إِذا لَؤمَ الفَتى لَم يَخشى مِمّا

إِذا لَؤمَ الفَتى لَم يَخشى مِمّا

يُقالُ وَإِن تَرادَفَهُ المَلامُ

يُقالُ وَإِن تَرادَفَهُ المَلامُ

When a young man is base, he has no fear of what

If a young man is blamed, he does not fear

is said, even if reproach pursues him repeatedly.

What is said, even if blame assails him.

وَما كانَت كِلامُ السَيفِ يَوماً

وَما كانَت كِلامُ السَيفِ يَوماً

لِتَبلُغَ مِثلَ ما بَلَغَ الكَلامُ

لِتَبلُغَ مِثلَ ما بَلَغَ الكَلامُ

And never could the sword's wounds

The sword's speech was never

reach as far as words have reached.

Equal to what speech has attained.

تَحارَبُ أَنفُسٌ وَتُسَرُّ حَتّى

تَحارَبُ أَنفُسٌ وَتُسَرُّ حَتّى

يُظَنَّ الصُلحُ فيها وَالسَلامُ

يُظَنَّ الصُلحُ فيها وَالسَلامُ

Souls wage a hidden war, so that

Souls battle and rejoice until

one imagines concord and peace within them.

Peace in them is presumed.

وَبَينَ جَوانِحِ الأَقوامِ نارٌ

وَبَينَ جَوانِحِ الأَقوامِ نارٌ

يُوَرّي عَن تَلَهُّبِها السَلامُ

يُوَرّي عَن تَلَهُّبِها السَلامُ

And within people's ribs there is a fire

Among the breasts of people is a fire

whose blaze the greeting of peace conceals.

Whose flames peace conceals.

وَبَعدَ الخَيرِ ناقِضُهُ وَأَعيا

وَبَعدَ الخَيرِ ناقِضُهُ وَأَعيا

نَهارٌ لَيسَ يَعقِبُهُ ظَلامُ

نَهارٌ لَيسَ يَعقِبُهُ ظَلامُ

And after good comes its undoing; unattainable

After good, its rescinder comes, and days

is a day that no darkness follows.

Follow days with no darkness after light.

أَنوءُ مَعَ الخُطوبِ إِلى أُمورٍ

أَنوءُ مَعَ الخُطوبِ إِلى أُمورٍ

لِشَخصِيَ دونَ مَوقِعِها اِصطِلامُ

لِشَخصِيَ دونَ مَوقِعِها اِصطِلامُ

I struggle amid calamities toward goals

I decline, with tribulations, to private matters,

that I shall perish before attaining.

Not where they put me to the test.

وَيَجري سابِحي وَلَهُ عُيوبٌ

وَيَجري سابِحي وَلَهُ عُيوبٌ

وَيَقطَعُ صارِمٌ وَبِهِ اِنثِلامُ

وَيَقطَعُ صارِمٌ وَبِهِ اِنثِلامُ

And my swift steed runs, though it has flaws;

My swimmer flows, though defective,

and a keen sword cuts, though its edge is chipped.

My sword cuts, though chipped.

وَيُصبِحُ في الحِجى التَشريقُ رُزءاً

وَيُصبِحُ في الحِجى التَشريقُ رُزءاً

وَأَنّى يُبهِجُ الرُكنَ اِستِلامُ

وَأَنّى يُبهِجُ الرُكنَ اِستِلامُ

And to reason, Tashriq becomes a calamity;

The dawn gleams at the Kaaba, mocked,

and how can touching gladden the Corner?

And how can the Black Stone bring joy?

وَبَعضُ حَواصِلِ الأَسماءِ دَلَّت

وَبَعضُ حَواصِلِ الأَسماءِ دَلَّت

عَلى تَعريفِهِ إِلفٌ وَلامُ

عَلى تَعريفِهِ إِلفٌ وَلامُ

And some of what nouns denote is shown

Some letter connections indicated

to be definite by an alif and a lām.

Knowledge of it: alif and laam.