العَيشُ ماضٍ فَأَكرِم والِدَيكَ بِهِ

العَيشُ ماضٍ فَأَكرِم والِدَيكَ بِهِ

وَالأُمُّ أَولى بِإِكرامٍ وَإِحسانِ

وَالأُمُّ أَولى بِإِكرامٍ وَإِحسانِ

Life is passing, so honor your parents with it;

Life passes, so be kind to your parents while they are here

And the mother is more deserving of honor and kindness.

And a mother deserves the most kindness and affection

وَحَسبُها الحَملُ وَالإِرضاعُ تُدمِنُهُ

وَحَسبُها الحَملُ وَالإِرضاعُ تُدمِنُهُ

أَمرانِ بِالفَضلِ نالا كُلَّ إِنسانِ

أَمرانِ بِالفَضلِ نالا كُلَّ إِنسانِ

And enough to her credit are pregnancy and the nursing she keeps up—

Bearing children and nursing are lifelong favors

Two things whose bounty has reached every human being.

Not every person can attain such nobility

وَاِخشَ المُلوكَ وَياسِرها بِطاعَتِها

وَاِخشَ المُلوكَ وَياسِرها بِطاعَتِها

فَالمَلكُ لِلأَرضِ مِثلُ الماطِرِ الساني

فَالمَلكُ لِلأَرضِ مِثلُ الماطِرِ الساني

And fear kings, and accommodate them by obeying them;

Respect kings and obey their ministers

For a king is to the land like a rain-cloud that waters it.

For a king is to the land like rain is to the thirsty plain

إِن يَظلِموا فَلَهُم نَفعٌ يُعاشُ بِهِ

إِن يَظلِموا فَلَهُم نَفعٌ يُعاشُ بِهِ

وَكَم حَمَوكَ بِرَجلٍ أَو بِفُرسانِ

وَكَم حَمَوكَ بِرَجلٍ أَو بِفُرسانِ

If they act unjustly, they still bring benefit by which one lives;

If they wrong you, benefit comes from enduring it

And how often they have protected you with infantry or horsemen!

And think of all the times steeds or horsemen protected you

وَهَل خَلَت قَبلُ مِن جورٍ وَمَظلَمَةٍ

وَهَل خَلَت قَبلُ مِن جورٍ وَمَظلَمَةٍ

أَربابُ فارِسَ أَو أَربابُ غَسّانِ

أَربابُ فارِسَ أَو أَربابُ غَسّانِ

And were they ever before free from injustice and oppression—

Has there been a time without injustice and oppression?

The lords of Persia or the lords of Ghassan?

Whether lords of Persia or lords of Ghassan

خَيلٌ إِذا سُوِّمَت وَما حُبِسَت

خَيلٌ إِذا سُوِّمَت وَما حُبِسَت

إِلّا بِلُجمٍ تُعَنّيها وَأَرسانِ

إِلّا بِلُجمٍ تُعَنّيها وَأَرسانِ

Horses, when let loose, are not held back

Horses are only reined in when needed

Except by bridles that torment them and by halters.

By bits guiding them and by reins restraining