تَجَنّب عَن مُعاشَرة السفيه

تَجَنّب عَن مُعاشَرة السفيه

وَعاشر كُلّ ذي شَرَف نَبيهِ

وَعاشر كُلّ ذي شَرَف نَبيهِ

Keep away from the company of fools,

Avoid the company of fools

And keep company with every honorable, distinguished man.

And keep company with all honorable and wise

وَذو الوَجهين يقبح مِنكَ قُرباً

وَذو الوَجهين يقبح مِنكَ قُرباً

فَبعدك عَنهُ أَجمَل مِن وجوهِ

فَبعدك عَنهُ أَجمَل مِن وجوهِ

And closeness to a two-faced man ill becomes you;

He of two faces is ugly to draw near

So keeping your distance from him is more becoming in many ways.

So your distance from him is better than his faces

يَنالك مِن عدوِّك بَعض ما قَد

يَنالك مِن عدوِّك بَعض ما قَد

يَنالك مِن صَديق تَصطفيهِ

يَنالك مِن صَديق تَصطفيهِ

From your enemy you suffer some of what may

You will get from your enemy some of what

Befall you from a friend you choose.

You will get from a friend you choose

أَبو الأُمم الزَمان حَليف غَدر

أَبو الأُمم الزَمان حَليف غَدر

فَهَل تَرجو وَفاء مِن بَنيهِ

فَهَل تَرجو وَفاء مِن بَنيهِ

Time, the father of nations, is an ally of treachery;

O father of nations, time is a treacherous ally

So do you hope for faithfulness from his sons?

So do you hope for loyalty from its sons?

وَإِنَّكَ إِن تعب سفلاً بِفحشٍ

وَإِنَّكَ إِن تعب سفلاً بِفحشٍ

لتزجره فَلَست بِمُزدَريهِ

لتزجره فَلَست بِمُزدَريهِ

And if you reproach a base man with foul language

And if you insult a lowlife harshly

To deter him, you do not belittle him.

To rebuke him, you are not belittling him

يعدّ النَقص في الكمّال عَيباً

يعدّ النَقص في الكمّال عَيباً

وَلَيسَ يعدُّ عَيباً في ذَويهِ

وَلَيسَ يعدُّ عَيباً في ذَويهِ

Imperfection is deemed a fault in the perfect,

Imperfection counts as a defect in the perfect

But is not deemed a fault in those who possess it.

And it's not counted a defect in his likes