1. شَرُّ الرِّجال الغادر

    بِصَحبه المماكر

    The worst of men is the treacherous one,

    who schemes against his companions.

  2. أَصعب ما تكابد

    صُحبة مَن يُعاند

    The hardest thing you endure

    is the company of one who is obstinate.

  3. يجهد في مَساءتك

    للأمن مِن إِساءتك

    He strives to distress you,

    because he is safe from your ill-treatment.

  4. يَرضى بشر غَيركا

    تَسخطاً بِخَيركا

    He is pleased with others' evil,

    resentful of your goodness.

  5. وَيحقر الإِكراما

    وَيكفر الأَنعاما

    And he scorns kindness,

    and is ungrateful for favors.

  6. ترضيه وَهوَ ساخِط

    تُدنيه وَهوَ شاحِط

    You try to please him, yet he is displeased;

    you draw him near, yet he stays far away.

  7. قاس عَلَيك فَظ

    ما لَكَ منهُ حَظ

    He is harsh toward you, rude;

    you gain nothing from him.

  8. كَالشَّمع في كُلِّ يَد

    يَدور مثل المرود

    Like wax in every hand,

    he turns like a kohl-stick.

  9. وَهوَ عَلَيك صَخره

    قاسية بَل زُبرَه

    Yet toward you he is a rock,

    hard—nay, a block of iron.

  10. فَاِرتابَت الغَزاله

    مِنها بِذي المَقاله

    Then the gazelle grew suspicious

    of her at this remark,

  11. تَقول من عَنيت

    بِقُبح ما حَكيت

    saying, 'Whom did you mean

    by the ugliness you described?'

  12. قالَت عَنيت بعلي

    لأن قَلبي يغلي

    She said, 'I meant my husband,

    for my heart is boiling.'