خِف من أَمِنتَ ولا تركِن إِلى أَحَدٍ

خِف من أَمِنتَ ولا تركِن إِلى أَحَدٍ

فَما نَصَحتُك إِلَّا بَعدَ تَجريبِ

فَما نَصَحتُك إِلَّا بَعدَ تَجريبِ

Fear those you have trusted, and rely on no one.

Be wary of those you trust, and do not rely on anyone,

For only after experience have I counseled you.

For I do not advise you except after trying them out.

إِن كانَت التركُ فيهِم غَيرَ وافِيَةٍ

إِن كانَت التركُ فيهِم غَيرَ وافِيَةٍ

فَما تَزيدُ عَلى غَدرِ الأَعاريبِ

فَما تَزيدُ عَلى غَدرِ الأَعاريبِ

If the Turks among them are unfaithful,

If loyalty among them is lacking,

their treachery does not exceed that of the Bedouin Arabs.

It will not exceed the treachery of nomads.

تَمَسَّكوا بِوَصايا اللُّؤمِ بَينَهُمُ

تَمَسَّكوا بِوَصايا اللُّؤمِ بَينَهُمُ

وَكادَ أَن يَدرسوها في المَحاريبِ

وَكادَ أَن يَدرسوها في المَحاريبِ

They held fast among themselves to the precepts of baseness,

They adhered to the covenants of villainy amongst themselves,

and nearly studied them in the prayer niches.

And they almost abolished them in the temples.