إِن كانَ يُعجِبُكَ السُكوتُ فَإِنَّهُ

قَد كانَ يُعجِبُ قَبلَكَ الأَخيارا

If silence pleases you, it has

Pleased the virtuous before you.

وَلَئِن نَدِمتَ عَلى سُكوتِكَ مَرَّةً

فَلَقَد نَدِمتَ عَلى الكَلامِ مِرارا

If you regret your silence once,

You have regretted speech many times.

إِنَّ السُكوتَ سَلامَةٌ وَلَرُبَّما

زَرَعَ الكَلامُ عَداوَةً وَضِرارا

Silence is safety, and speech

Often sows enmity and harm.

وَإِذا تَقَرَّبَ خاسِرٌ مِن خاسِرٍ

زادا بِذاكَ خَسارَةً وَتَبارا

When two losers draw near each other,

Their loss and discord only increase.