يَدعو الغُرابَ أُناسٌ حاتِماً سَفَهاً

يَدعو الغُرابَ أُناسٌ حاتِماً سَفَهاً

لِأَنَّهُ بِفِراقٍ عِندَهُم حَتَما

لِأَنَّهُ بِفِراقٍ عِندَهُم حَتَما

Some people foolishly call the raven Hatim,

Some foolish people call the raven fickle

Because, in their view, it has decreed separation.

Because to them parting is decisive and absolute

هَذا التَكَذُّبُ ما لِلجَونِ مَّعرِفَةٌ

هَذا التَكَذُّبُ ما لِلجَونِ مَّعرِفَةٌ

وَلا يُبالي أَنالَ المَدحَ أَم شَتُما

وَلا يُبالي أَنالَ المَدحَ أَم شَتُما

This is fabrication: the black bird has no knowledge,

This false accusation, grief knows nothing of

Nor cares whether it receives praise or is reviled.

And cares not whether it receives praise or blame

السَيِّدُ البَرُّ مَن لا يَستَجيزُ أَذىً

السَيِّدُ البَرُّ مَن لا يَستَجيزُ أَذىً

وَلا يَبوحُ بِسِرٍّ عِندَهُ كُتِما

وَلا يَبوحُ بِسِرٍّ عِندَهُ كُتِما

The righteous nobleman is one who does not deem harm permissible,

The true gentleman does not tolerate causing hurt

Nor divulges a secret concealed in his keeping.

Nor divulges secrets when bidden to be mute

الغامِرُ الطارِقُ المُحتاجَ نائِلُهُ

الغامِرُ الطارِقُ المُحتاجَ نائِلُهُ

أَو اِبنَ مِريَةَ مِن أُمّاتِهِ يَتِما

أَو اِبنَ مِريَةَ مِن أُمّاتِهِ يَتِما

Whose overflowing bounty comes by night to the needy,

The brave assailant, the needy he helps

Or Miryah's son, orphaned of his mothers.

Or the orphan of Ummayyah left bereft

لا يَرفَعُ الصَوتَ بِالقَولِ الهَراءِ ضُحىً

لا يَرفَعُ الصَوتَ بِالقَولِ الهَراءِ ضُحىً

وَلا يَدِبُّ إِلا جاراتِهِ عَتَما

وَلا يَدِبُّ إِلا جاراتِهِ عَتَما

He does not raise his voice in senseless talk at midmorning,

He does not raise his voice in empty chatter by day

Nor creeps toward his women neighbors after dark.

Nor creeps about but to those near him intimate

وَالعُمرُ كَالذابِلِ الخَطِّيِّ قَد بُسِطَت

وَالعُمرُ كَالذابِلِ الخَطِّيِّ قَد بُسِطَت

لَهُ كُعوبٌ وَلَكِن بِالرَدى خُتِما

لَهُ كُعوبٌ وَلَكِن بِالرَدى خُتِما

And life is like a slender spear of al-Khatt: stretched out

And life is like the faded vine whose tendrils

Are its joints, yet it is sealed with death.

Once spread but by decay are now consumed