نَصَحتُكِ أَجسامُ البَريَّةِ أَجناسُ

نَصَحتُكِ أَجسامُ البَريَّةِ أَجناسُ

وَخَيرٌ مِنَ الأَعراسِ بُرسٌ وَعِرناسُ

وَخَيرٌ مِنَ الأَعراسِ بُرسٌ وَعِرناسُ

I have counseled you: creatures’ bodies are of different kinds.

The wild beasts advised you, O kinds and races,

And cotton and a spindle are better than husbands.

And abstinence is better than lavish feasts and weddings.

وَلا تَلِجي الحَمّامَ قَد جاءَ ناصِحٌ

وَلا تَلِجي الحَمّامَ قَد جاءَ ناصِحٌ

بِتَحريمِهِ مِن قَبلِ أَن يَفسُدَ الناسُ

بِتَحريمِهِ مِن قَبلِ أَن يَفسُدَ الناسُ

And do not enter the bathhouse: a counselor had already come

Do not frequent the baths, for an advisor has come

With a ban on it, before people became corrupt.

With prohibiting them, before people become corrupted.

فَكَيفَ بِهِ لَمّا اِعتَدى في طَريقِهِ

فَكَيفَ بِهِ لَمّا اِعتَدى في طَريقِهِ

رُجَيبٌ وَحَوّاشٌ وَتَنجٌ وَأَشناسُ

رُجَيبٌ وَحَوّاشٌ وَتَنجٌ وَأَشناسُ

What, then, of it, now that outrages on the way to it have been committed by

So what of it, when on its path transgressed,

Rujayb, Hawwash, Tanj, and Ashnas?

Immoral, corrupted, cunning, and malicious people.

تَمازَجَ بِالعُربِ الأَعاجِمُ وَالنَقى

تَمازَجَ بِالعُربِ الأَعاجِمُ وَالنَقى

عَلى الغَدرِ أَنواعٌ تُذَمُّ وَأَجناسُ

عَلى الغَدرِ أَنواعٌ تُذَمُّ وَأَجناسُ

The non-Arabs mingled with the Arabs, and [perhaps: there gathered]

The pure Arabs intermingled with the non-Arabs,

In treachery, blameworthy types and races.

And against betrayal are kinds that should be condemned.

أُناسٌ كَقَومٍ ذاهِبينَ وُجوهُهُم

أُناسٌ كَقَومٍ ذاهِبينَ وُجوهُهُم

وَلَكِنَّهُم في باطِنِ الأَمرِ نَسناسُ

وَلَكِنَّهُم في باطِنِ الأَمرِ نَسناسُ

People whose faces resemble those of folk departed,

There are people whose faces seem righteous,

But in truth they are nasnas—half-human creatures.

Yet inwardly they are sneaky and cunning.

جَزى اللَهُ عَنّي مُؤنِسي بِصُدودِه

جَزى اللَهُ عَنّي مُؤنِسي بِصُدودِه

جَميلاً فَفي الإيحاشِ ما هُوَ إيناسُ

جَميلاً فَفي الإيحاشِ ما هُوَ إيناسُ

May God reward on my behalf the one who comforts me by turning away,

May God reward my companion for his affability,

With goodness, for in estrangement there is companionship.

With goodness, for in friendliness is what brings delight.

تَخافينَ شَيطاناً مِنَ الجِنِّ مارِداً

تَخافينَ شَيطاناً مِنَ الجِنِّ مارِداً

وَعِندَكِ شَيطانٌ مِنَ الإِنسِ خَنّاسُ

وَعِندَكِ شَيطانٌ مِنَ الإِنسِ خَنّاسُ

You fear a rebellious devil from among the jinn,

You fear a defiant devil from the jinn,

Yet beside you is a slinking devil from humankind.

While you have a devil from mankind that is sly.