إِذاif كُنتَyou are مَظلوماًwronged فَلاthen do not تُلفَbe found راضِياًcontent
إِذا كُنتَ مَظلوماً فَلا تُلفَ راضِياً
عَنِwith القَومِthe people حَتّىuntil تَأَخُذَyou obtain النِصفَjustice واِغضبِand be angry
عَنِ القَومِ حَتّى تَأَخُذَ النِصفَ واِغضبِ
If you are wronged, do not be found content
If you are wronged, do not be found content
with the people until you obtain justice—and show your anger.
with the people until you obtain justice—and be angry.
وَإِنand if كُنتَyou are أَنتَyou yourself الظالِمَthe one wronging القَومَthe people فاِطَّرِحthen cast aside
وَإِن كُنتَ أَنتَ الظالِمَ القَومَ فاِطَّرِح
مَقالَتَهُمtheir words واِشغَبand stir up trouble بِهِمagainst them كُلَّevery مَشغَبِkind of trouble
مَقالَتَهُم واِشغَب بِهِم كُلَّ مَشغَبِ
But if you yourself are wronging the people, cast aside
And if it is you who wrong the people, then cast aside
what they say, and assail them with every kind of clamor.
their words, and stir up every kind of trouble against them.
وَقارِبand draw near بِذيto one possessed of جَهلٍignorance وَباعِدand keep away بِعالِمٍfrom a learned man
وَقارِب بِذي جَهلٍ وَباعِد بِعالِمٍ
جَلوبٍone who keeps bringing عَلَيكَagainst you الحَقَّthe truth مِنfrom كُلِّevery مَجلَبِsource
جَلوبٍ عَلَيكَ الحَقَّ مِن كُلِّ مَجلَبِ
Draw close to an ignorant man, and keep far from a learned one
And draw near to an ignorant man, and keep far from a learned one,
who can marshal the truth against you from every quarter.
who brings the truth to bear against you from every quarter.
فَإِنso if حَدِبواthey bend forward فاقعَسthen lean back وَإِنand if هُمthey تَقاعَسواthey hang back
فَإِن حَدِبوا فاقعَس وَإِن هُم تَقاعَسوا
ليَستَمكِنواso they may gain control مِمّاof what وَراءَكَbehind you فاحدَبِthen bend forward
ليَستَمكِنوا مِمّا وَراءَكَ فاحدَبِ
If they incline kindly toward you, hold aloof; but if they draw back
So if they bend forward, lean back; and if they hang back,
to gain access to what lies behind you, then incline toward them.
to gain control of what lies behind you, bend forward.
وَلاand do not تَدعونيcall me لِلجَورِto injustice واِصبِرand be patient عَلىwith الَّتيthat which
وَلا تَدعوني لِلجَورِ واِصبِر عَلى الَّتي
بِهاby it كُنتُI used to أَقضيI judge لِلبَعيدِfor a stranger عَلىagainst أَبيmy father
بِها كُنتُ أَقضي لِلبَعيدِ عَلى أَبي
Do not summon me to injustice; bear patiently with the course
And do not call me to injustice; bear with the rule
by which I have judged for a stranger against my own father.
by which I used to judge for a stranger against my father.
فَإِنّيfor indeed I امرءٌa man أَخشىI fear إِلَهيmy God وَأَتَّقيand I dread
فَإِنّي امرءٌ أَخشى إِلَهي وَأَتَّقي
مَعاديmy return to God وَقَدand indeed جَرَّبتُI have experienced ماwhat لَمnot تُجَرِّبِyou have experienced
مَعادي وَقَد جَرَّبتُ ما لَم تُجَرِّبِ
For I am a man who fears my God and guards against
For I am a man who fears my God and dreads
my return to Him; I have experienced what you have not.
my return to Him; and I have experienced what you have not.
