ذادَ عَنى النَومَ هَمٌّ بَعدَ هَمّ

وَمِن الهَمِّ عَناءٌ وَسَقَم

Sleep was driven away from me by cares after cares,

And from cares come tribulation and sickness.

طَرَقَت طَلحَةُ رَحلي بَعدَما

نامَ أَصحابى وَلَيلي لَم أَنَم

After my companions fell asleep, and my night was sleepless,

Ṭalḥah came knocking at my tent flap.

طَرَقَتنا ثُمَّ قُلنا إِذ أَتَت

مَرحَباً بِالزَورِ لَمّا أَن أَلَمّ

When she came knocking, we said "Welcome to the guest,

Although the time is unseemly."

ضَرَبَت لَمّا اِستَقَلَت مَثَلاً

قالَهُ القُوّالُ عَن غَيرِ وَهَم

When she sat down, she gave the example,

Stated by the eloquent without error,

مَثَلاً يَضرِبُهُ حُكامُنا

قَولُهُم فى بَيتِهِ يُؤتى الحَكَم

An example given by our rulers -

That in his home, the judge is sought.

فَأَجابَت بِصوابٍ قَولَها

مَن يَجُد يُحمَد وَمَن يَبخَل يُذَم

Her words gave the right answer:

"He who can give is praised, he who is miserly is blamed."

إِنَّما جادَ بِشَأسٍ خالِدٌ

بَعدَما حاقَت بِهِ إِحدى العِظَم

Verily Khālid was generous at his peak

After the greatest calamity befell him.

مِن مَنايا يَتَخاسَينَ بِهِ

يَبتَدِرنَ الزولَ مِن لَحمٍ وَدَم

From the deaths that vie with one another to take him -

They hasten to pick his flesh and blood.

باكِرُ الجَفنَةِ رِبعِيُّ النَدى

حَسَنٌ مَجلِسُهُ غَيرُ لُطَم

Early rising, with a bright forehead,

His company is good, without dullness.

يَجعَلُ المالَ عَطايا جَمَّةً

إِنَّ بَذلَ المالِ في العِرضِ أُمَم

He makes wealth flowing gifts,

For spending wealth to protect honor is integrity.

لا يُبالي طَيِّبُ النَفسِ بِهِ

عَطَبَ المالِ إِذا العِرضُ سَلِم

The noble soul does not care for it -

Loss of wealth, so long as honor is safe.

لا تَقولَنَّ إِذا ما لَم تُرِد

أَن تُتِمَّ الوَعدَ في شَيءٍ نَعَم

Do not say, if you do not intend

To fulfill the promise, "yes" in anything.

حَسَنٌ قَولُ نَعَم مِن بَعدِ لا

وَقَبيحٌ قَولُ لا بَعدَ نَعَم

Better is the word "yes" after "no"

Than the word "no' after "yes."

إِنَّ لا بَعدَ نَعَم فاحِشَةٌ

فَبِلا فَاِبدَأ إِذا خِفتَ النَدَم

Verily, "no" after "yes" is an outrage,

So begin with "no" if you fear regret.

فَإِذا قُلتَ نَعَم فَاِصبِر لَها

بِنَجاحِ الوَعدِ إِنَّ الخُلفَ ذَم

And if you say "yes," then be patient with it

By fulfilling your promise - for breaking faith is blame.

وَاِعلَمَ أَنَّ الذَمَّ نَقصٌ لِلفَتى

وَمَتى لا يَتَّقِ الذَمَّ يُذَم

And know that blame is a flaw in the youth.

Whoever does not avoid blame will be blamed.

أُكرِمُ الجارَ وَأَرعى حَقَّهُ

إِنَّ عِرفانَ الفَتى الحقَّ كَرَم

Honor your neighbor and tend to his rights,

For a youth's recognizing rights is nobility.

أَنا بَيتي مِن مَعَدٍّ في الذُرى

وَلِيَ الهامَةُ وَالفَرعُ الأَشَم

My abode is one of Ma'add in the dwellings,

And to me belong the robe and the noble spear.

لا تَراني راتِعاً في مَجلِسٍ

في لُحومِ الناسِ كَالسَبعِ الضَرِم

You will not see me sitting fourth in a gathering

Among the flesh of the people, like a ravening lion.

إِنَّ شَرَّ الناسِ مَن يَكشِرُ لي

حينَ يَلقاني وَإِن غِبتُ شَتَم

Verily, the worst of people is he who grins at me

When he meets me, and speaks ill when I am absent.

وَكلامٍ سَيِّئٍ قَد وَقَرَت

عَنهُ أُذُنايَ وَما بي مِن صَمَم

With evil words my ears have become burdened

And there is no deafness in me.

فَتَعَزَّيتُ خَشاة أَن يَرى

جاهِلٌ أَنّي كَما كانَ زَعَم

So I was patient, fearing that an ignorant man might see

That I am as he claimed.

وَلَبَعضُ الصَفحِ وَالإِعراضِ عَن

ذي الخَنا أَبقى وَإِن كانَ ظَلَم

Yet forgiveness and turning away from

The owner of malice is more lasting, even if he is unjust.

أَجعَلُ المالَ لِعِرضي جُنَّةً

إِنَّ خَيرَ المالِ ما أَدّى الذِّمَم

I make wealth a shield for my honor,

For the best wealth is that which removes debts.