إلا أن بعد القوم عن جاهل بهم

إلا أن بعد القوم عن جاهل بهم

وسيء أخلاق لأرجي وأغنم

وسيء أخلاق لأرجي وأغنم

Except that the company’s distance from one ignorant of them

Yet these people's distance from one ignorant of them

and ill in character is surely more promising and more gainful.

And from one of bad character is indeed more promising and more profitable.

لأن طريق الصدق صعب وهين

لأن طريق الصدق صعب وهين

ولكن كاس القطع مر وعلقم

ولكن كاس القطع مر وعلقم

For the path of truthfulness is difficult, yet easy,

For the path of truthfulness is hard and easy,

but the cup of severance is bitter—bitter as colocynth.

But the cup of severance is bitterness and colocynth.

فوهم اعتراض المرء في شانهم عمى

فوهم اعتراض المرء في شانهم عمى

وأفشاؤه للناس أوهى وأعظم

وأفشاؤه للناس أوهى وأعظم

For the delusion that one may object to their affairs is blindness,

Thus a person's deluded objection concerning them is blindness,

and divulging it to the people is still feebler—and graver.

And divulging it to people is less sound and more grievous.

على أن لحم القوم سم مجرب

على أن لحم القوم سم مجرب

وسهم بإحكام القضاء مطلسم

وسهم بإحكام القضاء مطلسم

Moreover, the company’s flesh is a tried-and-tested poison,

Moreover, these people's flesh is a proven poison,

and an arrow, talisman-sealed by fate’s sure decree.

And an arrow talisman-bound by fate's firm decree.

ولا سيما السادات منهم فهم لهم

ولا سيما السادات منهم فهم لهم

بدار التحلي من يحامون عنهم

بدار التحلي من يحامون عنهم

Most especially their masters: they have

And especially the masters among them, for they have

in the Abode of Adornment those who champion and defend them.

In the abode of adornment, those who defend them.