1. If silence pleases you, it has
Pleased the virtuous before you.
١. إِن كانَ يُعجِبُكَ السُكوتُ فَإِنَّهُ
قَد كانَ يُعجِبُ قَبلَكَ الأَخيارا
2. If you regret your silence once,
You have regretted speech many times.
٢. وَلَئِن نَدِمتَ عَلى سُكوتِكَ مَرَّةً
فَلَقَد نَدِمتَ عَلى الكَلامِ مِرارا
3. Silence is safety, and speech
Often sows enmity and harm.
٣. إِنَّ السُكوتَ سَلامَةٌ وَلَرُبَّما
زَرَعَ الكَلامُ عَداوَةً وَضِرارا
4. When two losers draw near each other,
Their loss and discord only increase.
٤. وَإِذا تَقَرَّبَ خاسِرٌ مِن خاسِرٍ
زادا بِذاكَ خَسارَةً وَتَبارا