1. لا تَبدَأَوني بِالعَداوَةِ مِنكُمُ

    فَمَسيحُكُم عِندي نَظيرُ مُحَمَّدِ

    Do not be the first to show me hostility;

    For your Messiah, in my view, is Muhammad's equal.

  2. أَيَعيثُ ضَوءُ الصُبحِ ناظِرَ مُدلِجٍ

    أَم نَحنُ أَجمَعُ في ظَلامٍ سَرمَدِ

    Does dawn's light ravage a night-traveler's eye,

    Or are we all in everlasting darkness?

  3. كُمهُ البَصائِرِ لا يَبينُ لَها الهُدى

    أَو مُبصِرٌ أَبَداً بِعَينَي أَرمَدِ

    Blind in insight, to which guidance is not clear,

    Or forever seeing through a sore-eyed person's eyes.

  4. جَسَدٌ يُعَذَّبُ في الحَياةِ حَسِبتُهُ

    مُستَشعِراً حَسَدَ العِظَامِ الهُمَّدِ

    A body tormented in life—I deemed it

    Inwardly feeling envy of the lifeless bones.

  5. إِنَّ السُيوفَ تُراحُ في أَغمادِها

    وَتَظَلُّ في تَعَبٍ إِذا لَم تُغمَدِ

    Indeed, swords are given rest within their sheaths,

    And remain in toil when they are not sheathed.

  6. مَن لي بِجِسمٍ لا يُحِسُّ رَزِيَّةً

    لَكِن يُعَدُّ كَتُربَةٍ أَو جَلمَدِ

    Who can give me a body that feels no calamity,

    But is regarded as earth or solid rock?

  7. رَوحٌ إِذا اِتَّصَلَت بِشَخصٍ لَم يَزَل

    هُوَ وَهيَ في مَرَضِ العَناءِ المُكمِدِ

    A soul, when joined to a person—ever thereafter,

    He and it remain in the sickness of sorrow-bringing toil.

  8. إِن كُنتِ مِن ريحٍ فَيا ريحُ اِسكُني

    أَو كُنتِ مِن لَهَبٍ فَيا لَهّبُ اخمُدِ

    If you are made of wind, then, O wind, be still;

    Or if you are made of flame, then, O flame, die out.