لَقَدْ أَيْقَنَتْ نَفْسُ الْفَتَى غَيْرَ بَاطِلٍ
وَإِنْ عَاشَ حِينًا أَنَّهُ سَوْفَ يَهْلِكُ
Truly, the young man’s soul has come to know—without illusion—
that even if he lives a while, he shall perish;
وَيَشْرَبُ بِالْكَأْسِ الذُّعَافِ شَرَابُهَا
وَيَرْكَبُ حَدَّ الْمَوْتِ كَرْهًا وَيُسْلَكُ
and drink its draught from the cup of deadly poison,
and, against his will, mount death’s sharp edge and be driven on.
وَكَمْ مِنْ أَخِي دُنْيَا يُثَمِّرُ مَالَهُ
سَيُرَثُ ذَاكَ الْمَالُ رَغْمًا وَيُتْرَكُ
How many a devotee of this world makes his wealth grow,
yet that wealth will be inherited against his will and left behind.
عَلَيْكَ بِأَفْعَالِ الْكِرَامِ وَلِينِهِمْ
وَلا تَكُ مِشْكَاسًا تَلِجُّ وَتَمْحَكُ
Hold fast to the deeds of the noble and to their gentleness.
Do not be contentious, stubbornly persisting and wrangling.
وَلا تَكُ مَزَّاحًا لَدَى الْقَوْمِ لُعْبَةً
تَظَلُّ أَخَا هُزْءٍ بِنَفْسِكَ يَضْحَكُ
Do not be the company’s jester, a plaything in their midst,
forever a butt of mockery, laughed at for who you are.
تَخُوضُ بِجَهْلٍ سَادِرًا فِي فُكَاهَةٍ
وَتَدْخُلُ فِي غَيِّ الْغُوَاةِ وَتُشْرِكُ
You plunge on through your ignorance, heedlessly lost in merriment,
entering the wayward’s error and becoming complicit in it.
أَلا رُبَّ ذِي حَظٍّ يُبَصَّرُ فِعْلُهُ
وَآخَرَ مَصْرُوفٌ وَفِي الْحَظِّ يُؤْفَكُ
Behold, many a fortunate man’s deed is brought plainly to light,
while another is denied and cheated of fortune.
Sol 5.6