كَرِيمٌ يَغُضُّ الطَّرْفَ فَضْلَ حَيائِهِ

كَرِيمٌ يَغُضُّ الطَّرْفَ فَضْلَ حَيائِهِ

ويَدْنُو وأَطْرافُ الرّماحِ دَوانِي

ويَدْنُو وأَطْرافُ الرّماحِ دَوانِي

A noble man—the fullness of his modesty lowers his gaze;

A noble man who lowers his gaze out of abundant modesty,

yet he advances when the spearpoints draw close.

And draws near while the spearpoints are close.

وكالسَّيفِ إنْ لايَنْتَهُ لانَ مَتْنُهُ

وكالسَّيفِ إنْ لايَنْتَهُ لانَ مَتْنُهُ

وحَدَّاهُ إنْ خاشَنْتَهُ خشنانِ

وحَدَّاهُ إنْ خاشَنْتَهُ خشنانِ

He is like a sword: deal gently with him, and his broad side yields;

And like a sword: if you handle it gently, its spine grows supple,

but his two edges, if you deal harshly with him, are unyielding.

And its two edges, if you handle it roughly, are rough.