تَغافَل فَلَيسَ السَروَ إِلّا التَغافُلُ

تَغافَل فَلَيسَ السَروَ إِلّا التَغافُلُ

وَلَيسَ سُقوطُ القَدرِ إِلّا التَعاقُلُ

وَلَيسَ سُقوطُ القَدرِ إِلّا التَعاقُلُ

Practice deliberate forbearance, for eminence lies in nothing but such forbearance.

Feign unawareness, for nobility is nothing but feigned unawareness.

And the fall of one's standing comes only from making a show of wisdom.

And nothing lowers one's standing but pretending to be wise.

وَلا تَتَجاهَل إِن مُنيتَ بِجاهِلٍ

وَلا تَتَجاهَل إِن مُنيتَ بِجاهِلٍ

فَلَيسَ فَسادُ الجاهِ إِلّا التَجاهُلُ

فَلَيسَ فَسادُ الجاهِ إِلّا التَجاهُلُ

Do not feign ignorance if you are afflicted with an ignorant man.

And do not act ignorantly if you are afflicted with an ignorant man.

For prestige is ruined only by feigning ignorance.

For nothing ruins prestige but acting ignorantly.

وَلا تَتَطاوَل إِن تَطاوَلَ أَحمَقٌ

وَلا تَتَطاوَل إِن تَطاوَلَ أَحمَقٌ

فَرَأسُ حَماقاتِ الرِجالِ التَطاوُلُ

فَرَأسُ حَماقاتِ الرِجالِ التَطاوُلُ

Do not act overbearing if a fool acts overbearing.

And do not act insolently if a fool acts insolently.

For overbearing conduct is the chief of men's follies.

For the chief of men's follies is insolence.