إِذاif كُنتَyou are مَظلوماًwronged فَلاthen do not تُلفَbe found راضياًcontent
إِذا كُنتَ مَظلوماً فَلا تُلفَ راضياً
عَنwith القَومِthe people حَتّىuntil تَأَخُذَyou obtain النِصفَyour rightful due واغضَبِand be angry
عَن القَومِ حَتّى تَأَخُذَ النِصفَ واغضَبِ
If you have been wronged, do not be found content
If you are wronged, do not be found content
with the people until you have won redress—and show your anger.
with the people until you obtain your rightful due—and be angry.
فَإِنbut if كُنتَyou are أَنتَyou yourself الظالِمَthe one wronging القَومthe people فاطَّرِحthen cast aside
فَإِن كُنتَ أَنتَ الظالِمَ القَوم فاطَّرِح
مَقالَتَهُمtheir statement وَاشغَبand stir up trouble بِهِمagainst them كُلَّevery مَشغبِsort of trouble
مَقالَتَهُم وَاشغَب بِهِم كُلَّ مَشغبِ
But if you yourself are the one who has wronged the people, cast aside
But if you yourself are the one wronging the people, cast aside
what they say, and make every kind of trouble for them.
their words, and stir up every sort of trouble against them.
وَقارِبand draw near بِذيto one possessing جَهلٍignorance وَباعِدand keep far away بِعالِمٍfrom a learned man
وَقارِب بِذي جَهلٍ وَباعِد بِعالِمٍ
جَلوبٍconstantly bringing عَلَيكَagainst you الحَقَّthe truth مِنfrom كُلِّevery مَجلَبِquarter
جَلوبٍ عَلَيكَ الحَقَّ مِن كُلِّ مَجلَبِ
Keep close to an ignorant man, and keep a learned man at a distance—
Draw near to an ignorant man, and keep far from a learned one,
one who presses the truth against you from every quarter.
who brings the truth to bear against you from every quarter.
فَإِنthen if حَدَبواthey bend forward فاقعَسthen lean back وَإِنand if هُمthey تَقاعَسواhang back
فَإِن حَدَبوا فاقعَس وَإِن هُم تَقاعَسوا
ليَستمكِنواso they may gain control مِمّاof what وَراءَكَlies behind you فاحدَبِthen bend forward
ليَستمكِنوا مِمّا وَراءَكَ فاحدَبِ
If they press forward, fall back; but if they themselves withdraw
If they bend forward, lean back; and if they hang back
to gain control of what lies behind you, then press forward.
to gain control of what lies behind you, then bend forward.
وَلاand do not تَدعُنيcall on me لِلجورِfor injustice واصبِرand be patient عَلىwith الَّتيthat which
وَلا تَدعُني لِلجورِ واصبِر عَلى الَّتي
بِهاby it كُنتُI used to أَقضيrule لِلبَعيدِfor a stranger عَلىagainst أَبيmy father
بِها كُنتُ أَقضي لِلبَعيدِ عَلى أَبي
And do not summon me to war; bear patiently with the way
And do not call on me for injustice; bear with the judgment
by which I used to judge for an outsider against my own father.
by which I used to rule for a stranger against my father.
فَإِنّيfor I اِمرؤٌa man أَخشىfear إِلَهيmy God وَأَتَّقيand am wary of
فَإِنّي اِمرؤٌ 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 I dread
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 already experienced what you have not.
