ذَريني لَكِ الوَيلاتُ آتي الغَوانِيا

ذَريني لَكِ الوَيلاتُ آتي الغَوانِيا

مَتى كُنتُ ذَرّاعاً أَسوقُ السَوانِيا

مَتى كُنتُ ذَرّاعاً أَسوقُ السَوانِيا

Let me—woe to you—visit the beautiful women.

Leave me be, woes come to me, seeking pleasure,

When was I ever a land-measurer, driving water-drawing camels?

When was I an arm, driving pleasure?

تُرَجّي ثَراءً مِن سِياسٍ وَمِثلِها

تُرَجّي ثَراءً مِن سِياسٍ وَمِثلِها

وَمِن قَبلِها ما كُنتَ لِلمالِ راجِيا

وَمِن قَبلِها ما كُنتَ لِلمالِ راجِيا

You hope for riches from Siyas and its like,

You wish for wealth from a politician like him,

Yet before it, you had not hoped for wealth.

And before that you were not hoping for money,

سَأوصي بَصيراً إِن دَنَوتُ مِنَ البِلى

سَأوصي بَصيراً إِن دَنَوتُ مِنَ البِلى

وَكُلُّ اِمرِئٍ يَوماً سَيُصبِحُ فانِيا

وَكُلُّ اِمرِئٍ يَوماً سَيُصبِحُ فانِيا

I shall counsel a discerning man if I draw near to decay,

I will advise an insight, if old age draws near,

And every person will one day perish.

And every person one day will end up transient,

بِأَن لا تَأَنَّ الوُدَّ مِن مُتَباعِدٍ

بِأَن لا تَأَنَّ الوُدَّ مِن مُتَباعِدٍ

وَلا تَنأَ إِن أَمسى بِقُربِكَ راضِيا

وَلا تَنأَ إِن أَمسى بِقُربِكَ راضِيا

That you should not await affection from one who keeps his distance,

That you do not hesitate to love someone distant,

And should not draw away if he is content to be near you.

Nor refuse if he ends up being near you and content,

فَذا الشَنءِ فَاِشنَأهُ وَذا الوُدِّ فَاِجزِهِ

فَذا الشَنءِ فَاِشنَأهُ وَذا الوُدِّ فَاِجزِهِ

عَلى وُدِّهِ أَو زِد عَلَيهِ العَلانِيا

عَلى وُدِّهِ أَو زِد عَلَيهِ العَلانِيا

So hate the one who bears hatred, and reward the one who bears affection

So this hatred, shun it, and this love, reward it,

For his affection, or openly give more in return.

Above his love, or increase upon it openly,

وَآسِ سَراةَ الحَيِّ حَيثُ لَقيتَهُم

وَآسِ سَراةَ الحَيِّ حَيثُ لَقيتَهُم

وَلا تَكُ عَن حَملِ الرِباعَةِ وانِيا

وَلا تَكُ عَن حَملِ الرِباعَةِ وانِيا

And aid the clan's nobles wherever you meet them,

And look after the well-being of the living, wherever you find them,

And do not be slack in bearing communal burdens.

And do not refrain from bearing sociability,

وَإِن بَشَرٌ يَوماً أَحالَ بِوَجهِهِ

وَإِن بَشَرٌ يَوماً أَحالَ بِوَجهِهِ

عَلَيكَ فَحُل عَنهُ وَإِن كانَ دانِيا

عَلَيكَ فَحُل عَنهُ وَإِن كانَ دانِيا

And if a man one day turns his face

And if one day a person scowls at you,

Against you, turn away from him, even if he is near.

Then leave him be, even if he is close,

وَإِنَّ تُقى الرَحمَنِ لا شَيءَ مِثلُهُ

وَإِنَّ تُقى الرَحمَنِ لا شَيءَ مِثلُهُ

فَصَبراً إِذا تَلقى السِحاقَ الغَراثِيا

فَصَبراً إِذا تَلقى السِحاقَ الغَراثِيا

And truly, nothing equals reverence for the Most Merciful.

And truly, being mindful of the Merciful, nothing compares,

So be patient when you meet the lean and hungry.

So have patience, if you face crushing adversity,

وَرَبَّكَ لا تُشرِك بِهِ إِنَّ شِركَهُ

وَرَبَّكَ لا تُشرِك بِهِ إِنَّ شِركَهُ

يَحُطُّ مِنَ الخَيراتِ تِلكَ البَواقِيا

يَحُطُّ مِنَ الخَيراتِ تِلكَ البَواقِيا

And associate no partner with your Lord; for associating others with Him

And do not associate with your Lord, associating with Him,

Detracts from those good things that endure.

