وَلا أَركَبُ الأَمرَ المُدَويَ غُمَّةً

وَلا أَركَبُ الأَمرَ المُدَويَ غُمَّةً

بِعَميائِهِ حَتّى أَزورَ فأَنظُرا

بِعَميائِهِ حَتّى أَزورَ فأَنظُرا

Nor do I plunge blindly into a perilous affair,

I do not ride the thunderous matter blindly

I do not ride the perilous affair in blind obscurity, until I have examined and seen,

amid its obscurity, until I go to it and look,

In its blindness, until I visit and look around

Much like the night-blind camel rushing headlong, leaving the flank of excuses exposed.

كَما تَعمَلُ العَشواءُ تَركَبُ رأَسَها

كَما تَعمَلُ العَشواءُ تَركَبُ رأَسَها

وَتَترُكُ جَنباً لِلمَعاذِرِ مُعوِرا

وَتَترُكُ جَنباً لِلمَعاذِرِ مُعوِرا

as the dim-sighted she-camel does, rushing headlong,

As the blind person acts, riding his own head

and leaving a flank exposed, in need of excuses.

And leaving space for excuses, fully excused