خِلافُكَ بَعضَ الناسِ يُرجى بِهِ المُنى

خِلافُكَ بَعضَ الناسِ يُرجى بِهِ المُنى

وَفي الدَهرِ أَقوامٌ خِلافُهُمُ حَزمُ

وَفي الدَهرِ أَقوامٌ خِلافُهُمُ حَزمُ

By opposing some people, you may hope to fulfill your wishes.

Your opposition to some people is hoped to bring about wishes

And in life there are people whom it is prudent to oppose.

And in life there are folks whose opposition is wisdom

فَأَفطِر إِذا صاموا وَصُم عِندَ فِطرِهِم

فَأَفطِر إِذا صاموا وَصُم عِندَ فِطرِهِم

عَلى خِبرَةٍ إِنَّ الدَواءَ هُوَ الأَزمُ

عَلى خِبرَةٍ إِنَّ الدَواءَ هُوَ الأَزمُ

So break your fast when they fast, and fast when they break theirs,

So break your fast when they fast and fast when they break it

Based on experience: indeed, the remedy is abstinence from food.

Out of experience, for the remedy is to be contrary

وَلَو لَم يَسِر وَقتُ الفَتى وَهوَ موشِكٌ

وَلَو لَم يَسِر وَقتُ الفَتى وَهوَ موشِكٌ

لَما صَحَّ في هَجرِ الحَياةِ لَهُ عَزمُ

لَما صَحَّ في هَجرِ الحَياةِ لَهُ عَزمُ

And were a young man's time not passing, swift as it is,

And if the young man's time had not been right when nearly

He would have no sound resolve to forsake life.

He would not have firmly decided to abandon life

أَلا ذَلِّلوا هَذي النُفوسَ فَإِنَّها

أَلا ذَلِّلوا هَذي النُفوسَ فَإِنَّها

رَكائِبُ سوءٍ لَيسَ يَضبِطُها الحَزمُ

رَكائِبُ سوءٍ لَيسَ يَضبِطُها الحَزمُ

Take heed! Tame these souls, for indeed they are

Oh, subdue these souls, for they are

Vicious mounts that prudence does not rein in.

Vile she-camels that cannot be controlled by resolve

وَلَم يَأتِ في الدُنيا القَديمَةِ مُنصِفٌ

وَلَم يَأتِ في الدُنيا القَديمَةِ مُنصِفٌ

وَلا هُوَ آتٍ بل تَظالُمِنا جَزمُ

وَلا هُوَ آتٍ بل تَظالُمِنا جَزمُ

And no just person has appeared in this age-old world,

And no fair arbitrator has come in the ancient world

Nor is one to come; rather, our mutual oppression is certain.

Nor will he come, but our injustices are certain