مَهلاً نَوارُ أَقِلّي اللَومَ وَالعَذَلا

وَلا تَقولي لِشَيءٍ فاتَ ما فَعَلا

Slow down, bright star, blame me less and reproach me not

And say not that something missed has happened

وَلا تَقولي لِمالٍ كُنتُ مُهلِكَهُ

مَهلاً وَإِن كُنتُ أُعطي الجِنَّ وَالخَبلا

And say not that I wasted wealth

Slow down, even if I give insanity and nonsense

يَرى البَخيلُ سَبيلَ المالِ واحِدَةً

إِنَّ الجَوادَ يَرى في مالِهِ سُبُلا

The miser sees only one way to money

While the generous sees many ways in his money

إِنَّ البَخيلَ إِذا ما ماتَ يَتبَعُهُ

سوءُ الثَناءِ وَيَحوي الوارِثُ الإِبِلا

When the miser dies, he is followed

By bad praise, while the heir takes away the camels

فَاِصدُق حَديثَكَ إِنَّ المَرءَ يَتبَعُهُ

ما كانَ يَبني إِذا ما نَعشُهُ حُمِلا

So speak the truth, for man is followed

By what he built when his bier was carried

لَيتَ البَخيلَ يَراهُ الناسُ كُلُّهُمُ

كَما يَراهُم فَلا يُقرى إِذا نَزَلا

If only the miser would be seen by all people

As he sees them, he won’t be visited when he alights

لا تَعذِليني عَلى مالٍ وَصَلتُ بِهِ

رَحماً وَخَيرُ سَبيلِ المالِ ما وَصَلا

Do not blame me for wealth I connected through

Family ties, and the best way for wealth is what connects

يَسعى الفَتى وَحِمامُ المَوتِ يُدرِكُهُ

وَكُلُّ يَومٍ يُدَنّي لِلفَتى الأَجَلا

The young man strives while death’s pigeons catch him

And each day brings the youth closer to his fate

إِنّي لَأَعلَمُ أَنّي سَوفَ يُدرِكُني

يَومي وَأُصبِحُ عَن دُنيايَ مُشتَغِلا

I surely know that my day will reach me

And I will be busy with my worldly affairs

فَلَيتَ شِعري وَلَيتٌ غَيرُ مُدرِكَةٍ

لِأَيِّ حالٍ بِها أَضحى بَنو ثُعَلا

I wish I knew—if only others realized—

In what state did the clan of Thu’al end up?

أَبلِغ بَني ثُعَلٍ عَنّي مُغَلغَلَةً

جَهدَ الرِسالَةِ لا مَحكاً وَلا بُطُلا

Inform the clan of Thu’al sincerely from me

A message of purpose not of vanity or futility

أُغزوا بَني ثُعَلٍ فَالغَزوُ حَظُّكُمُ

عُدّوا الرَوابي وَلا تَبكوا لِمَن نَكَلا

Raid, O clan of Thu’al, for raiding is your fortune

Count the miles and do not cry for one who lagged

وَيهاً فِداؤُكُمُ أُمّي وَما وَلَدَت

حاموا عَلى مَجدِكُم وَاِكفوا مَنِ اِتَّكَلا

Alas for you, may my mother who bore me ransom you

Defend your glory and stop those who became dependent

إِذ غابَ مَن غابَ عَنهُم مِن عَشيرَتِنا

وَأَبدَتِ الحَربُ ناباً كالِحاً عَصِلا

Since he who was absent from our tribe is gone

And war has bared a sharp molar

اللَهُ يَعلَمُ أَنّي ذو مُحافَظَةٍ

ما لَم يَخُنّي خَليلي يَبتَغي بَدَلا

God knows I am of safekeeping

As long as my friend does not betray me seeking a replacement

فَإِن تَبَدَّلَ أَلفاني أَخا ثِقَةٍ

عَفَّ الخَليقَةِ لا نِكساً وَلا وَكِلا

If he changes then he will find me a trusting brother

Virtuous, not weak or vacillating