قضى اللّه فيما بيننا بقرابة

قضى اللّه فيما بيننا بقرابة

وودٍّ وإشفاقٍ فلا نتنكَّبُ

وودٍّ وإشفاقٍ فلا نتنكَّبُ

God decreed kinship between us,

God has ordained kinship between us

and affection and compassion, so we do not turn aside.

With affection and compassion, so we do not turn away

فلا حَطَّتِ الدنيا بناءً لكم ولا

فلا حَطَّتِ الدنيا بناءً لكم ولا

فُقِدْتُم وإن طال المدى والتَّجنُّبُ

فُقِدْتُم وإن طال المدى والتَّجنُّبُ

So may the world never bring down a building of yours, nor

Neither has the world weakened our structure for you all

may you be lost, though time and estrangement stretch on.

Nor have you been lost, however lengthy the estrangement

ولا فَقَدَت أفواهُنا ذكركم ولا

ولا فَقَدَت أفواهُنا ذكركم ولا

ذكرناكمُ إلا بخير ونُطْنِبُ

ذكرناكمُ إلا بخير ونُطْنِبُ

Nor may our mouths lose mention of you, nor have we

Neither have our mouths ceased to mention you

mentioned you except with praise, and we speak at length.

Nor do we mention you except with goodness as we compose poetry

وإن بَعُدَت دار وطالت مسافةٌ

وإن بَعُدَت دار وطالت مسافةٌ

وحالت صحارى دوننا ثم أسهُبُ

وحالت صحارى دوننا ثم أسهُبُ

And even if a dwelling lies far away and the distance grows long,

And if a house became distant and a journey lengthy

and deserts stand between us, then wide plains,

And deserts separated us, then poured forth

فلا البُعدُ يمحق ودَّنا وودادنا

فلا البُعدُ يمحق ودَّنا وودادنا

قديمٌ ولا قُرْبُ المزار يُقَرِّبُ

قديمٌ ولا قُرْبُ المزار يُقَرِّبُ

still, distance does not efface our affection, and our love

Neither does distance erase our love and affection

is longstanding; nor does a nearby dwelling bring us closer.

Ancient, nor does proximity of pilgrimage bring us closer

وربَّ صديق لا يزور من النَّوَى

وربَّ صديق لا يزور من النَّوَى

وربَّ عدوٍّ بالدنا يتقرَّبُ

وربَّ عدوٍّ بالدنا يتقرَّبُ

And many a friend does not visit because of separation,

And how many friends do not visit from afar

and many an enemy seeks closeness through proximity.

Yet how many enemies draw near to our homes

وكم من محبٍّ ليس يُظهِرُ حبه

وكم من محبٍّ ليس يُظهِرُ حبه

لديك وكم ذي قِلىً يتحبَّبُ

لديك وكم ذي قِلىً يتحبَّبُ

And many a lover does not show his love

And how many lovers do not show their love to you

to you; and many who bear hatred seek to endear themselves.

And how many with little sincerity enamour you

وحاذر القُرْبَى إذا ما جفوتهم

وحاذر القُرْبَى إذا ما جفوتهم

فأَعْدَى أعاديك الذي هو أقربُ

فأَعْدَى أعاديك الذي هو أقربُ

And beware your kin when you treat them coldly,

And beware of relatives when you have been unjust to them

for the fiercest of your enemies is the one who is closest.

For your greatest enemies become those closest to you

وإياك أن تدنى جهولاً فإنه

وإياك أن تدنى جهولاً فإنه

يفعل الدنايا للبِلَى يتسبَّبُ

يفعل الدنايا للبِلَى يتسبَّبُ

And beware of bringing an ignorant fool near, for he

And beware that you not draw near an ignorant one

does base deeds and brings about ruin.

For he makes the world decay and causes tribulation

وقبِّل يد الأقوى ولا تعصينه

وقبِّل يد الأقوى ولا تعصينه

فإنك إن قاوَمْتَه فهو يغلِبُ

فإنك إن قاوَمْتَه فهو يغلِبُ

And kiss the hand of the stronger one, and do not disobey him;

And kiss the hand of the strong and do not disobey him

for if you resist him, he will prevail.

For if you resist him, he will overcome you

وسلِّمْ إليه لا تُخالف مُراده

وسلِّمْ إليه لا تُخالف مُراده

فإنك إن خالفْتَ فالضرَّ يجلِبُ

فإنك إن خالفْتَ فالضرَّ يجلِبُ

And submit to him; do not oppose his will,

And surrender to him, do not oppose his will

for if you oppose him, he will bring harm.

For if you oppose, calamity will be brought

ولا تجفُه مهما بَدَت منه زَلةٌ

ولا تجفُه مهما بَدَت منه زَلةٌ

وكن ذا صَفاءِ إن تكدَّر مشربُ

وكن ذا صَفاءِ إن تكدَّر مشربُ

And do not shun him, whatever lapse he may commit;

And do not spurn him no matter how many slips he makes

and remain pure if the drinking-source grows turbid.

