تَجَنّب عَن مُعاشَرة السفيه

وَعاشر كُلّ ذي شَرَف نَبيهِ

Avoid the company of fools

And keep company with all honorable and wise

وَذو الوَجهين يقبح مِنكَ قُرباً

فَبعدك عَنهُ أَجمَل مِن وجوهِ

He of two faces is ugly to draw near

So your distance from him is better than his faces

يَنالك مِن عدوِّك بَعض ما قَد

يَنالك مِن صَديق تَصطفيهِ

You will get from your enemy some of what

You will get from a friend you choose

أَبو الأُمم الزَمان حَليف غَدر

فَهَل تَرجو وَفاء مِن بَنيهِ

O father of nations, time is a treacherous ally

So do you hope for loyalty from its sons?

وَإِنَّكَ إِن تعب سفلاً بِفحشٍ

لتزجره فَلَست بِمُزدَريهِ

And if you insult a lowlife harshly

To rebuke him, you are not belittling him

يعدّ النَقص في الكمّال عَيباً

وَلَيسَ يعدُّ عَيباً في ذَويهِ

Imperfection counts as a defect in the perfect

And it's not counted a defect in his likes