خُذtake مِنfrom صَديقَكَyour friend مَرأىwhat is seen دونَrather than مُستَمَعٍwhat is heard
خُذ مِن صَديقَكَ مَرأى دونَ مُستَمَعٍ
ياoh بُعدَdistance بَينَbetween عِيانِfirsthand sight المَرءِa person وَالخَبَرِand hearsay
يا بُعدَ بَينَ عِيانِ المَرءِ وَالخَبَرِ
Take from your friend what you see, not what you hear.
Take from your friend an opinion without a listener
How far apart are a man's firsthand sight and hearsay!
Oh how far between seeing a man and hearing of him
قَدmay يورِقُput forth leaves العودُthe branch يَوماًone day وَهوَthough it is ذوpossessing يَبَسٍdryness
قَد يورِقُ العودُ يَوماً وَهوَ ذو يَبَسٍ
وَتُقبَسُand is borrowed النارُthe fire مِنfrom ذيone possessing نِعمَةٍwealth حَصِرِmiserly
وَتُقبَسُ النارُ مِن ذي نِعمَةٍ حَصِرِ
A branch may one day put forth leaves, though it is dry,
The wet wood may one day dry out
And fire may be borrowed from a wealthy miser.
And fire can be lit from the most parsimonious flint
كَذِّبdisbelieve عَلَيهِagainst him إِذاif أَرضاكَpleases you ظاهِرُهُhis outward appearance
كَذِّب عَلَيهِ إِذا أَرضاكَ ظاهِرُهُ
شَهادَةَthe testimony الصادِقينthe two truthful ones السَمعِhearing وَالبَصَرِand sight
شَهادَةَ الصادِقين السَمعِ وَالبَصَرِ
If his outward appearance pleases you, dismiss as false
Lie to him if his outward self pleases you
The testimony against him of the truthful pair: hearing and sight.
Beyond the testimony of the truthful's hearing and sight
وَإِنand if سَمِعتَyou hear فَقُلthen say ماnot كانَit was عَنthrough أُذُنٍan ear
وَإِن سَمِعتَ فَقُل ما كانَ عَن أُذُنٍ
وَإِنand if نَظَرتَyou look فَقُلthen say ماnot كانَit was عَنthrough نَظَرِsight
وَإِن نَظَرتَ فَقُل ما كانَ عَن نَظَرِ
And if you hear, say, "No ear heard it";
And if you hear, say it was not from an ear
And if you see, say, "No eye saw it."
And if you saw, say it was not from sight
إِنif كُنتَyou are لاnot تَصطَفيyou choose إِلّاexcept أَخاa brother ثِقَةٍtrustworthiness
إِن كُنتَ لا تَصطَفي إِلّا أَخا ثِقَةٍ
فَاِخلُقthen create لِنَفسِكَfor yourself إِخواناًbrothers عَلىaccording to قَدَرِmeasure
فَاِخلُق لِنَفسِكَ إِخواناً عَلى قَدَرِ
If you choose none but a brother worthy of trust,
If you only choose brothers of trust
Then fashion brothers for yourself, made to measure.
Then create for yourself brothers to your measure
Sol 6.1