أَفادَت بِكَ الأَيّامُ فَرطَ تَجارِبٍ

أَفادَت بِكَ الأَيّامُ فَرطَ تَجارِبٍ

كَأَنَّكَ في فَرقِ الزَمانِ مَشيبُ

كَأَنَّكَ في فَرقِ الزَمانِ مَشيبُ

Through you the days have gained a wealth of experience,

Days have taught you an excess of experiences

As though you were gray hair in time's parting.

As if you were an old man in the span of time

وُكُلُّ بَعيدٍ قَرَّبَ الحَينَ نَحوُهُ

وُكُلُّ بَعيدٍ قَرَّبَ الحَينَ نَحوُهُ

سَلاهِبُكَ الجُردُ الجِيادُ قَريبُ

سَلاهِبُكَ الجُردُ الجِيادُ قَريبُ

And every distant one to whom death has been brought near

And every far thing, it brought near to it

By your tall, sleek, swift steeds is near.

Your horses roaming free, near at hand

تَباشَرُ أَقطارَ البِلادِ كَأَنَّها

تَباشَرُ أَقطارَ البِلادِ كَأَنَّها

رِياحٌ لَها في الخافِقينَ هُبوبُ

رِياحٌ لَها في الخافِقينَ هُبوبُ

They touch the far reaches of the lands, as though they were

You traverse the regions of the countries as if they are

Winds blowing in the east and west.

Winds blowing freely in the air

تَماشى بِفِتيانٍ كَأَنَّ جُسومَهُم

تَماشى بِفِتيانٍ كَأَنَّ جُسومَهُم

لِخِفَّتِها فَوقَ السُروجِ قُلوبُ

لِخِفَّتِها فَوقَ السُروجِ قُلوبُ

They stride along with youths, as though their bodies,

You walk with young men whose bodies

So light above the saddles, were hearts.

Are like hearts above the saddles because of their lightness

وَتَملَأُ ما بَينَ الفَضائينَ عِثيراً

وَتَملَأُ ما بَينَ الفَضائينَ عِثيراً

مُثاراً بِوَجهِ الشَمسِ مِنهُ شَحوبُ

مُثاراً بِوَجهِ الشَمسِ مِنهُ شَحوبُ

And they fill the space between the two expanses with dust

And you fill what is between the two horizons with bustling

Stirred up, making the sun's face grow pale.

Stirred by the face of the sun which pales it

وَما يُدرِكُ العَلياءَ إِلّا مُهَذَّبٌ

وَما يُدرِكُ العَلياءَ إِلّا مُهَذَّبٌ

يُصابُ عَلى مِقدارِهِ وَيُصيبُ

يُصابُ عَلى مِقدارِهِ وَيُصيبُ

And none attains the heights except a refined man,

And none can attain lofty goals except one refined

Who is struck in proportion to his worth, and strikes in turn.

Who measures up to it and attains it

فَلا تَصطَفِ الإِخوانَ قَبلَ اِختِبارِهم

فَلا تَصطَفِ الإِخوانَ قَبلَ اِختِبارِهم

فَما كُلُّ خِلٍّ تَصطَفيهِ نَجيبُ

فَما كُلُّ خِلٍّ تَصطَفيهِ نَجيبُ

So do not choose your friends before testing them,

So do not choose companions before testing them

For not every friend you choose is noble.

For not every sweet date is of high quality