وقال الأحنفُ الرجلين قولا

وقال الأحنفُ الرجلين قولا

رأى وجه الصواب به فقالا

رأى وجه الصواب به فقالا

And Al-Ahnaf, crooked in both feet, uttered a saying;

The wise man spoke two sayings

He saw in it the face of sound judgment, and said:

That showed the face of right, so they were told:

يذم في الدنيا رجال

يذم في الدنيا رجال

ولولا ما كانوا رجالا

ولولا ما كانوا رجالا

Men are censured in this world,

"No man should be blamed in life

And but for that, they would not have been men.

Had they not been men, stout and bold.

ومن أكل الطعام الشبع يوما

ومن أكل الطعام الشبع يوما

حراما كان ذلك أو حلالا

حراما كان ذلك أو حلالا

And whoever ate his fill of food one day—

He who has eaten to his fill one day

Whether it was unlawful or lawful—

Be that forbidden or be that food legally sold

وصح مزاجه من بعد ريّ

وصح مزاجه من بعد ريّ

غنيا كان أو لم يحو مالا

غنيا كان أو لم يحو مالا

And whose constitution grew sound after drinking his fill,

If after that his health and temper be still right

Whether he was rich or possessed no wealth,

Rich or poor or owning no gold

وقدّر أن يعفّ النفس خيرا

وقدّر أن يعفّ النفس خيرا

وألزمها رأى رأيا محالا

وألزمها رأى رأيا محالا

And deemed it good to keep his soul chaste,

He who resolves to curb his soul's desires

And compelled it to do so, held an absurd view.

And makes it keep that course, though hard to hold."