ما أحسن البر بلا شيلم

وأجمل الدنيا بلا ديلم

How good is kindness without conceit,

And how beautiful is life without troubles.

وأقبح الحرّ إذا ما يلي

في أمره بالجاهل الضيغم

How ugly is the free man when

He is led by an ignorant brute.

يذوب ممّا يشتكي لبّه

وجسمه بالغيظ مستسقم

He melts from the complaints of his heart,

And his body stiffens with rage.

فخيرُ أحوال له موته

ولا يقاسي سفلة بحرم

The best state for him is death,

Without suffering the lowest of disgraces.

ويدّعي العلم على جهله

ويقرأ القرآن يستعجم

He claims knowledge over his ignorance,

And recites the Quran without understanding.

يظنّ في ذاك ثوابا له

وحقّه في ذالكم يشتم

He thinks he will be rewarded for that,

While he actually deserves condemnation for it.

يكفر بالله وآياته

ويحفظ الكتاب ما يرحم

He blasphemes God and His signs,

And memorizes the Book without mercy.

وكاتباه ماقتان له

إن نام قالا نم فلا تسلم

His two shoulders hate him.

If he sleeps they say: may you not wake up safely.

لا وقيت نفسك شرّ الردى

ولا لقيت الخير والمغنم

You did not protect yourself from the worst transgression,

Nor did you encounter good and gain.

ما سرّ أخا لك مسخوطه

تريد أن تؤجر بالماثم

You revealed your brother's secret

Seeking reward through betrayal.

وار شوقي في الأسى كامن

وحرّها من بين ذا العالم

Passion lies dormant in sorrow,

And its heat is concealed from this world.

لكنّني في القلب أخفيتها

وأنت طول الدهر مستخصم

But I have hidden it in my heart,

While you opposed me all this time.