لسانُ الفتى عبدٌ له في سكوته

لسانُ الفتى عبدٌ له في سكوته

وَمَوْلىً عليه جائرٌ إنْ تَكَلّما

وَمَوْلىً عليه جائرٌ إنْ تَكَلّما

A young man's tongue is his slave while he is silent,

A youth's tongue is a slave to him when silent

And a tyrannical master over him if he speaks.

And a tyrannous master if he speaks

فلا تُطْلقنْه واجعل الصمتَ قيدَهُ

فلا تُطْلقنْه واجعل الصمتَ قيدَهُ

وصيّرْ إذا قيّدتهُ سجنَهُ الفما

وصيّرْ إذا قيّدتهُ سجنَهُ الفما

So never let it loose, and make silence its fetter,

So do not set it loose, make silence its tether

And, once you have fettered it, make the mouth its prison.

And when you shackle it, make his mouth its jail