لا تفخرن إلا بنفْ

لا تفخرن إلا بنفْ

سِكَ يوم فخرٍ إن فَخَرْتا

سِكَ يوم فخرٍ إن فَخَرْتا

Take pride in none but your own—

Never boast of anything but your own

self on the day of boasting, if you boast.

self, on a day of boasting, if you boast.

وَدَعِ الأُصولَ فإنّما

وَدَعِ الأُصولَ فإنّما

هي فضلةٌ لك إنْ نُسبتا

هي فضلةٌ لك إنْ نُسبتا

Leave ancestral origins aside, for they are only

And leave ancestral roots aside, for they are only

an added distinction for you when your lineage is traced.

something extra for you, if your lineage is traced.

ماذا يضرُّك أو يعر

ماذا يضرُّك أو يعر

ركَ إنْ خُبثْنَ لهمْ وطِبْتا

ركَ إنْ خُبثْنَ لهمْ وطِبْتا

What harm can they do you, or dis—

What could harm you or bring you shame

grace you, if they are base in others’ eyes while you are noble?

if their roots are base, while you are good?

كلّا وَليسَ بنافعٍ

كلّا وَليسَ بنافعٍ

إنْ هنّ طِبْنَ إذا خُبثتا

إنْ هنّ طِبْنَ إذا خُبثتا

Not at all; and it is no use

Not at all; nor is it of any use

if they are noble when you yourself are base.

if they are good when you are base.

ومتى عزمتَ على مُوا

ومتى عزمتَ على مُوا

قَعِةِ القبيح فقد فَعَلْتَا

قَعِةِ القبيح فقد فَعَلْتَا

Whenever you resolve to com—

And whenever you resolve to commit

mit an ugly deed, you have already done it.

a foul deed, you have already done it.

وَكَأنّ شيئاً مُحزناً

وَكَأنّ شيئاً مُحزناً

لك لم يُصبْكَ إذا صبرتا

لك لم يُصبْكَ إذا صبرتا

It is as though nothing grievous

And it is as though something grievous

had befallen you, if you endured it.

to you had never befallen you, if you are patient.

وَاِخبُرْ وَلا تَصحَبْ منَ ال

وَاِخبُرْ وَلا تَصحَبْ منَ ال

إخوانِ إلّا مَنْ خَبَرْتا

إخوانِ إلّا مَنْ خَبَرْتا

Test well, and take as a companion no one among your—

And test people, and keep company with none of the

brothers save the one you have tested.

brethren except those you have tested.

فَأَخوكَ مَن هوَ في يمي

فَأَخوكَ مَن هوَ في يمي

نكَ إنْ قَصَدْتَ وإنْ قُصِدْتا

نكَ إنْ قَصَدْتَ وإنْ قُصِدْتا

Your brother is he who stands at your right—

For your brother is the one at your right

hand when you set out and when you are set upon;

hand, whether you seek or are sought.

ويسرُّه إنْ دبّ مك

ويسرُّه إنْ دبّ مك

روهٌ إِليهِ إِذا سَلِمْتا

روهٌ إِليهِ إِذا سَلِمْتا

and he is glad if some mis—

And it pleases him if harm creeps

fortune creeps toward him, so long as you remain safe.

toward him, so long as you are safe.

وَهو المصابُ إذا تَعد

وَهو المصابُ إذا تَعد

دَتْهُ الخطوبُ إذا أُصِبْتا

دَتْهُ الخطوبُ إذا أُصِبْتا

He is the one afflicted when calamity passes—

And he is stricken, even if passed over

him by, if you are stricken.

by calamities, whenever you are stricken.

وإذا أصاب الدهرُ غي

وإذا أصاب الدهرُ غي

رَكَ بالسّهامِ فقد وُعِظْتا

رَكَ بالسّهامِ فقد وُعِظْتا

And if Time strikes some—

And when Time strikes someone other

one else with its arrows, then you have been admonished.

than you with arrows, you have been warned.

وإذا أمنتَ وأنتَ في

وإذا أمنتَ وأنتَ في

طُرُقِ الحِمامِ فما أمِنْتا

طُرُقِ الحِمامِ فما أمِنْتا

And when you feel secure while you are on

And if you feel safe while you are on

the paths of death, you are not secure.

the paths of death, you are not safe.

وإذا بَخِلْتَ بمالِ غي

وإذا بَخِلْتَ بمالِ غي

رك أو قَتَرْتَ فقد غلطتا

رك أو قَتَرْتَ فقد غلطتا

And if you hoard the wealth of an—

And if you are stingy with the wealth of someone other

other, or stint it, you have erred.

than yourself, or spend it sparingly, you have erred.

وإذا حبوتَ بكلِّ ما

وإذا حبوتَ بكلِّ ما

فوقَ السَّدادِ فما بَخِلْتا

فوقَ السَّدادِ فما بَخِلْتا

And if you freely bestow everything

And if you give away all that lies

beyond sufficiency, you have not been miserly.

beyond sufficiency, you have not been stingy.