أَلا مَن يَرى رَأيَ اِمرِئٍ ذي قَرابَةٍ

أَلا مَن يَرى رَأيَ اِمرِئٍ ذي قَرابَةٍ

أَبَت نَفسُهُ بِالبُغضِ إِلّا تَطَلُّعا

أَبَت نَفسُهُ بِالبُغضِ إِلّا تَطَلُّعا

Ah, who can understand the judgment of a kinsman

Alas! Who sees the opinion of a near kinsman

whose soul will do nothing but rear up in hatred?

Whose soul refuses except to pry

وَما ذاكَ عَن شَيءٍ أَكونُ اِجتَنَيتُهُ

وَما ذاكَ عَن شَيءٍ أَكونُ اِجتَنَيتُهُ

إِلَيكَ وَما حاوَلتُ سوءً فَيُمنَعا

إِلَيكَ وَما حاوَلتُ سوءً فَيُمنَعا

And that is not because of anything I may have committed

It is not about something I intended to take from you

against you; nor have I attempted evil that needed thwarting.

Nor did I attempt any mischief to be prevented

وَكانَ اِبنُ عَمِّ المَرءِ مِثلَ مِجَنِّهِ

وَكانَ اِبنُ عَمِّ المَرءِ مِثلَ مِجَنِّهِ

يَقيهِ إِذا لاقى الكَمِيَّ المُقَنَّعا

يَقيهِ إِذا لاقى الكَمِيَّ المُقَنَّعا

A man's cousin was like his shield,

The cousin of a man is like his armor

protecting him when he faced the armored, helmeted warrior.

Protecting him when he meets the masked assailant

إِذا ما اِبنُ عَمِّ المَرءِ أَفرَدَ رُكنَهُ

إِذا ما اِبنُ عَمِّ المَرءِ أَفرَدَ رُكنَهُ

وَإِن كانَ جَلداً ذا عَزاءٍ تَضَعضَعا

وَإِن كانَ جَلداً ذا عَزاءٍ تَضَعضَعا

If a man's cousin leaves his flank unsupported,

When the cousin of a man singles out his pillar

even if he is hardy and steadfast, he falters.

And even if he is weak with little vigor

فَنَصرَكَ أَرجو لا العَداوَةَ إِنَّما

فَنَصرَكَ أَرجو لا العَداوَةَ إِنَّما

أَبوكَ أَبي وَإِنَّما صَفقُنا مَعا

أَبوكَ أَبي وَإِنَّما صَفقُنا مَعا

So I hope for your support, not hostility; indeed,

So I hope for your support, not enmity

your father is my father, and our hands are joined together.

Your father is my father, and we shook hands together

وَإِن كانَ لِلعُتبى فَأَهلُ قَرابَةٍ

وَإِن كانَ لِلعُتبى فَأَهلُ قَرابَةٍ

وَإِن كانَ هَذا لِاِنتِقاصٍ فَمُضرَعا

وَإِن كانَ هَذا لِاِنتِقاصٍ فَمُضرَعا

And if this is for reconciliation, we are kinsfolk;

If there is blame, then relatives are worthy of it

and if this is meant as belittlement, then comes abasement.

And if this is belittlement, then I am submissive

فَهَذا عِتابٌ وَاِزدِجارٌ فَإِن يَعُد

فَهَذا عِتابٌ وَاِزدِجارٌ فَإِن يَعُد

وَجَدِّكَ أَدرِك ما تَسَلَّفتَ أَجمَعا

وَجَدِّكَ أَدرِك ما تَسَلَّفتَ أَجمَعا

So this is reproach and a warning; if it happens again,

So this is reproach and deterrence, but if it returns

by your good fortune, I shall recover all you have taken in advance.

I swear find what you missed altogether

فَإِن يوسِرِ المَولى فَإِنَّكَ حاسِدٌ

فَإِن يوسِرِ المَولى فَإِنَّكَ حاسِدٌ

وَإِن يَفتَقِر لا يُلفِ عِندَكَ مَطمَعا

وَإِن يَفتَقِر لا يُلفِ عِندَكَ مَطمَعا

If the kinsman becomes wealthy, you are envious;

If God gives wealth then you are envious

and if he becomes poor, he finds nothing to hope for from you.

And if he becomes poor, he has no hopes in you

وَإِن هُوَ يُظلَم لا تُدافِع بِحاجَةٍ

وَإِن هُوَ يُظلَم لا تُدافِع بِحاجَةٍ

وَإِن هُوَ يَظلِم قُلتَ جَنبُكَ أُضرِعا

وَإِن هُوَ يَظلِم قُلتَ جَنبُكَ أُضرِعا

And if he is wronged, you do not defend him in any matter;

And if he is wronged, you do not defend out of necessity

and if he does wrong, you say, 'May your flank be laid low!'

And if he wrongs, you said, “I turn away submissively”