أوصي أُخَيُّ إلى النديم

بخلافِ لقمان الحكيم

I entrust my brother to the companion

I offer counsel, my brother, regarding the drinking companion,

Unlike Luqman the wise

In stark contradiction to Luqman the Wise:

لا تبكينّ لهالكٍ

لا تحنونّ على يتيم

Do not cry for one who is gone

Do not weep for the one who has perished,

Do not grieve over an orphan

Nor show tenderness toward the orphan.

وتحسّها زيتيةً

صفراءَ فاتحة النسيم

And reckon it as oil

But sip the wine that feels smooth as oil,

Yellow, blown open by the breeze

Pale yellow, exhaling a fragrant breeze,

ممّا تخيّرَ هُرمزٌ

وجناه كسرى في القديم

From what Hormuz selected

From the vintage chosen by Hormuz,

And Kisra obtained in ancient times

And harvested by Chosroes in days of old.

لِط بالخلائق أجمعي

ن ولو بشيطانٍ رجيم

Be gentle with all people

Mingle freely with all of creation,

Even with a damned villain

Even with a devil, cursed and stoned.

لا يفلتَنكَ ولو بقيتَ

على الصراطِ المستقيم

Lest he elude you even if you stay

Let him not escape you, even if you remain

On the straight path

Standing upon the Straight Path.

فالمجرمونُ وقايةٌ

للمسلمينَ من الجحيم

For sinners are a protection

For the sinners serve as a shield

For Muslims from hell

Protecting the Muslims from Hellfire.

وغِداً مصيرُك في الحسا

بِ إذا وفدتَ على كريمِ

And tomorrow your fate in the reckoning

And tomorrow your fate lies in the Reckoning,

When you come before the Generous

When you arrive as a guest of the Generous One.