And be of clear character if his waters become muddy

فإنك إن جازيته عِشْتَ نادماً

فإنك إن جازيته عِشْتَ نادماً

على فعلك الماضي كأنك مُذنِبُ

على فعلك الماضي كأنك مُذنِبُ

For if you repay him in kind, you will live in remorse

For if you repay him, you will live regretting

for your past deed, as though you were guilty.

Your past deed as if you were a sinner

وقل قوله إن وافَقَ الحق والهدى

وقل قوله إن وافَقَ الحق والهدى

وإن لم يوافق فالتجنب أصوبُ

وإن لم يوافق فالتجنب أصوبُ

And repeat his words if they accord with truth and guidance;

And speak his words if they accord with truth and guidance

and if they do not, avoidance is sounder.

And if they do not accord, avoidance is best

وحاذر من الزلات في النطق غِيبة

وحاذر من الزلات في النطق غِيبة

فإنك مأخوذٌ بما كنت تكسبُ

فإنك مأخوذٌ بما كنت تكسبُ

And beware of backbiting among the slips of speech,

And beware of slips of the tongue and of backbiting

for you are held accountable for what you have earned.

For you will be seized for what you used to earn

ولا تك في إنفاقٍ مالك مُسرفاً

ولا تك في إنفاقٍ مالك مُسرفاً

فإن أخا الإسرافِ بالمال يذهَبُ

فإن أخا الإسرافِ بالمال يذهَبُ

And do not be extravagant in spending your wealth,

And do not be wasteful in spending your money

for one given to extravagance fritters wealth away.

For the brother of extravagance with wealth will be destroyed

ولاتك جَمَّاعاً لمالك خازِناً

ولاتك جَمَّاعاً لمالك خازِناً

لغيرك مَنَّاعاً تِشحُّ وتسلُبُ

لغيرك مَنَّاعاً تِشحُّ وتسلُبُ

And do not be a hoarder of your wealth, storing it

And do not hoard your wealth, depriving others

for someone else, withholding, being miserly and plundering.

While you withhold, and plunder, and grab

ولاتك مِخْلافاً لوَعْدِك يَجترى

ولاتك مِخْلافاً لوَعْدِك يَجترى

عليك سفيه أو إلى الخلف تُنْسَبُ

عليك سفيه أو إلى الخلف تُنْسَبُ

And do not habitually break your promise, lest you embolden

And do not break your promise, so it is attributed

a fool against you, or gain a reputation for broken promises.

That you are foolish or inclined to go back on your word

ولا تعص سلطاناً ولا قاضَي الورى

ولا تعص سلطاناً ولا قاضَي الورى

ولا وَالياً واغضب له حين يغضَبُ

ولا وَالياً واغضب له حين يغضَبُ

And do not disobey a ruler, nor the judge of humankind,

And do not disobey a sultan, nor the judge of the land

nor a governor; and be angry on his behalf when he grows angry.

Nor a governor, but be angry when he is angry

ودَارِهم لو كان في القلبِ جَمرةٌ

ودَارِهم لو كان في القلبِ جَمرةٌ

من الغيظ في وسط الحَشا تتلَهَّبُ

من الغيظ في وسط الحَشا تتلَهَّبُ

And treat them tactfully, even if there is an ember in your heart

And reconcile with them if your heart holds

of rage, blazing in the depths of your breast.

Amber of anger amidst arid wastes aflame

فإنك إن دارَيْتَهُم فُزْتَ بالذي

فإنك إن دارَيْتَهُم فُزْتَ بالذي

أردتَ وإن خالفتهم يتصلَّبُوا

أردتَ وإن خالفتهم يتصلَّبُوا

For if you treat them tactfully, you will win what

For if you reconcile with them, you will attain what

you wanted; and if you oppose them, they will grow unyielding.

You desire, but if you oppose them, they will harden

ولا تغشينْ أسرارهم واخْفِ قولهم

ولا تغشينْ أسرارهم واخْفِ قولهم

لئلا يجدُّوا في قِلاك ويغضبوا

لئلا يجدُّوا في قِلاك ويغضبوا

And do not pry into their secrets; conceal their words,

And do not conceal their secrets but hide their words

lest they become intent on hating you and grow angry.

Lest they feel malice in your heart and become angry

وقس كل قولٍ إن أردت مَقالةً

وقس كل قولٍ إن أردت مَقالةً

فإنك مسئولٌ وقولك يكتَبُ

فإنك مسئولٌ وقولك يكتَبُ

And weigh every word if you wish to make a statement,

And examine every word if you desire speech

for you are accountable, and your words are written down.

For you are accountable and your words recorded

وسارع إلى الخير ما عشت جاهِداً

وسارع إلى الخير ما عشت جاهِداً

فإنك مجزىٌّ وأنت المهذَّبُ

فإنك مجزىٌّ وأنت المهذَّبُ

And hasten toward good, striving as long as you live,

And hasten to goodness as long as you live striving

for you will be rewarded, and you are well-mannered.

For you will be rewarded and you are the one refined