وَإِذا جَلَستَ مَعَ النّدى فَلا تَصِل

لَهُم الحَديث بِقصّة تَعياها

And if you sit with companions, do not

Relate to them a story you find weary,

حَتّى تُثَقِّفَها وَتُحكِم وَعيَها

فَتُبينَها كَحَديثِ مَن أَحصاها

Until you make it eloquent and strengthen its ideas,

So you explain it like one who has mastered it.

ماذا خُصِصتَ بِنِعمَةٍ وَرُزِقتَها

مِن فَضلِ رَبِّكَ مِنَّةَ تَغشاها

What blessings have you been given and granted

From the grace of your Lord, that envelope you?

فَاِبغِ الزِيادَة في الَّذي أَعطيتَهُ

وَتمامُ ذاكَ بِشُكرِ مَن أَعطاها

Seek increase in what you have been given,

And gratitude to the Giver completes that.

وَاِترُك مُصاحَبةَ الِئامِ وَدَعهُمُ

تَركَ المَخوفَةِ بِالرَدى عَدواها

Leave off accompanying the wretched, and leave them -

Like leaving an affliction that spreads its harm.

وَاِترُك مُعانَدَةَ اللَجوجِ وَلا تَكُن

بَينَ النَدى هُذُرَّةً تَيّاها

Leave off contending with the stubborn, and do not be

Among companions a babbler spreading nonsense.

وَإِذا عَتَبتَ عَلى اِمرِىءٍ في خَلَّةٍ

وَرَأَيتَهُ قَد ذَلَّ حينَ أَتاها

And if you reproach a person in private,

And you see him humbled when it reaches him,

فَاِحذَر وُقوعَكَ مَرَّةً في مِثلَها

فَيَبُثُّ عَنكَ نَضوحَها وَثناها

Beware of falling once into the like of it,

So he spreads about you its outpouring and folds.