خُذِ الفَلسَ من كفِّ اللئيم فانّه

خُذِ الفَلسَ من كفِّ اللئيم فانّه

أعزّ عليه من حُشاشة نَفسِه

أعزّ عليه من حُشاشة نَفسِه

Take the copper coin from the miserly wretch's palm, for it

Take the coin from the palm of the ignoble one, for it

is dearer to him than the last remnant of his life.

Is dearer to him than the breath of his own life,

ولا تحتشم ما عشت من كُلّ سفلةٍ

ولا تحتشم ما عشت من كُلّ سفلةٍ

فليس له قَدرٌ بمقدار فَلسِهِ

فليس له قَدرٌ بمقدار فَلسِهِ

And never feel abashed before any lowly wretch as long as you live,

And do not be ashamed as long as you live of any baseness -

for his worth does not amount to that of his copper coin.

For he has no worth equal to the value of his coin.