أَلا قُل لِمَن أَرهَقَتهُ الذُنوبُ

وَخافَ مِن الدَهرِ خَطباً جَسيما

Come, tell the one whom sins have burdened,

who fears some grave calamity from Time:

عَلَيكَ الهَدِيَّةَ إِنّي رَأيتُ

لَها عِندَنا اليَومَ شَأناً عَظِيما

Resort to the gift—for I have seen

it hold among us today a mighty place.

تُجِيرُ لِذي الحُمقِ أَنّى أَرا

دَ حَمقاتِهِ وَتُعِزُّ اللَئيما

It grants the fool safe-conduct in whatever folly he de—

—sires, and lends the base man honor.

وَتبري السَخائِمَ حَتّى ترِيـ

ـكَ أَعدى عَدُوٍّ وَلِيّاً حَميما

It heals old grudges until it makes you—

—see your bitterest enemy as a close, devoted friend.

وَأَيسَرُ شَيءٍ يَحُلُّ العُقودَ

وَيُصبِحُ مُهديهِ مُوسى الكَلِيما

The slightest gift can undo every bond,

and turn its giver into Moses, the one who spoke with God.

فَبالشاةِ يَصفَعُ زَيدٌ أَخا

هُ في مِصرِنا وَيُفَرّي الأَديما

Thus with a sheep Zayd can slap his broth—

—er in our town and rend his very hide.

وَيُضحي الَّذي أَنفُهُ في التُخُومِ

يُطاوِلُ مَن يَتَمَطّى النُجُوما

And one whose nose was sunk in the depths

will rise to rival one who stretches toward the stars.

فَكَم مِن بُطَيطِيخَةٍ بَرَّدَت

لَوافِحَ مِن قَبلُ كانَت سُمُوما

How many a little melon has cooled

scorching gusts that once blew as poison winds;

وَكَم حُلَّةٍ عَمَّرَت مَنزِلاً

وَأَبقَت مَنازِلَ قَومٍ رُسُوما

and how many a robe has made one household flourish

while leaving a people’s dwellings mere ruins.

فَلا تَحقِرَنَّ قَليلَ الرُشا

فَريحُ الدَواءِ تُحيطُ الكُلوما

So never scorn even the smallest bribe:

the very scent of medicine envelops wounds.