شهر پر دزدست و پر جامه‌کنی ** خواه شحنه باش گو و خواه نی
(If) the city is full of thieves and clothes-robbers, let there be a police-inspector if you will, or let there be none.
امیر کردن رسول علیه‌السلام جوان هذیلی را بر سریه‌ای کی در آن پیران و جنگ آزمودگان بودند
How the Prophet, on whom be peace, appointed a youth of Hudhayl to be commander of an expeditionary force in which there were elders and veteran warriors.
یک سریه می‌فرستادش رسول ** به هر جنگ کافر و دفع فضول
The Prophet was sending a force to fight against the unbelievers and repel insolence.
یک جوانی را گزید او از هذیل ** میر لشکر کردش و سالار خیل
He chose a youth of Hudhayl and appointed him commander of the army and leader of the cavalry.
اصل لشکر بی‌گمان سرور بود ** قوم بی‌سرور تن بی‌سر بود
The foundation of an army is unquestionably the chief in command: a people without a chief are a body without a head.
این همه که مرده و پژمرده‌ای ** زان بود که ترک سرور کرده‌ای1995
That you are (spiritually) dead and decrepit—all this is because you have abandoned the chief.
از کسل وز بخل وز ما و منی ** می‌کشی سر خویش را سر می‌کنی
On account of laziness and avarice and egoism you are drawing your head back (behaving in a headstrong manner) and making yourself the head.
هم‌چو استوری که بگریزد ز بار ** او سر خود گیرد اندر کوهسار
(You are) like the beast that flees from the burden: it takes its head (goes its own way) into the mountains.
صاحبش در پی دوان کای خیره سر ** هر طرف گرگیست اندر قصد خر
Its master is running after it, crying, “O giddy-headed one, on every side there is a wolf in quest of an ass.
گر ز چشمم این زمان غایب شوی ** پیشت آید هر طرف گرگ قوی
If thou disappear now from mine eye, the mighty wolf will approach thee from every direction.
استخوانت را بخاید چون شکر ** که نبینی زندگانی را دگر2000
He will chew thy bones like sugar, so that thou wilt never see life again.