لولا مخافة ظالم من ظالم

لولا مخافة ظالم من ظالم

لغدا عليك جميع هذا العالم

لغدا عليك جميع هذا العالم

Were it not for one oppressor's fear of another,

Were it not for fear of harm from the unjust

The whole of this world would turn against you.

All the people in this world would be against you

فاحفظ ثيابك من صديق وامق

فاحفظ ثيابك من صديق وامق

بل كحل عينك من فقيه عالم

بل كحل عينك من فقيه عالم

So guard your clothes from a loving friend;

So guard your clothes from a friendly deceiver

Nay, guard even the kohl in your eye from a learned jurist.

Rather, protect your eyes from a learned jurist

فمتى استهنت بما ذكرت ولم تقف

فمتى استهنت بما ذكرت ولم تقف

عند التحفّظ كنت عين الظالم

عند التحفّظ كنت عين الظالم

For whenever you make light of what I have said and fail to exercise

For if you scoff at what I mentioned and do not stop

Caution, you become the very wrongdoer.

To be cautious, you will be the eye of the unjust

إن الفقيه له عليك تأوّل

إن الفقيه له عليك تأوّل

ينجيه من عيب ولوم اللائم

ينجيه من عيب ولوم اللائم

Indeed, the jurist has an interpretation to use against you

Verily the jurist has an interpretation for himself

That saves him from reproach and the censurer's blame.

That saves him from blame and the blamer's rebuke