أَلَم تَرَني سَكَّنتُ لأياً كِلابَهُم

أَلَم تَرَني سَكَّنتُ لأياً كِلابَهُم

وَكَفكَفتُ عَنكُم أَكلُبي وَهيَ عُقَّرُ

وَكَفكَفتُ عَنكُم أَكلُبي وَهيَ عُقَّرُ

Did you not see how I quieted their dogs with difficulty,

Did you not see me pacify their dogs

and held my dogs back from you, though they are fierce biters,

And restrain my own from you, though provoked to bite?

وَوَرَعتُ ما يَكبي الوُجوهَ رِعايَةً

وَوَرَعتُ ما يَكبي الوُجوهَ رِعايَةً

لِيَحضُرَ خَيرٌ أَو لِيَقصُرَ مُنكَرُ

لِيَحضُرَ خَيرٌ أَو لِيَقصُرَ مُنكَرُ

and restrained what casts faces down, out of concern,

I was careful in all I did

so that good might come, or wrongdoing might cease?

Hoping for good or curtailing harm,

فَلا تَكُ كَالمَوقوصِ عَن ظَهرِ رَحلِهِ

فَلا تَكُ كَالمَوقوصِ عَن ظَهرِ رَحلِهِ

تَرَدَّت بِهِ أَسبابُهُ وَهوَ يَنظُرُ

تَرَدَّت بِهِ أَسبابُهُ وَهوَ يَنظُرُ

So do not be like one thrown from his saddle with his neck broken,

So do not be like him whose mount slipped away

whose ropes brought him tumbling down while he watched.

And left him aimless though he watched.