لا يُشفِقُ الغازي على مَغزوِّه

لا يُشفِقُ الغازي على مَغزوِّه

بل يستخفُّ بحلفهِ وعدوِّهِ

بل يستخفُّ بحلفهِ وعدوِّهِ

The invader has no pity for the one he invades.

The invader shows no mercy to the invaded

Rather, he makes light of his ally and his enemy.

But makes light of his covenant and enemy

ما للضعيفِ إلى القويِّ شفاعةٌ

ما للضعيفِ إلى القويِّ شفاعةٌ

شتّان بينَ هبوطهِ وعلوِّه

شتّان بينَ هبوطهِ وعلوِّه

The weak have no intercession with the strong.

The weak have no intercession with the strong

How far apart are his descent and his ascent!

Far apart are their descent and ascent

لا يَخدَعَنَّكَ رفقُه وليانُهُ

لا يَخدَعَنَّكَ رفقُه وليانُهُ

بعدَ الهوانِ ببطشهِ وعتوِّه

بعدَ الهوانِ ببطشهِ وعتوِّه

Do not let his gentleness and softness deceive you

Let not his gentleness and flexibleness delude you

After the humiliation brought by his violence and arrogance.

After humiliation, by his tyranny and excess

واصبر عليهِ مراقباً حتى إذا

واصبر عليهِ مراقباً حتى إذا

جازَ الحدودَ أخَذتَهُ بغلوِّه

جازَ الحدودَ أخَذتَهُ بغلوِّه

And bear with him, keeping watch, until

Endure him, watching, until when

He crosses the bounds—then hold him to account for his excess.

He transgresses the limits, you seize him for his trespass

ما كانَ يوماً حانياً بل جانياً

ما كانَ يوماً حانياً بل جانياً

والغدرُ يَكمنُ في لحاظِ حنوِّه

والغدرُ يَكمنُ في لحاظِ حنوِّه

He was never compassionate, but a wrongdoer.

Never was he a day calm but unruly

And treachery lurks in his tender glances.

And betrayal lurks in the glance of his affection

لا بدَّ من وَطَر ولو حالَ الوَرى

لا بدَّ من وَطَر ولو حالَ الوَرى

والدهرُ دونَ بلوغهِ ودنوِّه

والدهرُ دونَ بلوغهِ ودنوِّه

One must have a goal, even if all humankind

Needs must come a stumble though the land be smooth

And time stand in the way of reaching it and drawing near to it.

And fate before his nearing and approaching

المرءُ كان ولم يزل متقلِّباً

المرءُ كان ولم يزل متقلِّباً

والحظُّ بينَ رواحهِ وغدوِّه

والحظُّ بينَ رواحهِ وغدوِّه

Man has been, and ever remains, changeable,

Man was and will remain ever-changing

And fortune shifts between his evening and morning journeys.

And fortune between his coming and going