ما كل يوم ينال المرء ما طلبا
ولا يسوغه المقدار ما وهبا
Not every day does a man attain what he seeks,
Nor does destiny always make palatable the gifts it grants.
وأحزم الأنس من إن فرصة عرضت
لم يجعل السبب الموصول مقتضباً
The most prudent of men is he who, when an opportunity arises,
Does not sever the rope that connects him to his goal.
وأنصف الناس في كل المواطن من
سقى المعادين بالكأس الذي شربا
The fairest of people in every situation is the one who
Makes his enemies drink from the very cup he was forced to drink.
وليس يظلمهم من راح يضربهم
بحد سيف به من قبلهم ضرباً
He commits no injustice against them, he who proceeds to strike them
With the edge of the sword by which he was struck before.
والعفو إلا عن الأكفاء مكرمة
من قال غير الذي قد قلته كذباً
Forgiveness is a noble deed, except when dealing with equals;
Whoever claims otherwise has surely spoken a lie.
قتلت عمراً وتستبقي يزيد لقد
رأيت رأياً يجر الويل والحربا
You have killed 'Amr, yet you spare Yazid;
Truly, you have adopted a view that drags forth woe and war.
لا تقطعن ذنب الأفعى وترسلها
إن كنت شهماً فأتبع رأسها الذنبا
Do not cut off the viper's tail and set it free;
If you are decisive, send the head after the tail.
هم جرودا السيف فاجعلهم له جزراً
وأوقدوا النار فاجعلهم لها حطبا
They unsheathed the sword, so make them a feast for its blade;
They kindled the fire, so let them become its firewood.
إن تعف عنهم تقول الناس كلهم
لم يعف حلماً ولمن عفوه رهبا
If you forgive them, all the people will say:
"He did not forgive out of clemency, but granted pardon out of fear."
وكان أحسن من ذا العفو لو هربوا
لكنهم أنفوا من مثلك الهربا
It would have been better justification for this pardon had they fled,
But they disdained to flee from the likes of you.
همو أهلة غسان ومجدهم
عال فإن حالوا ملكاً فلاعجبا
They are the crescent moons of Ghassan, and their glory
Is lofty; so if they strove for kingship, it is no wonder.
وعرضوا بفداء واصفين لنا
خيلاً وابلاً يروق العجم والعربا
They offered a ransom, describing to us
Horses and camels that would dazzle both foreigner and Arab.
أيحلبون دماً منا ونحلبهم
رسلاً لقد شرفونا في الورى حلبا
Shall they milk blood from us, while we milk from them
Mere milk? They have truly honored us among mankind with such a milking!
علام تقبل منهم فدية وهمو
لا فضة قبلوا ولا ذهبا
Why do you accept a ransom from them, when they
Would accept neither silver nor gold [in place of our blood]?
