لا تَسكُنَنَّ إِلى سُكونٍ إِنَّما

لا تَسكُنَنَّ إِلى سُكونٍ إِنَّما

عُذرُ الفَتى أَلّا يُرى مُحرَنجِما

عُذرُ الفَتى أَلّا يُرى مُحرَنجِما

Never settle into idleness; the only

Do not settle into tranquility, for

excuse for a young man is not to be seen huddled up,

The youth's excuse is not to be seen downcast.

مُستَأنِساً بِالأَهلِ كَيما يُجتَوى

مُستَأنِساً بِالأَهلِ كَيما يُجتَوى

مُتَوَشِّحاً بِالفَقرِ فيهِم مُعدِما

مُتَوَشِّحاً بِالفَقرِ فيهِم مُعدِما

at ease with his family, only to be despised,

Finding comfort with family as if healed,

cloaked in poverty among them, destitute.

Wrapped in poverty amongst them, destitute.

فَتَأَلَّفِ السُهّادَ في طَلَبِ العُلى

فَتَأَلَّفِ السُهّادَ في طَلَبِ العُلى

وَاِستَصحِبِ السَيفَ الحُسامَ المِخذَما

وَاِستَصحِبِ السَيفَ الحُسامَ المِخذَما

So befriend the wakeful in pursuit of eminence,

So befriend the pillows in seeking the heights,

and take the keen, cleaving sword as your companion.

And take along the sharp sword that destroys.

فَالطَيرُ لَولا أَنَّها جَوّالَةٌ

فَالطَيرُ لَولا أَنَّها جَوّالَةٌ

لَم تُلفِ في أَوكارِهِنَّ المَطعَما

لَم تُلفِ في أَوكارِهِنَّ المَطعَما

For birds, were they not roamers,

For if birds did not wander,

would find no food in their nests.

They would not find food in their nests.

قَد جاءَ في الأَمثالِ قَولٌ سائِرٌ

قَد جاءَ في الأَمثالِ قَولٌ سائِرٌ

لِمُهَذَّبٍ وَزَنَ الكَلامَ وَقَوَّما

لِمُهَذَّبٍ وَزَنَ الكَلامَ وَقَوَّما

Among the proverbs is a saying widely known,

There is a common saying,

by a refined man who weighed his words and set them right:

Of one refined, who weighs speech and straightens it:

لا خَيرَ في رَجُلٍ يُجالِسُ عِرسَهُ

لا خَيرَ في رَجُلٍ يُجالِسُ عِرسَهُ

وَيَبيعُ قُرطَيها إِذا ما أَعدَما

وَيَبيعُ قُرطَيها إِذا ما أَعدَما

There is no good in a man who sits with his wife

"No good in a man who sits with his bride

and sells her two earrings when he becomes penniless.

And sells her earrings when impoverished."