ومَن ركبَ العجوزَ فَلا يُبالي

ومَن ركبَ العجوزَ فَلا يُبالي

إذا ما اِضطرَّ من أَكلِ العجوزِ

إذا ما اِضطرَّ من أَكلِ العجوزِ

And whoever sails the sea should not mind

He who rides the old woman cares not

Eating dry bread if necessity compels him.

If he is forced to eat the old woman

ولا تُخلِ عجوزَكَ من سهامٍ

ولا تُخلِ عجوزَكَ من سهامٍ

إذا ما اسطَعتَ إِعمالَ العجوزِ

إذا ما اسطَعتَ إِعمالَ العجوزِ

And do not leave your quiver empty of arrows

Do not neglect your old woman of arrows

If you are able to wield the bow.

When you are adept in wielding the old woman

وَكَم أَمسى عجوزٌ في عجوزٍ

وَكَم أَمسى عجوزٌ في عجوزٍ

بمرتبةٍ أَجلَّ من العَجوزِ

بمرتبةٍ أَجلَّ من العَجوزِ

And many an old man on earth has attained

How often an old woman in an old woman

A station more exalted than the sun.

Attains a rank higher than the old woman

وربَّ فتىً يَرى نَقع العجوزِ

وربَّ فتىً يَرى نَقع العجوزِ

بمَفرقِه أَجلَّ من العَجوزِ

بمَفرقِه أَجلَّ من العَجوزِ

And many a young man deems the dust of battle

And how often a lad sees the urine of the old woman

Upon his hair's parting nobler than the crown.

In his lap, more precious than the old woman

ولا ترجُ الجسيمَ فكم عجوزٍ

ولا ترجُ الجسيمَ فكم عجوزٍ

لعمرُ اللَه أَجدى من عَجوزِ

لعمرُ اللَه أَجدى من عَجوزِ

And do not put your hopes in bulk: many a needle,

Do not spurn the heavy, for how many an old woman

By God's life, is more useful than a sword.

By God's life, is more useful than an old woman

ولا تَرمِ الصَغيرَ فكُلُّ عضبٍ

ولا تَرمِ الصَغيرَ فكُلُّ عضبٍ

لقبضتِهِ اِفتقارٌ للعَجوزِ

لقبضتِهِ اِفتقارٌ للعَجوزِ

And do not discard the small, for every keen blade

And do not discard the small, for every sprout

Needs the thumb for its grip.

For its clutch, needs the old woman

عَسى عدلٌ يَزولُ الجورُ منه

عَسى عدلٌ يَزولُ الجورُ منه

وَتَرعى الشاةُ فيه مع العَجوزِ

وَتَرعى الشاةُ فيه مع العَجوزِ

May justice arise through which oppression vanishes,

Mayhap justice will remove wrong from it

And under it the sheep graze alongside the wolf.

And the ewe will graze in it with the old woman