وإَذا أَرَدْتَ تَرى فَضيلَةَ صَاحِبٍ

وإَذا أَرَدْتَ تَرى فَضيلَةَ صَاحِبٍ

فَانْظُرْ بِعَيْنِ البَحْثِ مَنْ نُدْمانُهُ

فَانْظُرْ بِعَيْنِ البَحْثِ مَنْ نُدْمانُهُ

And if you wish to see the virtue of a man,

And if you wish to see a companion’s virtue,

When you wish to see the merit of a friend

then look with a searching eye at who his boon companion is.

Then look with an inquiring eye at who his boon companions are.

Then look with searching eyes at who is close to him

فَالمَرْءُ مَطْويٌّ عَلى عِلاَّتِهِ

فَالمَرْءُ مَطْويٌّ عَلى عِلاَّتِهِ

طَيَّ الكِتابِ وصَحْبُهُ عُنْوَانُهُ

طَيَّ الكِتابِ وصَحْبُهُ عُنْوَانُهُ

For a man, with all his faults, lies folded away

For a man is folded shut upon his flaws,

For a person is folded around his qualities

like a folded book—and his companions are his title.

Like a folded book; and his companions are his title.

Like the folds of a book, and his friends are its title