نصحتُكَ لا تصحَبْ سِوى كُلِّ فاضِل

خَليقِ السّجايا بالتَّعفُّف والظَّرفِ

I advised you, do not befriend any but the noble,

Of refined traits, chaste and tactful,

ولا تَعتمِدْ غيرَ الكِرامِ فواحِدٌ

منَ النّاسِ إنْ حصَّلْتَ خَيرٌ منَ الألفِ

And rely on none but the generous, for one

Of the people, if you gain his goodness, is better than a thousand.

وأشفِقْ على هَذا الزَّمانِ ومرِّه

فإنَّ زمانَ المَرءِ أضلَعُ من خَلْفِ

Have pity on this time and its bitterness,

For a person's time is more intimate than their ribs.