الشِّعْرُ زَيْنُ الْمَرْءِ مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ

الشِّعْرُ زَيْنُ الْمَرْءِ مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ

وَسِيلَةً لِلْمَدْحِ وَالذَّامِ

وَسِيلَةً لِلْمَدْحِ وَالذَّامِ

Poetry is a person's adornment, so long as it is not

Poetry is the glory of man, unless it be

A means of praise and blame.

A vehicle for flattery or blame.

قَدْ طَالَمَا عَزَّ بِهِ مَعْشَرٌ

قَدْ طَالَمَا عَزَّ بِهِ مَعْشَرٌ

وَرُبَّمَا أَزْرَى بِأَقْوَامِ

وَرُبَّمَا أَزْرَى بِأَقْوَامِ

Indeed, a community has often gained honor through it,

Full oft a clan is honored by a verse,

And sometimes it has brought disgrace upon peoples.

While other times a people it defames.

فَاجْعَلْهُ فِيمَا شِئْتَ مِنْ حِكْمَةٍ

فَاجْعَلْهُ فِيمَا شِئْتَ مِنْ حِكْمَةٍ

أَوْ عِظَةٍ أَوْ حَسَبٍ نَامِي

أَوْ عِظَةٍ أَوْ حَسَبٍ نَامِي

So devote it, as you wish, to wisdom,

So make of it whate'er you will - be it

Or admonition, or growing honor.

Wisdom, counsel, virtues to acclaim,

وَاهْتِفْ بِهِ مِنْ قَبْلِ إِطْلاقِهِ

وَاهْتِفْ بِهِ مِنْ قَبْلِ إِطْلاقِهِ

فَالسَّهْمُ مَنْسُوبٌ إِلَى الرَّامِي

فَالسَّهْمُ مَنْسُوبٌ إِلَى الرَّامِي

And proclaim it before letting it fly,

And aim your words before you loose your tongue,

For the arrow is attributed to the archer.

For arrows bear the marks of whence they came.