رأيت الزمان وإخوانه

يدورون في الحال دورانه

I saw time and its companions

Revolving in this life and its rotations

إذا ما أسى وأسر الفتى

يكونون ما كان أعوانه

Whenever a young man feels down and confined

They become not what once were his supporters

ومهما وفي عهد حر وفوا

وخوانه عند ما خانه

And no matter how faithful and honest they vowed

His companions betrayed him when he needed them

إذا ما طلبت الصديق الصدو

ق أعدمك الدهر وجدانه

If you seek a loyal friend in time of need

Time denies you ever finding one

ومن خالط الناس في شأنهم

رأى منهم كل ما شانه

Whoever mingles with people in their affairs

Sees in them all that is their nature

ومن عز أو بر عنهم علا

رأى في العواقب ما زانه

And he who is aloof, neither kind nor good to them

Sees in the end what faults him

ومن لم يزن عقله نطقه

أخف لدى الناس ميزانه

He who does not weigh his words with his mind

Is deemed light in weight among people

لسان الفتى عنه عنوانه

فكن راصداً عنه عنوانه

A young man's tongue reveals his true self

So watch his tongue to know his ways

فمنطق كل امرئٍ مظهر

على ما رأيناه ألبانه

The speech of each person displays

What we have found their qualities to be

ولا تنظر المرء وانظر إذا

أردت الحقيقة أقرانه

And look not at the person, but look when

You want the truth at his peers

وصاحب إذا ما صحبت امرأً

يغض عن القذع أجفانه

And if you befriend a man

Turn a blind eye to his coarseness

فما صان عرضك إلا فتى

إذا سيم في عرضه صانه

For none shall protect your honor

Except one who protects his own honor

إذا جهل المرء مقداره

تجاهلت القوم أثمانه

When a man knows not his true worth

People will undervalue his price

وقد يظهر التيه بالمرتدي

رداء التكامل نقصانه

And confusion may show in one wearing

The cloak of perfection his flaws

وأصل عروق الفتى الرسخا

تٍ تظهر في الذوق أغصانه

While the roots of a firmly rooted young man

Reveal in his taste its branches

ولا خير فيمن يرى عرضه

دنياً ويغسل أردانه

No good is he who sees his honor

As worldly and washes away values

ويا بئس من لم يكن ذا نهى

ولم يمحض اللَه إيمانه

Oh, wretched is he who is not of dignity

And has not purified his faith for God