ظَنَّ اللبيب العاقل

ظَنَّ اللبيب العاقل

وَلا يَقين الجاهل

وَلا يَقين الجاهل

A discerning, rational man’s surmise is worth more

Better the discerning, wise man's conjecture

than an ignorant man’s certainty.

than the ignorant man's certainty.

لا تبعدن النجعه

لا تبعدن النجعه

لا تَطلبن الرفعه

لا تَطلبن الرفعه

Do not go far afield in search of sustenance;

Do not go far in search of pasture;

do not seek lofty rank.

do not seek high rank.

لا تخضبن الشيبا

لا تخضبن الشيبا

كَفى بِذاكَ عَيبا

كَفى بِذاكَ عَيبا

Do not dye your gray hair—

Do not dye your gray hair;

that alone is shame enough.

that is disgrace enough.

هبني لِشَيبي أخفي

هبني لِشَيبي أخفي

فَكَيفَ أَخفي ضَعفي

فَكَيفَ أَخفي ضَعفي

Suppose I could conceal my gray hair;

Suppose I conceal my gray hair—

how then could I conceal my weakness?

then how can I conceal my weakness?

لا عَيشَ للفَقير

لا عَيشَ للفَقير

مَع علمه الغَزير

مَع علمه الغَزير

There is no life worth living for the poor man,

There is no life for the poor man,

despite his abundant learning,

even with his abundant knowledge,

فَإِنَّه حَقير

فَإِنَّه حَقير

وَقَدره صَغير

وَقَدره صَغير

for he is held in contempt,

for he is despised,

and his standing is low.

and his standing is low.

اعرض عَن الجُهال

اعرض عَن الجُهال

فهُم عَبيد المال

فهُم عَبيد المال

Turn away from the ignorant:

Turn away from the ignorant,

they are slaves to wealth,

for they are slaves to wealth,

وَأصدقاء الوالي

وَأصدقاء الوالي

وَمحنة البطال

وَمحنة البطال

friends of the governor,

and friends of the governor,

and a scourge to the idle, workless man.

and a torment to the idle man.

مَن ساعَدته الدَّولَه

مَن ساعَدته الدَّولَه

ظَلوا عكوفاً حَوله

ظَلوا عكوفاً حَوله

Whomever Fortune favors,

Whoever fortune favors,

they remain gathered devotedly around him,

they hover devotedly around him.

يعظمون المالا

يعظمون المالا

وَالموسر المُحتالا

وَالموسر المُحتالا

extolling wealth

They revere wealth

and praising the schemer,

and the wealthy schemer,

وَإِن هُم لَم يظفروا

وَإِن هُم لَم يظفروا

مِنهُ ببر يُذكر

مِنهُ ببر يُذكر

even if they do not obtain

even if they have received no

from him any kindness worth remembering.

kindness worth mentioning from him.