍ

فَلا تَقنَع بِما دونَ النُجومِ

If you venture forth in pursuit of high honor,

Do not be content with what lies beneath the stars.

فَطَعمُ المَوتِ في أَمرٍ صَغيرٍ

كَطَعمِ المَوتِ في أَمرٍ عَظيمِ

For the taste of death in a trivial matter

Is as the taste of death in a magnificent deed.

سَتَبكي شَجوَها فَرَسي وَمُهري

صَفائِحُ دَمعُها ماءُ الجُسومِ

My mare and my foal will weep out their grief,

And swords whose teardrops are the blood of the slain.

قَرَبنَ النارَ ثُمَّ نَشَأنَ فيها

كَما نَشَأَ العَذارى في النَعيمِ

They drew near the fire, and within it were raised,

Just as maidens grow up in the gardens of bliss.

وَفارَقنَ الصَياقِلَ مُخلَصاتٍ

وَأَيديها كَثيراتُ الكُلومِ

They parted from the polishers, spotless and pure,

Though the hands of their makers were riddled with scars.

يَرى الجُبَناءُ أَنَّ العَجزَ عَقلٌ

وَتِلكَ خَديعَةُ الطَبعِ اللَئيمِ

The coward regards his impotence as prudence,

But that is the ruse of a treacherous soul.

وَكُلُّ شَجاعَةٍ في المَرءِ تُغني

وَلا مِثلَ الشَجاعَةِ في الحَكيمِ

While every bravery in a man has its worth,

No bravery equals the courage of the wise.

وَكَم مِن عائِبٍ قَولاً صَحيحاً

وَآفَتُهُ مِنَ الفَهمِ السَقيمِ

And how many find fault with a word that is true,

When the bane springs solely from their sickly minds.

وَلَكِن تَأخُذُ الآذانُ مِنهُ

عَلى قَدرِ القَرائِحِ وَالعُلومِ

For ears can only receive from a voice

According to the measure of instinct and lore.