الكَونُ في جُملَةِ العَوافي

لا الكَونُ في جُملَةِ العُفاةِ

The universe in the company of the high-minded,

Not the universe in the company of the vile.

لينُ الثَرى لِلجُسومِ خَيرٌ

مِن صُحبَةِ العالَمِ الجُفاةِ

The soft earth is better for bodies

Than the company of the aloof world.

قَد خَفَتِ القَومُ فَاِستَراحوا

آهِ مِنَ الصَمتِ وَالخُفاتِ

The people grew weak and so found rest.

Ah! The silence and oblivion!

لَم يَبقَ لِلظاعِنينَ عَينٌ

تَبكي عَلى الأَعظُمِ الرُفاتِ

No eyes remain for the grieving

That weep for the greatest of the deceased.

أَرى اِنكِفاتي إِلى المَنايا

أَغنى عَنِ الأُسرَةِ الكُفاةِ

I see my demise drawing near,

Self-sufficient without a supporting hand.

أُثبِتُ لي خالِقاً حَكيماً

وَلَستُ مِن مَعشَرٍ نُفاةِ

I affirm for myself a Wise Creator,

And I am not of those who deny.

خَبَطتُ في حِندِسٍ مُقيمٍ

وَأَعجَزَت عِلَّتي شُفاتي

I thrashed about in enduring affliction

And my remedies could not heal me.

فَمِن تُرابٍ إِلى تُرابٍ

وَمِن سُفاةٍ إِلى سُفاةِ

So from dust to dust,

And from the perished to the perished.

نَعوذُ بِاللَهِ مِن غَوانٍ

يَكِنُّ بِاللُبِّ مُعصَفاتِ

We seek refuge in God from deceit

That stirs up storms in the heart.

وَمِن صِفاتِ النِساءِ قِدماً

أَن لَسنَ في الوُدِّ مُنصِفاتِ

And of women’s traits, foremost,

That their tongues are not equitable in love.

وَما يَبينُ الوَفاءُ إِلّا

في زَمَنِ الفَقدِ وَالوَفاةِ

And loyalty shows itself

Only in the time of loss and death.

كَم وَدَّعَ الناسُ مِن خَليلٍ

سارَ فَما هَمَّ بِاِلتِفاتِ

How many friends has humanity bid farewell,

Who left without a backward glance!