قَدِّم لِنَفسِكَ في الحَياةِ تَزَوُّداً
فَلَقَد تَفارِقُها وَأَنتَ مُوِّدِعُ
Make provision for yourself in life, for you will certainly bid it farewell.
Prepare provisions for yourself in this life, for you will surely depart and bid it farewell.
Pay heed to the imminent journey, for it is nearer than the distant one.
Attend to the imminent journey, for in truth, it is more distant and vast than any physical travel.
وَاهتَمَّ لِلسَفَرِ القَريبِ فَإِنَّهُ
أَنأى مِنَ السَفَرِ البَعيدِ وَأَشسَعُ
Let your provision be fear and piety, as if your shroud will hastily enwrap you.
Make fear of God and piety your supplies, as if your death arrives faster than the evening.
Be content with your livelihood, for contentment is riches, while poverty accompanies the discontent.
Be satisfied with your sustenance, for contentment is wealth, while poverty clings to the one who is never satisfied.
وَاجعَل تَزَوُّدَكَ المَخافَةَ وَالتُّقى
وَكَأَنَّ حَتفَكَ مِن مسائِكَ أَسرَعُ
Beware the company of ignoble men, for they withheld sincere affection and feigned friendship.
Beware the company of scoundrels, for they withhold pure affection and merely feign friendship.
The pretentious have never attained satisfaction, and when you withhold, they slander you.
People of pretense act only as long as you please them, but if you refuse, their poison is steeped ready for you.
وَاقنَع بِقوتِكَ فَالقِناعُ هُوَ الغِنى
وَالفَقرُ مَقرونٌ بِمنَ لا يَقنَعُ
Do not divulge a secret you are able to conceal, to one who divulges entrusted secrets to you.
Do not disclose a secret, if you can help it, to a man who discloses to you the secrets entrusted to him.
Just as you see him dealing with others’ secrets, so too will he inevitably deal with your secrets.
For just as you see him dealing with another's secret, so too with your secret he will inevitably deal.
وَاَحذَر مُصاحَبَةَ اللِئام فإِنَّهمِ
مَنَعوكَ صَفوَ وِدادِهِم وَتَصَنَّعوا
Do not initiate a discourse in a gathering before inquiry, for that is improper.
Do not initiate speech in a gathering before you are asked, for that is disgraceful behavior.
Silence enhances every notion about a youth, perhaps he is an ignorant fool who mended his tear.
Silence improves every opinion held of a youth, even if he be clumsy, foolish, or dull-witted.
أَهَلُ التَصَنُّعِ ما أَنَلتَهُمُ الرِضى
وَإِذا مَنعتَ فَسُمُّهُم لَكَ مُنقَعُ
Abandon jesting, for many a jester’s phrase has brought undeserved harm upon you.
Abandon jesting, for many a word spoken in jest has brought about troubles that cannot be repelled.
Do not neglect guarding your neighbor, for the sublime dignity is never attained by the neglectful.
Do not neglect the rights of your neighbor, for no one who neglects duty attains high honor.
لا تَفشِ سِرّاً ما اِستَطَعتَ إِلى اِمرئٍ
يَفشي إِلَيكَ سَرائراً يُستَودَعُ
And if one who wronged you apologizes for a slip, accept it, for the reward of that is greater.
If an offender asks you to pardon a stumble, then forgive him, for the reward of that is far greater.
When entrusted with secrets, conceal them, and veil your brother’s flaws when you chance upon them.
If you are entrusted with secrets, keep them hidden, and veil your brother's faults whenever you perceive them.
فَكَما تَراهُ بِسِرِّ غَيرِكَ صانِعاً
فَكَذا بِسِرِّكَ لا مَحالَةَ يَصنَعُ
Do not despair at misfortunes, for it is misfortunes that cause men to despair.
Do not panic at life's calamities, for panic in the face of misfortune is but a weakness of men.
And obey your father in all he enjoined, for the obedient son is never shaken.
Obey your father in all that he advises, for he who obeys his father shall never fall to ruin.
لا تَبدَأَنَّ بِمَنطِقٍ في مَجلِسٍ
قَبلَ السُؤالِ فَإِنَّ ذاكَ يَشنعُ
فَالصَمتُ يُحسِنُ كُلَّ ظَنٍ بِالفَتى
وَلَعَلَّهُ خَرقٌ سَفيهٌ أَرقَعُ
وَدَعِ المُزاحَ فَرُبَّ لَفظَةِ مازِحٍ
جَلَبَت إَلَيكَ مساوئاً لا تُدفَعُ
وَحِفاظَ جارِكَ لا تُضِعهُ فَإِنَهُ
لا يَبلُغُ الشَرَفُ الجَسيمُ مُضيِّعُ
وَإِذا اَستَقالَكَ ذو الإِساءَةٍ عَثرَةً
فَأَقِلهُ إِنَّ ثَوابَ ذَلِكَ أَوسَعُ
وَإِذا ائتُمِنتَ عَلى السَرائِرِ فَاِخفِها
وَاَستُر عُيوبَ أَخيكَ حينَ تَطلَّعُ
لا تَجزَعَنَّ مِنَ الحَوادِثِ إِنَّما
خَرقُ الرِجالِ عَلى الحَوادِثِ يُجزِعُ
وَأَطِع أَباكَ بِكُلِّ ما أَوصى بِهِ
إِنَّ المُطيعَ أَباهُ لا يَتَضَعضَعُ
