أَقلِلِ المَزحَ في الكَلامِ اِحتِرازاً

أَقلِلِ المَزحَ في الكَلامِ اِحتِرازاً

فَبِإِفراطِهِ الدِماءُ تُراقُ

فَبِإِفراطِهِ الدِماءُ تُراقُ

Limit joking in speech as a precaution,

Lessen jesting in your speech as precaution

for when it is excessive, blood is shed.

For with its excess blood is often shed

قِلَّةُ السَمِّ لا تَضُرُّ وَقَد يَق

قِلَّةُ السَمِّ لا تَضُرُّ وَقَد يَق

تُلُ مَعَ فَرطِ أَكلِهِ الدِرياقُ

تُلُ مَعَ فَرطِ أَكلِهِ الدِرياقُ

A little poison does no harm; yet one may be killed

A little poison harms not, yet it may

by the antidote when too much of it is taken.

Kill with excess, like theriac overfed