Diminishes those good deeds, whatever remains,

بَلِ اللَهَ فَاِعبُد لا شَريكَ لِوَجهِهِ

بَلِ اللَهَ فَاِعبُد لا شَريكَ لِوَجهِهِ

يَكُن لَكَ فيما تَكدَحُ اليَومَ راعِيا

يَكُن لَكَ فيما تَكدَحُ اليَومَ راعِيا

Rather, worship God; His countenance has no partner.

Rather, worship Allah alone, no partner to His essence,

He will be your guardian in what you toil at today.

He will be with you in what you toil for today,

وَإِيّاكَ وَالمَيتاتِ لا تَقرَبَنَّها

وَإِيّاكَ وَالمَيتاتِ لا تَقرَبَنَّها

كَفى بِكَلامِ اللَهِ عَن ذاكَ ناهِيا

كَفى بِكَلامِ اللَهِ عَن ذاكَ ناهِيا

And beware of carrion; never approach it.

And beware of dead things, do not go near them,

God's word is warning enough against that.

The word of Allah forbidding that is sufficient,

وَلا تَعِدَنَّ الناسَ ما لَستَ مُنجِزاً

وَلا تَعِدَنَّ الناسَ ما لَستَ مُنجِزاً

وَلا تَشتِمَن جاراً لَطيفاً مُصافِيا

وَلا تَشتِمَن جاراً لَطيفاً مُصافِيا

And never promise people what you will not fulfill.

And do not make promises to people you will not fulfil,

And never insult a kind neighbor, sincere in friendship.

Nor insult a kind, pure neighbor,

وَلا تَزهَدَن في وَصلِ أَهلِ قَرابَةٍ

وَلا تَزهَدَن في وَصلِ أَهلِ قَرابَةٍ

وَلا تَكُ سَبعاً في العَشيرَةِ عادِيا

وَلا تَكُ سَبعاً في العَشيرَةِ عادِيا

And never disdain keeping ties with your kin.

And do not abandon connecting with your relatives,

And do not be a marauding beast among your clan.

Nor be predatory among the clan, attacking,

وَإِنَّ اِمرُؤٌ أَسدى إِلَيكَ أَمانَةً

وَإِنَّ اِمرُؤٌ أَسدى إِلَيكَ أَمانَةً

فَأَوفِ بِها إِن مِتَّ سُمّيتَ وافِيا

فَأَوفِ بِها إِن مِتَّ سُمّيتَ وافِيا

And if a man commits a trust to you,

And if a person entrusts you with a trust,

Then honor it; if you die, you will be called faithful.

Then fulfil it if you die, you will be called loyal,

وَجارَةَ جَنبِ البَيتِ لا تَنعَ سِرَّها

وَجارَةَ جَنبِ البَيتِ لا تَنعَ سِرَّها

فَإِنَّكَ لا تَخفى عَلى اللَهِ خافِيا

فَإِنَّكَ لا تَخفى عَلى اللَهِ خافِيا

And do not divulge the secret of the woman living next door.

And do not deny the secrets of your neighbor,

For you are not hidden from God, even in hiding.

You cannot hide anything from Allah in secret,

وَلا تَحسُدَن مَولاكَ إِن كانَ ذا غِنىً

وَلا تَحسُدَن مَولاكَ إِن كانَ ذا غِنىً

وَلا تَجفُهُ إِن كُنتَ في المالِ غانِيا

وَلا تَجفُهُ إِن كُنتَ في المالِ غانِيا

And never envy your ally if he possesses wealth,

And do not envy your master if he has wealth,

Nor shun him if you yourself are wealthy.

Nor deprive him if you have become self-sufficient,

وَلا تَخذُلَنَّ القَومَ إِن نابَ مُغرَمٌ

وَلا تَخذُلَنَّ القَومَ إِن نابَ مُغرَمٌ

فَإِنَّكَ لا تَعدَم إِلى المَجدِ داعِيا

فَإِنَّكَ لا تَعدَم إِلى المَجدِ داعِيا

And never abandon your people if a financial burden befalls them.

And do not let down the people if an afflicted one seeks refuge,

For you will not lack one who calls you to glory.

You will never lack a path to glory if you call,

وَكُن مِن وَراءِ الجارِ حِصناً مُمَنَّعاً

وَكُن مِن وَراءِ الجارِ حِصناً مُمَنَّعاً

وَأَوقِد شِهاباً يَسفَعُ الوَجهَ حامِيا

وَأَوقِد شِهاباً يَسفَعُ الوَجهَ حامِيا

And be an impregnable fortress behind your neighbor.

And be an impenetrable fortress behind the neighbor,

And kindle a burning-hot flame that scorches the face.

And ignite a blaze that elevates the face, protective,