اذا المرء لم تشرف حقيقة طبعه

لوته الى الطبع الفظيع فاسرفا

If the true essence of a man’s nature is not noble,

It twists him toward a base disposition, and he goes to excess:

وصدق كذابا وكذب صادقا

وصادق اعداء وخلانه جفا

He takes a liar for truthful and calls a truthful man a liar;

He befriends enemies and shuns his intimates;

وطيشاً يصابي مبغضيه وضلة

يكدر للاحباب في الحب ما صفا

Rashly he turns toward those who hate him, while his error

Sullies, for those he loves, whatever had been pure in love.

نروم الوفا من فاجر ساء خلقه

وهل سيءٌ الاخلاق يعرف ما الولاف

We seek loyalty from a profligate whose character is corrupt—

But does a man of bad character know what loyalty is?