كثير الشر ينتج من قليله

وتلقى المرء يدهى من فضوله

Much evil comes from little of it

And you will find a person ruined by his excess

وما التحف الفتى ثوبا إذا ما

تأّبى العز أنفع من خموله

Fine clothes do not make a man, if he refuses

Honor is more useful than laziness

أقول لمؤثر عيشا سليما

ويهو أن يضاف إلى خليله

I say to one who prefers a wholesome life

Yet craves to join his friend

تحنّب صاحب السوء اختيارا

فشرّ السيف فيه وفي رميله

Avoid the evil companion, deliberately

Evil is the sword in him and his sand dune

ولا يغررك مبتسم نفاقا

إليك ردى وينفث في غليله

And do not be fooled by one smiling hypocritically

Ill-will to you, while breathing out his bile

إذا استدللت فاستدلل بصيرا

فكم من تائه بعمى دليله

When deducing, deduce with insight

Many are lost, blinded by their guide

وإن قلدت قلد مستدلا

فشرّ الطب مستغني عليله

And if you imitate, imitate with understanding

The worst medicine makes the sick dependent

يذم الشيب قوم قلت كفوا

رحيل الشيب اصعب من نزوله

Some blame old age, I say stop

The going of old age is harder than its coming

صديقك من إذا أقحشت غطى

قبيحك واستمرّ على جميله

Your friend is one who when you make a blunder, covers

Your ugliness and persists in his kindness

ومن إن ضايقتك يد الليالي

أزالك عن مواهبه وقيله

And one who when days tighten their grip

Lifts you from his gifts and saying

فأما من يراك بعين حقد

عدوّك دعه يمضي في سبيله

As for one who sees you with an envious eye

Let him go his way, your enemy

إذا عدل الصديق إلى التجنّي

فقد أبدى العداوة في عدوله

When a friend turns to aloofness

He has revealed enmity in his turning

وإن نزل الصديق إلى التكافي

إلى المعروف قبح في نزوله

And if a friend descends into evenness

In returning good, ugly is his descent

فلا تفرح بود أخ إذا لم

يدع يمناك تلعب في زبيله

So do not rejoice in the affection of a brother if he does not

Let your right hand play in his bucket