إِنَّindeed القَليلَa little مِنَof الكَلامِspeech بِأَهلِهِto those suited to it
إِنَّ القَليلَ مِنَ الكَلامِ بِأَهلِهِ
حسَنٌgood وَإِنَّand indeed كَثيرَهُmuch of it مَمقوتُdetested
حسَنٌ وَإِنَّ كَثيرَهُ مَمقوتُ
Indeed, a little speech to those suited to it
A little speech is good from one who is worthy,
Indeed, brief speech from those worthy of it
Is good, while much of it is detested.
Though much talk is disgusting.
Is excellent, while an excess of it is despised.
ماnot زَلَّstumbled ذوone possessing صَمتٍsilence وَماand no مِنof مُكثِرٍone who talks much
ما زَلَّ ذو صَمتٍ وَما مِن مُكثِرٍ
إِلّاexcept يُزَلُّis made to stumble وَماand not يُعابُis faulted صَموتُa habitually silent person
إِلّا يُزَلُّ وَما يُعابُ صَموتُ
No silent person has stumbled, and no one who talks much
Silent men ne'er err,
The keeper of silence has never slipped, nor is there one who speaks too much
Escapes being made to stumble; no silent person is faulted.
While the talkative seldom are faultless.
Except that he is made to stumble, while the silent one is never blamed.
إِنif كانَwere يَنطِقُspeaks ناطِقاًa speaker مِنof فِضَّةٍsilver
إِن كانَ يَنطِقُ ناطِقاً مِن فِضَّةٍ
فَالصَمتُthen silence دُرٌّa pearl زانَهُadorned it ياقوتُrubies
فَالصَمتُ دُرٌّ زانَهُ ياقوتُ
If a speaker's speech were of silver,
If speech be of silver enchanting the ears,
If a speaker were to utter words of silver,
Then silence is a pearl adorned with rubies.
Silence is a pearl which a jeweller seeks.
Then silence is a pearl adorned with rubies.
Sol 6.1