بخِلتُ وَلَيسَ البُخلُ مِنّي سَجِيَّةً

وَلَكِن رَأَيتُ الفَقرَ شَرَّ سَبيلِ

I acted miserly, but miserliness is not my nature,

Rather I saw poverty is the worst path.

لَمَوتُ الفَتى خَيرٌ مِنَ البُخلِ لِلفَتى

وَلَلبُخلُ خَيرٌ مِن سُؤال بَخيلِ

Death is better for the young man than miserliness,

And miserliness is better than asking from a miser.

فَلا تَسأَلَن مَن كانَ يَسأَلُ مَرَّة

فَلَلمَوتُ خَيرٌ مِن سُؤالِ سَؤولِ

So do not ask one who has asked before,

For death is better than asking a constant asker.

لَعَمرُكَ ما شَيءٌ لِوَجهِكَ قيمَةٌ

فَلا تَلقَ إِنساناً بِوَجه ذَليلِ

By your life! Your face has no worth,

So do not meet people with a humiliated face.