قَدindeed رُضتُI have tamed نَفسِيَmy soul حَتّىuntil ذَلَّwas subdued جامِحُهاits unruly part
قَد رُضتُ نَفسِيَ حَتّى ذَلَّ جامِحُها
فَماso not أُصاحِبُI keep company with صَعبَdifficult النَفسِin temperament ماnot ريضاwas tamed
فَما أُصاحِبُ صَعبَ النَفسِ ما ريضا
I have tamed my soul until its unruliness was subdued.
So I do not befriend a headstrong man who has not been tamed.
ياO أَلسُناًtongues كَسُيوفِlike swords الهِندِIndia خِلقَتُهاtheir form
يا أَلسُناً كَسُيوفِ الهِندِ خِلقَتُها
ماليwhat is the matter with me? رَأَيتُكِI saw you أَشبَهتِyou resembled المَقاريضاscissors
مالي رَأَيتُكِ أَشبَهتِ المَقاريضا
O tongues, whose form is like the swords of India,
Why have I found you resembling scissors?
إِنَّindeed الغُمودَthe sheaths إِذاwhen سُلَّتare drawn صَوارِمُهاtheir keen swords
إِنَّ الغُمودَ إِذا سُلَّت صَوارِمُها
قُلنَthey utter اليَقينَcertainty وَأَلغَينَand they discard المَعاريضاequivocations
قُلنَ اليَقينَ وَأَلغَينَ المَعاريضا
Indeed, the sheaths, when their keen swords are drawn,
Utter certainty and discard equivocations.