عِش بجَدِّ ولا يضركَ نَوك

عِش بجَدِّ ولا يضركَ نَوك

إنَّما عيشُ من تَرى بالجُدودِ

إنَّما عيشُ من تَرى بالجُدودِ

Live by good fortune; folly will not harm you.

Live with diligence, don't let laziness harm you

Those you see live only by good fortune.

Indeed life belongs to those you see being diligent

عِِش بجَدٍّ وكن هَبنّقةَ القَيسيَّ

عِِش بجَدٍّ وكن هَبنّقةَ القَيسيَّ

جهلاً أو شيبةَ بن الوليدِ

جهلاً أو شيبةَ بن الوليدِ

Live by good fortune, and be Habannaqah al-Qaysi

Live diligently, and be like Qais the wise

in ignorance, or Shaybah ibn al-Walid.

In ignorance or like Ibn Al-Walid in old age

رُبَّ ذي أربة مقلٍ من الما

رُبَّ ذي أربة مقلٍ من الما

لً وذي عَنجهيةٍ محمودِ

لً وذي عَنجهيةٍ محمودِ

Many a man of intelligence is poor in wealth,

One who has wisdom though young

and many a haughty man is praised.

Is praised, and one who is wise in old age

شيبُ يا شيبُ يا جُدَىّ بني القعقاع

شيبُ يا شيبُ يا جُدَىّ بني القعقاع

ما أنتَ بالحليمِ الرشيدِ

ما أنتَ بالحليمِ الرشيدِ

Shayb, O Shayb, O little goat of the sons of al-Qaʿqaʿ,

Old age, my old age, oh Juda the son of Al-Qaqa

You are not a forbearing, right-minded man.

You are not wise or rational

لا ولا فيك خَلَّةٌ من خِلالَ

لا ولا فيك خَلَّةٌ من خِلالَ

الخير أحرزتها بحزمٍ وجودِ

الخير أحرزتها بحزمٍ وجودِ

No, nor is there in you a trait among the qualities

There is no defect in you among other defects

of goodness that you have gained through resolve and generosity,

I have attained goodness with determination and generosity

غير ما أنك المجيدُ لتقطيع

غير ما أنك المجيدُ لتقطيع

غناءٍ وضَربِ دفٍّ وعودِ

غناءٍ وضَربِ دفٍّ وعودِ

Except that you excel at the phrasing

Except that you are excellent at cutting off

of song, and at playing the tambourine and lute.

Singing, beating drums and playing the lute

فَعلى ذا وذاك يحتمل الدهر

فَعلى ذا وذاك يحتمل الدهر

مُجيداً له وغير مُجيدِ

مُجيداً له وغير مُجيدِ

So, in this and that, time accommodates

So because of this and that, life bears

one skilled at it and one unskilled.

One who is excellent to it and one who is not