حُرَيثُ أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ وجَهْلُكَ ضَائِرُ

حُرَيثُ أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ وجَهْلُكَ ضَائِرُ

بِأَنّ عَلِيّاً للفوارسِ قَاهِرُ

بِأَنّ عَلِيّاً للفوارسِ قَاهِرُ

O Hurayth, did you not know—your ignorance is harmful—

Hurrayth, do you not know, your ignorance is harmful,

That Ali is a vanquisher of horsemen,

That Ali is the subduer of the knights,

وأنّ عَلِيّاً لم يُبارِزْهُ فَارِسٌ

وأنّ عَلِيّاً لم يُبارِزْهُ فَارِسٌ

مِن الناسِ إلاّ أَقْصَدَتْهُ الأظافِرُ

مِن الناسِ إلاّ أَقْصَدَتْهُ الأظافِرُ

And that no horseman has faced Ali in single combat

And that no knight among people ever dueled Ali,

Among men without the talons striking him dead?

Except that his claws reached him.

أَمَرْتُكَ أَمْراً حازماً فَعَصِيتَني

أَمَرْتُكَ أَمْراً حازماً فَعَصِيتَني

فَجَدُّك إذْ لم تَقْبَلِ النُّصْحَ عاثِرُ

فَجَدُّك إذْ لم تَقْبَلِ النُّصْحَ عاثِرُ

I gave you a firm command, but you disobeyed me;

I commanded you a resolute command but you disobeyed me,

So your fortune falters, since you did not accept advice.

So your grandfather, since you did not accept advice, stumbled,

ودَلاّكَ عمرٌو والحوادِثُ جَمّةٌ

ودَلاّكَ عمرٌو والحوادِثُ جَمّةٌ

غُروراً وما جَرّتْ عليكَ المقادِرُ

غُروراً وما جَرّتْ عليكَ المقادِرُ

And Amr lured you on—calamities are many—

And Amr misguided you while events were many,

Through deceit—and what fate's decrees have brought upon you!

Out of arrogance, and fate did not turn in your favor.

وظَنّ حُرَيْثٌ أنّ عَمْراً نَصِيحُهُ

وظَنّ حُرَيْثٌ أنّ عَمْراً نَصِيحُهُ

وقد يُهلِكُ الإنسانَ مَنْ لا نُحاذِرُ

وقد يُهلِكُ الإنسانَ مَنْ لا نُحاذِرُ

And Hurayth thought that Amr was his sincere adviser,

And Hurayth thought Amr’s advice was sincere,

Yet one we do not beware of may destroy a man.

While a man you least expect may bring about your ruin.

أيركبُ عمرٌو رأسَهُ خوفَ سيفهِ

أيركبُ عمرٌو رأسَهُ خوفَ سيفهِ

ويُصْلِي حُريثاً إنّه لفُرافِرُ

ويُصْلِي حُريثاً إنّه لفُرافِرُ

Does Amr rush off headlong, fearing his sword,

Does Amr place his head in fear of his sword,

And cast Hurayth into the fire? He is surely a flighty fellow.

And make Hurayth bow down? He is but a babbler.