إِذا ما المَرءُ صِرتَ إِلى سُؤالِه

فَما تُعطيهِ أَكثَرَ مِن نَوالِه

When a man's fate is determined

You give him nothing more than what is allotted

وَمَن عَرَفَ المَحامِدَ جَدَّ فيها

وَحَنَّ إِلى المَحامِدِ بِاِحتِيالِه

He who knows excellence strives for it

And schemes to attain what is excellent

وَلَم يَستَغلِ مَحمَدَةً بِمالٍ

وَلَو أَضحَت تُحيطُ بِكُلِّ مالِه

And did not exploit a praiseworthy deed for money

Even if it would encompass all his money

عِيالُ اللَهِ أَكرَمُهُم عَلَيهِ

أَبَثُّهُمُ المَكارِمَ في عِيالِه

The most honorable of God's family

Are those who spread virtues among their family

أَتَدري مَن أَخوكَ أَخوكَ حَقّاً

أَخوكَ بِصَبرِهِ لَكَ وَاِحتِمالِه

Do you know who your true brother is?

Your brother is he who is patient with you and tolerates you

أَخوكَ المُبتَغي لَكَ كُلَّ خَيرٍ

وَصاحِبُكَ المُداوِمُ في وِصالِه

Your brother is he who seeks all good for you

And your friend is he who persists in his loyalty

إِذا غَضِبَ الحَليمُ فَفِرَّ عَنهُ

وَإِن غَضِبَ اللَئيمُ فَلا تُبالِه

When the forbearing one gets angry, flee from him

And when the ignoble one gets angry, pay him no heed

وَلَم تَرَ مُثنِياً أَثنى عَلى ذي

فَعالٍ قَطُّ أَفصَحَ مِن فَعالِه

You have never seen one who praises a man of action

More eloquent than his actions

كَأَنَّ العَينَ لَم تَرَ ما تَقَضّى

وَإِن بَقِيَ التَوَهُّمُ مِن خَيالِه

It is as if the eye did not see what transpired

And yet imagination still conjures up his image

وَأَسرَعُ ما يَكونُ الشَيءُ نَقصاً

فَأَقرَبُ ما يَكونُ إِلى كَمالِه

The fastest that something declines is when

It is nearest to perfection