العَدلُ صَعبٌ وَكُلَّما عَدَلَ ال

العَدلُ صَعبٌ وَكُلَّما عَدَلَ ال

إِنسانُ عَن عَدلِهِ اِمتَرى ثِقَلَه

إِنسانُ عَن عَدلِهِ اِمتَرى ثِقَلَه

Justice is hard; and whenever the

Justice is hard, and whenever a man deviates from justice, he feels its weight.

human turns from his justice, he draws forth his burden.

Injustice makes the unjust miserable, and he sees it like seeing a wolf eyeing its prey.

وَالظُلمُ يَشقى بِهِ الظُلومُ وَيَر

وَالظُلمُ يَشقى بِهِ الظُلومُ وَيَر

عاهُ كَرَعيِ الظِباءِ مُبتَقَلَه

عاهُ كَرَعيِ الظِباءِ مُبتَقَلَه

And oppression makes the oppressor wretched, yet he tends

Glory is like a lofty palm tree, and no man picks its fruit unless time ripens it.

it as gazelles graze his grassy pasture.

If the follower destroys the followed, wealth may give him pause when it pauses him.

وَالمَجدُ كَالقُلَّةِ المُنيفَةِ وَال

وَالمَجدُ كَالقُلَّةِ المُنيفَةِ وَال

مَرءُ لِقالٍ مِنَ الزَمانِ قُلَه

مَرءُ لِقالٍ مِنَ الزَمانِ قُلَه

And glory is like a lofty summit, and the

Or chains may restrain him - the spear was the most needful thing the youth possessed when chains restrained him.

man is a play-stick for Time, the tosser.

The sword does not relieve difficulties or cause them for the one who polished it.

إِن يُهلِكِ التابِعُ التَبيعَ فَقَد

إِن يُهلِكِ التابِعُ التَبيعَ فَقَد

يَمقُلُهُ في الغِنى إِذا مَقَلَه

يَمقُلُهُ في الغِنى إِذا مَقَلَه

If the attendant destroys his companion, he may

The living must inevitably mount a journey, leaving his burdens behind.

immerse him in wealth when he looks upon him.

The powerful server is not safe on the carpet, nor the mother of forgiveness' necks.

أَو يَعتَقِلهُ فَالرُمحُ أَحوَجُ ما

أَو يَعتَقِلهُ فَالرُمحُ أَحوَجُ ما

كانَ إِلَيهِ الفَتى إِذا اِعتَقَلَه

كانَ إِلَيهِ الفَتى إِذا اِعتَقَلَه

Or he may confine him: the spear is most needed

You listen to the carrier of news - but do you believe what the conveyors convey?

by the young man when he couches it.

Money does not attract beauty to a man unless his reason is sound.

وَالسَيفُ لا يَفرُجُ المَضايِقَ أَو

وَالسَيفُ لا يَفرُجُ المَضايِقَ أَو

يوقِعُهُ في المَضيقِ مَن صَقَلَه

يوقِعُهُ في المَضيقِ مَن صَقَلَه

And the sword cannot open up straits unless

the one who polished it thrusts it into a strait.

وَالحَيُّ لا بُدَّ راكِبٌ سَفَراً

وَالحَيُّ لا بُدَّ راكِبٌ سَفَراً

وَتارِكٌ مِن وَرائِهِ ثِقَلَه

وَتارِكٌ مِن وَرائِهِ ثِقَلَه

The living person must inevitably embark on a journey,

and leave his burden behind him.

لا يَسلَمُ القادِرُ المُخَدَّمُ في ال

لا يَسلَمُ القادِرُ المُخَدَّمُ في ال

نيقِ وَلا أُمُّ غُفرَةَ الوَقُلَه

نيقِ وَلا أُمُّ غُفرَةَ الوَقُلَه

The powerful man, served by attendants, is not safe on the

summit, nor the nimble mother of an ibex kid.

تُصغي إِلى ناقِلِ الحَديثِ وَهَل

تُصغي إِلى ناقِلِ الحَديثِ وَهَل

تَصدُقُ فيما تُحَدِّثُ النَقَلَه

تَصدُقُ فيما تُحَدِّثُ النَقَلَه

You listen to the bearer of reports—but do

the transmitters speak truth in what they recount?

وَالمالُ لا يَجذِبُ الجَمالَ إِلى

وَالمالُ لا يَجذِبُ الجَمالَ إِلى

إِنسانِ إِلّا إِذا نَضا عُقُلَه

إِنسانِ إِلّا إِذا نَضا عُقُلَه

And wealth draws no beauty to

a person unless its hobbles are cast off.