المَرءُ حَتّى يُغَيَّبَ الشَبَحُ

مُغتَبِقٌ هَمَّهُ وَمُصطَبِحُ

Man remains obscured until the specter passes away,

Immersed in his worries and optimistic.

وَالخَلقُ حيتانُ لُجَّةٍ لَعِبَت

وَفي بِحارٍ مِنَ الأَذى سَبَحوا

People are whales sporting in the deep,

Swimming in seas of harm.

لا تَحفِلنَ هَجوَهُم وَُمَدحَهُمُ

فَإِنَّما القَومُ أَكلُبٌ نُبُحُ

Do not heed their censure or praise,

For people are but barking dogs.

وَلا تَهِب أُسدَهُم إِذ زَأَروا

وَقُل تَداعَت ثَعالِبٌ ضُبُحُ

Do not rouse their lion when they roar,

And say: "Foxes have gathered and barked."

وَهُم مِنَ المَوتِ أَهلُ مَنزِلَةٍ

إِن لَم يُراعوا بِطارِقٍ صُبِحوا

They are, towards death, people of status;

If they are not cautious, they will morn.

لَم يَفطُنوا لِلجَميلِ بَل جُبِلوا

عَلى قَبيحٍ فَما لَهُم قُبِحوا

They were not wise to kindness, but were created

Accustomed to vileness, so why disgrace them?

فَمَن لِتَجرِ الوِدادِ إِنَّهُمُ

لا خَسِروا عِندَهُم وَلا رَبِحوا

Who then will pull the cord of affection? They

Neither lost nor gained with it.

أَقَلُّ مِنهُم شَرّاً وَمُرزِيَةً

ما رَكِبوا لِلسُّرى وَما ذَبَحوا

Less evil and blameworthy than them

Are those who never mounted a steed or slaughtered.

فَلَيتَهُم كَالبَهائِمِ اِعتَرَفوا

لُجماً إِذا بانَ زَيغَهُم كُبِحوا

If only they admitted, like beasts,

When their deviance appeared, they were checked.