فَتى عَلى نَفسِهِ مِن نَفسِهِ رَصَدٌ

فَتى عَلى نَفسِهِ مِن نَفسِهِ رَصَدٌ

يَصُدُّهُ أَن يَطورَ الشَينَ وَالذاما

يَصُدُّهُ أَن يَطورَ الشَينَ وَالذاما

A youth whose own self stands guard over him,

A youth who keeps strict watch upon himself

Keeping him from approaching disgrace and blame.

Lest he should fall to vice or follow slander

مازالَ يَغنُمُ مالاً ثُمَّ يَغرَمُهُ

مازالَ يَغنُمُ مالاً ثُمَّ يَغرَمُهُ

مازالَ لِلمالِ غَنّاماً وَغَرّاما

مازالَ لِلمالِ غَنّاماً وَغَرّاما

He is ever gaining wealth, then paying it out,

He gains riches day by day and then spends all

Ever a great gatherer and lavish spender of wealth.

Ever the prey of wealth, a captive ransom'd

أَغَرُّ أَروَعُ يَحكي الغَيثَ مَكرُمَةً

أَغَرُّ أَروَعُ يَحكي الغَيثَ مَكرُمَةً

وَالنَجمَ مَنزِلَةً وَالطَودَ أَحلاما

وَالنَجمَ مَنزِلَةً وَالطَودَ أَحلاما

Radiant, awe-inspiring, he resembles the rain in generosity,

A noble sight! He tells of clouds and rain benign,

And the star in rank, and the mountain in forbearance.

Of stars and dreams and dragons! We are silent,

نُجِلُّهُ حينَ يَبدو أَن نَقولَ لَهُ

نُجِلُّهُ حينَ يَبدو أَن نَقولَ لَهُ

كَأَنَّ في سَرجِهِ بَدراً وَضِرغاما

كَأَنَّ في سَرجِهِ بَدراً وَضِرغاما

We deem him too exalted, when he appears, to say to him:

As tho' before him Sinai's mount lay plain.

"It is as though a full moon and a lion were in his saddle."

And in his saddle-bags the moon shone radiant.