إِذا كانَ إِكرامي صَديقِيَ واجِباً

فَإِكرامُ نَفسي لا مَحالَةَ أَوجَبُ

If honoring my friend is a duty,

then honoring myself is, beyond doubt, a greater duty.

وَأَحلِفُ ما الإِنسانُ إِلّا مُذَمَّمٌ

أَخو الفَقرِ مِنّا وَالمَليكُ المُحَجَّبُ

And I swear: the human being is nothing but blameworthy—

the brother of poverty among us and the secluded king alike.

أَيَعقِلُ نَجمُ اللَيلِ أَو بَدرُ تِمِّهِ

فَيُصبِحَ مِن أَفعالِنا يَتَعَجَّبُ

Could the night’s star—or its moon at the full—come to reason,

and by morning stand amazed at our deeds?