إِذا جاوَزَ الإِثنَينِ سِرٌّ فَإِنَّهُ

إِذا جاوَزَ الإِثنَينِ سِرٌّ فَإِنَّهُ

بِنَشرٍ وَتَكثيرِ الحَديثِ قَمينُ

بِنَشرٍ وَتَكثيرِ الحَديثِ قَمينُ

When a secret passes beyond two people, it is

If a secret passes two, it spreads

liable to disclosure and much retelling.

And proliferates through much talk and chatter

وَإِن ضَيَّعَ الإِخوانُ سِرّاً فَإِنَّني

وَإِن ضَيَّعَ الإِخوانُ سِرّاً فَإِنَّني

كَتومٌ لِأَسرارِ العَشيرِ أَمينُ

كَتومٌ لِأَسرارِ العَشيرِ أَمينُ

And even if friends let a secret slip, I am

Though friends may a secret betray

a discreet, faithful keeper of a companion’s secrets.

I will keep the clan’s secrets hidden

يَكونُ لَهُ عِندي إِذا ما ضَمِنتُهُ

يَكونُ لَهُ عِندي إِذا ما ضَمِنتُهُ

مَقَرٌّ بِسَوداءِ الفُؤادِ كَنينُ

مَقَرٌّ بِسَوداءِ الفُؤادِ كَنينُ

It has with me, once I have taken it in trust,

When entrusted to me it remains

a hidden resting place in the dark core of my heart.

Secure in the blackness of my heart

سَلي مَن نَديمي في النَدامى وَمَألَفي

سَلي مَن نَديمي في النَدامى وَمَألَفي

وَمَن هُوَ لي عِندَ الصَفاءِ خَدينُ

وَمَن هُوَ لي عِندَ الصَفاءِ خَدينُ

Ask whoever is my drinking companion and familiar among the drinkers,

Ask who my drinking friends are, and companions

and whoever is my intimate in sincere friendship,

And who is sincere when sober and wise

وَأَيُّ أَخي حَربٍ إِذا هِيَ شَمَّرَت

وَأَيُّ أَخي حَربٍ إِذا هِيَ شَمَّرَت

وَمِدرَهِ خَصمٍ بَعدَ ذاكَ أَكونُ

وَمِدرَهِ خَصمٍ بَعدَ ذاكَ أَكونُ

what sort of brother-in-arms I am when war girds itself,

Which brother stands by me in war

and what sort of champion in dispute I am thereafter.

When it flares, and after, remains close

وَهَل يَحذَرُ الجارُ الغَريبُ فَجيعَتي

وَهَل يَحذَرُ الجارُ الغَريبُ فَجيعَتي

وَخَوني وَبَعضُ المُقرِفينَ خَؤونُ

وَخَوني وَبَعضُ المُقرِفينَ خَؤونُ

And does the neighbor far from home fear harm from me,

Does the strange neighbor fear my rage

or my treachery, though some men of ignoble descent are treacherous?

And betrayal, though some are disloyal

وَما لَمَعَت عَيني لِغِرَّةِ جارَةٍ

وَما لَمَعَت عَيني لِغِرَّةِ جارَةٍ

وَلا وَدَّعَت بِالذَمِّ حينَ تَبينُ

وَلا وَدَّعَت بِالذَمِّ حينَ تَبينُ

Nor has my eye gleamed at a neighbor woman’s unguarded moment,

Never did my eye gleam for a neighbor's slip

nor has she bidden me farewell with reproach when she leaves.

Or bid her farewell with insults when we parted

أَبى الذَمَّ آباءٌ نَمَتني جُدودُهُم

أَبى الذَمَّ آباءٌ نَمَتني جُدودُهُم

وَمَجدي لِمَجدِ الصالِحينَ مُعينُ

وَمَجدي لِمَجدِ الصالِحينَ مُعينُ

Forefathers whose ancestors gave me my lineage spurned disgrace,

Blame was shunned by fathers whose greatness

and my glory strengthens the glory of the virtuous.

Supports my glory, aiding the righteous

فَذَلِكَ ما قَد تَعلَمينَ وَإِنَّني

فَذَلِكَ ما قَد تَعلَمينَ وَإِنَّني

لَجَلدٌ عَلى رَيبِ الخُطوبِ مَتينُ

لَجَلدٌ عَلى رَيبِ الخُطوبِ مَتينُ

That, then, is what you already know; and I am

That is what you know of me, and I

indeed hardy and steadfast against the turns of misfortune.

Am steadfast facing the storms of fate

أُمِرُّ عَلى الباغي وَيَغلُظُ جانِبي

أُمِرُّ عَلى الباغي وَيَغلُظُ جانِبي

وَذو القَصدِ أَحلولي لَهُ وَأَلينُ

وَذو القَصدِ أَحلولي لَهُ وَأَلينُ

I grow bitter toward the aggressor, and my side grows hard,

I stand firm against aggressors, and harsh

but toward the fair-minded I grow sweet and soft.

To them, yet gentle to the fair and moderate

وَإِنّي لَأَعتامُ الرِجالَ بِخُلَّتي

وَإِنّي لَأَعتامُ الرِجالَ بِخُلَّتي

أُلي الرَأيِ في الأَحداثِ حينَ تَحينُ

أُلي الرَأيِ في الأَحداثِ حينَ تَحينُ

And indeed I choose for my close friendship men

With my frugality I humble men

of sound judgment in crises when they arise.

Bending my will in events as needed