الصَمتُ أَولى وَما رِجلٌ مُمَنَّعَةٌ

الصَمتُ أَولى وَما رِجلٌ مُمَنَّعَةٌ

إِلّا لَها بِصُروفِ الدَهرِ تَعثيرُ

إِلّا لَها بِصُروفِ الدَهرِ تَعثيرُ

Silence is preferable; no foot, however well protected,

Silence is best, for no feet are prevented

Escapes being tripped by the vicissitudes of time.

From stumbling at the turns of fate,

وَالنَقلُ غَيَّرَ أَنباءً سَمِعتَ بِها

وَالنَقلُ غَيَّرَ أَنباءً سَمِعتَ بِها

وَآفَةُ القَولِ تَقليلٌ وَتَكثيرُ

وَآفَةُ القَولِ تَقليلٌ وَتَكثيرُ

And retelling has altered reports you have heard of;

And retelling has altered tidings you heard;

And the bane of speech is reduction and amplification.

The plague of speech is suppression and inflation.

وَالعَقلُ زينٌ وَلَكِن فَوقَهُ قَدَرٌ

وَالعَقلُ زينٌ وَلَكِن فَوقَهُ قَدَرٌ

فَما لَهُ في اِبتِغاءِ الرِزقِ تَأثيرُ

فَما لَهُ في اِبتِغاءِ الرِزقِ تَأثيرُ

And reason is an adornment, but fate stands above it;

Reason is an ornament, but above it is destiny.

So it has no influence in the pursuit of sustenance.

It has no influence in seeking sustenance.