وَما المَرءُ إِلّا الأَصغَرانِ لِسانُهُ

وَما المَرءُ إِلّا الأَصغَرانِ لِسانُهُ

وَمَعقولُهُ وَالجِسمُ خَلقٌ مُصَوَّرُ

وَمَعقولُهُ وَالجِسمُ خَلقٌ مُصَوَّرُ

A person is nothing but the two small things: his tongue

And a man is nothing but his two smaller parts: his tongue

and his reason; the body is but a fashioned creation.

and his intellect; the body is a creation given shape.

وَإِن طُرَّةٌ راقَتكَ فَاِنظُر فَرُبَّما

وَإِن طُرَّةٌ راقَتكَ فَاِنظُر فَرُبَّما

أَمَرَّ مَذاقُ العودِ وَالعودُ أَخضَرُ

أَمَرَّ مَذاقُ العودِ وَالعودُ أَخضَرُ

And if a forelock charms you, look closely—for perhaps

And if a forelock pleases you, look closely, for sometimes

a bough tastes bitter, though the bough is green.

a branch's taste proves bitter, though the branch is green.