بَادِر الْفُرْصَةَ وَاحْذَرْ فَوْتَهَا

فَبُلُوغُ الْعِزِّ في نَيْلِ الْفُرَصْ

Seize the opportunity and beware missing it

For attaining glory lies in seizing chances

وَاغْتَنِمْ عُمْرَكَ إِبَّانَ الصِّبَا

فَهْوَ إِنْ زَادَ مَعَ الشَّيْبِ نَقَصْ

Make the most of your youth during adolescence

For if it lasts with old age it suffers loss

إِنَّمَا الدُّنْيَا خَيَالٌ عَارِضٌ

قَلَّمَا يَبْقَى وَأَخْبَارٌ تُقَصْ

Verily this world is a fleeting mirage

That rarely stays, with stories to recount

تَارَةً تَدْجُو وَطَوْراً تَنْجَلِي

عَادَةُ الظِّلِّ سَجَا ثُمَّ قَلَصْ

At times it flows and at others it recedes

The wont of shade, it stretches then shrinks

فَابْتَدِرْ مَسْعَاكَ وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ مَنْ

بَادَرَ الصَّيْدَ مَعَ الْفَجْرِ قَنَصْ

So take advantage of your hearing, and know that he

Who rose at dawn to hunt, gained success

لَنْ يَنَالَ الْمَرْءُ بِالْعَجْزِ الْمُنَى

إِنَّمَا الْفَوْزُ لِمَنْ هَمَّ فَنَصْ

No man attains his goal through frustration

For triumph is only for one who aspires

يَكْدَحُ الْعَاقِلُ فِي مَأْمَنِهِ

فَإِذا ضَاقَ بِهِ الأَمْرُ شَخَصْ

The wise man toils in the place of his refuge

And when matters constrict him, he departs

إِنَّ ذَا الْحَاجَةِ مَا لَمْ يَغْتَرِبْ

عَنْ حِماهُ مِثْلُ طَيْر في قَفَصْ

Indeed, the needy one, as long as he remains

In his protector's care, is like a caged bird

وَلْيَكُنْ سَعْيُكَ مَجْداً كُلُّهُ

إِنَّ مَرْعى الشَّرِّ مَكْرُوهٌ أَحَصْ

And let your effort be wholly honorable

For the pasture of evil is hated indeed

وَاتْرُكِ الْحِرْصَ تَعِشْ فِي رَاحَةٍ

قَلَّمَا نَالَ مُنَاهُ مَنْ حَرَصْ

And leave greed to live in comfort

Rarely attains his purpose he who covets

قَدْ يَضُرُّ الشَّيءُ تَرْجُو نَفْعَهُ

رُبَّ ظَمْآنَ بِصَفْوِ الْمَاءِ غَصْ

That which you hope will benefit you

May sometimes harm, many choked from pure water

مَيِّزِ الأَشْيَاءَ تَعْرِفْ قَدْرَهَا

لَيْسَتِ الْغُرَّةُ مِنْ جِنْسِ الْبَرَصْ

Distinguish between things to know their value

Innocence is not like leprosy

وَاجْتَنِبْ كُلَّ غَبِيِّ مَائِقٍ

فَهْوَ كَالْعَيْرِ إِذَا جَدَّ قَمَصْ

And avoid every foolish transgressor

For he is like a camel, if he runs, he stumbles

إِنَّمَا الْجَاهِلُ فِي الْعَيْنِ قَذَىً

حَيْثُمَا كَانَ وَفِي الصَّدْرِ غَصَصْ

Verily the ignorant are but motes in the eye

Wherever they are, and spears in the chest

وَاحْذَرِ النَّمَّامَ تَأْمَنْ كَيْدَهُ

فَهْوَ كَالْبُرْغُوثِ إِنْ دَبَّ قَرَصْ

And beware the gossip, to be safe from his plots

For he is a flea, if he bites, he stings

يَرْقُبُ الشَّرَّ فَإِنْ لاحَتْ لَهُ

فُرْصَةٌ تَصْلُحُ لِلْخَتْلِ فَرَصْ

He watches for evil, and if he spies

An opportunity fit for backstabbing, he dances

سَاكِنُ الأَطْرَافِ إِلَّا أَنَّهُ

إِنْ رَأَى مَنْشَبَ أُظْفُورٍ رَقَصْ

Still of limb unless he sees the claws

Of a vicious cat, then he prances

وَاخْتَبِرْ مَنْ شِئْتَ تَعْرِفهُ فَمَا

يَعْرِفُ الأَخْلاقَ إِلَّا مَنْ فَحَصْ

And test whoever you wish, to know them

For none knows character but he who probes

هَذِهِ حِكْمَةُ كَهْلٍ خَابِرٍ

فَاقْتَنِصْهَا فَهِيَ نِعْمَ الْمُقْتَنَصْ

Such is the wisdom of an experienced elder

So glean it, for it is a fine harvest