إِنّ أَنكى مِنَ السِّهام لسانٌ

إِنّ أَنكى مِنَ السِّهام لسانٌ

فبِهِ اِرْمِ ما بَرِحتَ تَعيشُ

فبِهِ اِرْمِ ما بَرِحتَ تَعيشُ

Indeed, deadlier than arrows is a tongue—

A tongue is indeed more wounding than arrows;

so shoot with it for as long as you live.

so shoot with it as long as you live.

فَلَكَم عَن مَرماهُ قَد طاشَ سَهمٌ

فَلَكَم عَن مَرماهُ قَد طاشَ سَهمٌ

وَسِهامُ اللّسانِ لَيسَتْ تَطيشُ

وَسِهامُ اللّسانِ لَيسَتْ تَطيشُ

For many an arrow has strayed from its mark,

For many an arrow has strayed from its mark,

but the tongue’s arrows never miss.

but the tongue's arrows do not miss.