مازِحٌ صديقتَكَ ما أحَبَّ مُزاحا

مازِحٌ صديقتَكَ ما أحَبَّ مُزاحا

وتَوَقَّ منه في المزاح جماحا

وتَوَقَّ منه في المزاح جماحا

Jest with your female friend—how delightful jesting is!

Jest with your friend as long as they enjoy jesting;

But in your jesting, guard against its running wild.

and beware of their excesses in jest.

فلرُبَّما مَزَحَ الصديقُ بمِزحَةٍ

فلرُبَّما مَزَحَ الصديقُ بمِزحَةٍ

كانت لبابِ عداوةٍ مفتاحا

كانت لبابِ عداوةٍ مفتاحا

For often a friend has made a jest

For a friend may make a joke

that proved the key to a door of enmity.

that becomes a key to the door of enmity.