إِذا كُنتَ في حاجَةٍ مُرسِلاً
فَأَرسِل حَكيماً وَلا توصِهِ
If you need to send someone on an errand,
then send a wise man, and give him no instructions.
وَإِن بابُ أَمرٍ عَلَيكَ اِلتَوى
فَشاوِر لَبيباً وَلا تَعصِهِ
And if the door to some affair twists shut on you,
consult a discerning man, and do not disobey him.
وَإِن ناصِحٌ مِنكَ يَوماً دَنا
فَلا تَنأَ عَنهُ وَلا تُقصِهِ
And if a sincere adviser should one day draw near to you,
do not draw away from him or cast him aside.
وَذا الحَقِّ لا تَنتَقِص حَقَّهُ
فَإِنَّ القَطيعَةَ في نَقصِهِ
Do not diminish the due of one who has a right,
for diminishing it breeds estrangement.
وَلا تَحرِصَنَّ فَرُبَّ اِمرِئٍ
حَريصٍ مَضيعٌ عَلى حِرصِهِ
And do not be overzealous—for many a man,
though eager, is thwarted despite his eagerness.
وَلا تَذكُرِ الدَهرَ في مَجلِسٍ
حَديثاً إِذا أَنتَ لَم تُحصِهِ
Never recount, in any gathering,
a tale unless you have grasped it in full.
وَنُصَّ الحَديثَ إِلى أَهلِهِ
فَإِنَّ الأَمانَةَ في نَصِّهِ
And let each account be attributed to its source,
for fidelity lies in its true attribution.
فَكَم مِن فَتىً عازِبٍ لُبُّهُ
وَقَد تَعجَبُ العَينُ مِن شَخصِهِ
How many a youth has a mind far away,
though the eye may marvel at his appearance;
وَآخَرَ تَحسَبُهُ أَنوَكاً
وَيَأتيكَ بِالأَمرِ مِن فَصِّهِ
and another you take for a fool,
yet he brings you the matter from its very heart.
Sol 5.6