لا تَغْشَ إلا ملكاً في منزلِهْ

لا تَغْشَ إلا ملكاً في منزلِهْ

يُعرضُ في مشربهِ ومأكلِهْ

يُعرضُ في مشربهِ ومأكلِهْ

Visit only a king in his own home,

Do not be deceived by a king in his abode

who takes no heed, in his drinking and eating,

Displayed in his drink and his food

وفي تلهّيه وفي تعلُّلِهْ

وفي تلهّيه وفي تعلُّلِهْ

وما يريه الحقُّ من تفضُّلِهْ

وما يريه الحقُّ من تفضُّلِهْ

and in his amusements and diversions,

And in his amusements and excuses

and in the generosity that right bids him show

And what truth shows of his generosity

على أخٍ يأوي إلى تطوُّلِهْ

على أخٍ يأوي إلى تطوُّلِهْ

عن أمِّهِ وعرسه وعُدَّلِهْ

عن أمِّهِ وعرسه وعُدَّلِهْ

to a brother who seeks refuge in his bounty,

To a brother seeking his favor

of his mother, his wife, and his upright men.

Away from his mother, his wedding, and his peers

لا عبدُه مستمكنٌ من مقتلِهْ

لا عبدُه مستمكنٌ من مقتلِهْ

ولا مُلاهيه لدى تنقُّلِهْ

ولا مُلاهيه لدى تنقُّلِهْ

His slave has no hold on his vulnerable spot,

His slave cannot save him from being killed

nor his boon companion while he takes refreshments.

Nor can his diversions when he travels about

ومن عجيبِ الأمرِ بل من مُعْضلِهْ

ومن عجيبِ الأمرِ بل من مُعْضلِهْ

مُخوَّلٌ يصغي إلى مُخوّلِهْ

مُخوَّلٌ يصغي إلى مُخوّلِهْ

And among strange things—indeed, among the baffling ones—

And of the wondrous matters, nay of its riddles

is a wealthy master listening to his own servant.

A deputy listens to his deputy

يوهمُ بالصبرِ على تدللِهْ

يوهمُ بالصبرِ على تدللِهْ

إنَّ به داهيةً في أسفلِهْ

إنَّ به داهيةً في أسفلِهْ

By enduring the other's pampered airs, he suggests

Feigning patience for his caprice

that he has a dire affliction in his backside.

In him is villainy in his deepest place

ما ذاك من أمرِ الفتى بأجملِهْ

ما ذاك من أمرِ الفتى بأجملِهْ

ولا بأسْناهُ لدى تأمُّلِهْ

ولا بأسْناهُ لدى تأمُّلِهْ

That is not the most becoming aspect of a young man's conduct,

That is not the way of the noble youth

nor its noblest, upon reflection.

When he contemplates in full