ما الدهر إلا غدوة ومساءُ

يتعاقبان وشدة ورخاءُ

Time is but a morning and an evening

That alternate with hardship and ease,

ومسرة ومضرة وحلاوة

ومرارة وسعادة وشقاء

With joy and harm, sweetness

And bitterness, happiness and misery,

ومساكن ومقابر وفوائد

ومصائب وسلامة وبلاء

Homes and graves, benefits

And calamities, safety and affliction.

منقلب طول المدى متلون

أبدا كما تتلون الحرباء

Throughout the ages it changes,

Ever shifting like a chameleon.

زمن يذل به العزيز وتعتلي

فيه اللئام وتسفل الرفعاء

A time that humiliates the mighty

And raises up the ignoble and base.

وحبيبه كدر الوداد كأنه

شوك القتاد وحيّةٌ رقطاء

And the beloved who spoils affection

Is like prickly buckthorn, an ugly viper.

الغل والشحناء حشو فؤاده

لكنه متودد هأهاء

Grudges and meanness fill his heart,

Yet he pretends to be gentle and agreeable.

فلسانه كالاصفعند حلاوة

والقلب منه علقم والاء

His tongue is smooth as a snake’s

While his heart is choked with bile and malice.

أطفأت جمرة حقده بتحلّم

فالحقدُ نارٌ والتحلّم ماء

I extinguished the embers of his hatred with forbearance—

For hatred is fire while forbearance is water—

وشفيت أدوا غلّه بتسامح

فالغل داء والسماح دواء

And I healed the sickness of his grudge with forgiveness,

Since grudges are illness while pardon is the cure.

ومنحته منى الوصال تألفا

مذ بان منه قطيعةٌ وجفاء

And I granted him the intimacy of reunion

When he showed disconnection and aloofness.

وإذا تكدّر ودّه اضحى له

منى صفاء مودّة وإخاء

And when his affection soured,

I offered clarity, affection and warmth.

وتالف وتعطف وتلطفٌ

وتعفّفٌ عن ماله وصفاء

Civility, kindness, gentleness,

Modesty regarding what is his, and probity.

ومكانة وصيانة وأمانةٌ

وتواضع وتحلم ووفاء

Status, propriety, honesty,

Humility, patience, loyalty.

إنا إذا عثر الصديق فإنّنا

غفر له زلّاته سمحاء

When a friend stumbles, we readily

Forgive his missteps with magnanimity.

وإذا بدت منه الخيانة والخدا

ع فإننا نصحاؤه امناء

And if he shows treachery and deception,

We remain his sincere, trustworthy counselors.

وإذا بدت منه الفظاظة إننا

ندماؤه أو داؤهُ صدقاء

And if vulgarity appears in him, we are

His regretful, truthful friends.

وإذا استعان على نوائبه بنا

يوما فنحنُ ردا له وزراء

And if he seeks our aid against misfortunes,

We are his ministers and supporters.

وكمان خبث سريرة يبدو لنا

سترته منا شيمة شمّاء

However much wickedness appears in his character,

We veil it to maintain dignified discretion.

لا نستحيل عن الاحبة إن جفوا

وطووا قلوبا حشوها الشحناء

We do not abandon loved ones if they spurn us

And cram their hearts with meanness.

ونذل متضعين حيث تكَبّروا

حتى كأنهم هم الامراء

And we humble ourselves where they grew arrogant,

As if they were the princes.

بمكارم الاخلاق ان غدروا ندا

ريهم وبالاحسان حيث أساؤوا

With noble morals, if they betray we befriend them,

And return good where they did evil.

إنا بني ديمان إن ذكر العلى

نذكر وان ذكر الخنا برءاء

We tribe of Di'man, when the virtuous are recalled,

We recall them, and when the wicked are recalled, we disavow.

فينا بمنّة ربنا الصلحاء والعقـ

ـلاء والعلماء والحكماء

Through the grace of our Lord we have reconciliation,

Wisdom, knowledge, and judgment.

فينا بمن الواسع الصفواء والزهـ

ـداء والتقواء والنقواء

Through the vastness of His pure grace, asceticism,

Godliness, integrity, and excellence.

فينا بمن المالك الفضلاء والنـ

ـزهاء والظرفاءُ والنبلاء

Through the bounty of the Noble Generous Ones, detachment,

Decorum, nobility, and honor.