نصحتُكَ لا تصحَبْ سِوى كُلِّ فاضِل

نصحتُكَ لا تصحَبْ سِوى كُلِّ فاضِل

خَليقِ السّجايا بالتَّعفُّف والظَّرفِ

خَليقِ السّجايا بالتَّعفُّف والظَّرفِ

I have advised you: keep company only with the virtuous,

I advised you, do not befriend any but the noble,

Whose character is suited to self-restraint and refinement.

Of refined traits, chaste and tactful,

ولا تَعتمِدْ غيرَ الكِرامِ فواحِدٌ

ولا تَعتمِدْ غيرَ الكِرامِ فواحِدٌ

منَ النّاسِ إنْ حصَّلْتَ خَيرٌ منَ الألفِ

منَ النّاسِ إنْ حصَّلْتَ خَيرٌ منَ الألفِ

And rely on none but the noble, for one person

And rely on none but the generous, for one

Among people, if you find him, is better than a thousand.

Of the people, if you gain his goodness, is better than a thousand.

وأشفِقْ على هَذا الزَّمانِ ومرِّه

وأشفِقْ على هَذا الزَّمانِ ومرِّه

فإنَّ زمانَ المَرءِ أضلَعُ من خَلْفِ

فإنَّ زمانَ المَرءِ أضلَعُ من خَلْفِ

And be wary of this age and its bitterness,

Have pity on this time and its bitterness,

For a person's lifetime is more crooked than a rib.

For a person's time is more intimate than their ribs.