جُبلَ النساءُ عَلى التَكَتُّمِ فَاحتَرز

جُبلَ النساءُ عَلى التَكَتُّمِ فَاحتَرز

مِن كَيدِهِنَّ فَإِنَّهُ لَعَظيمُ

مِن كَيدِهِنَّ فَإِنَّهُ لَعَظيمُ

Women were fashioned for secrecy, so beware

Women are inclined to be secretive, so beware

of their guile, for it is great indeed.

Of their plots, for they are indeed great.

فَمَتى تَعِفُّ فَرُبَّما عَفَّت فَإِن

فَمَتى تَعِفُّ فَرُبَّما عَفَّت فَإِن

تُهمَل فَكَشحٌ يُستَباحُ هَضيمُ

تُهمَل فَكَشحٌ يُستَباحُ هَضيمُ

So whenever you are chaste, she may be chaste; but if

When she is chaste, maybe she has been, so if

she is neglected, a slender waist is free for the taking.

Neglected, she becomes violable prey.

وَكَذا الصَبِيُّ إِذا عَرَتهُ خَصاصَةٌ

وَكَذا الصَبِيُّ إِذا عَرَتهُ خَصاصَةٌ

يَبدو لَهُ لَفظٌ يُعدُّ رَخيمُ

يَبدو لَهُ لَفظٌ يُعدُّ رَخيمُ

And likewise the boy, when poverty afflicts him:

Thus a boy, when puberty visits him,

an utterance comes to him, deemed soft and sweet.

Utters words considered vile.

وَتَراهُ يَسمَحُ بِالَّذي هُوَ باخِلٌ

وَتَراهُ يَسمَحُ بِالَّذي هُوَ باخِلٌ

وَيَعودُ بَعدَ الحَمدِ وَهوَ ذَميمُ

وَيَعودُ بَعدَ الحَمدِ وَهوَ ذَميمُ

And you see him freely yield what he is loath to give,

You see him generous, he who was stingy,

and after praise he becomes blameworthy.

And returning, after thanks, despised.

قَد مَسَّ ظهرَ الأَرضِ حُرُّ جَبينهِ

قَد مَسَّ ظهرَ الأَرضِ حُرُّ جَبينهِ

فَيَقومُ وَهوَ مِن الحَياءِ عَديمُ

فَيَقومُ وَهوَ مِن الحَياءِ عَديمُ

His noble brow has touched the earth’s surface;

The heat of his brow touched the earth’s back,

then he rises, devoid of shame.

So he stands, from shyness devoid.

طوراً نَديمٌ للقِحابِ وَتارَةً

طوراً نَديمٌ للقِحابِ وَتارَةً

لِلائِطينَ الفاسِقينَ نَديمُ

لِلائِطينَ الفاسِقينَ نَديمُ

At times a drinking companion to whores, and at others

At times a boon companion to revelers,

a drinking companion to the debauched sodomites.

At others a companion to debauched profligates.

وِإِذا التَحى فَفَقيرٌ أَو لصٌ وَفي

وِإِذا التَحى فَفَقيرٌ أَو لصٌ وَفي

بابِ القُضاةِ أَو الوُلاةِ خَديمُ

بابِ القُضاةِ أَو الوُلاةِ خَديمُ

And when he grows a beard, he is a pauper or a thief, and at

And when alone, either a pauper or a thief,

the door of judges or governors, a servant.

At the judges’ or governors’ doors a servile attendant.