اِذا كُنت في حاجَة مرسِلا

اِذا كُنت في حاجَة مرسِلا

فَاِرسِل حَكيماً وَلا توصِه

فَاِرسِل حَكيماً وَلا توصِه

If you are sending someone on an errand,

When in need of sending a messenger

Then send a wise man, and give him no instructions.

Send a wise one, and do not instruct him

وَإِن بابَ امر عَلَيكَ التَقوى

وَإِن بابَ امر عَلَيكَ التَقوى

فَشاوِر لَبيباً وَلا تَعصه

فَشاوِر لَبيباً وَلا تَعصه

And if the way through a matter becomes tangled for you [likely intended reading],

And if the matter is up to you, piety

Then consult a discerning man, and do not disobey him.

Consult an intelligent one, and do not disobey him

وَإِن ناصِح مِنكَ يَوماً دَنا

وَإِن ناصِح مِنكَ يَوماً دَنا

فَلا تَنَأ عَنهُوَلا تَقصه

فَلا تَنَأ عَنهُوَلا تَقصه

And if a sincere adviser draws near to you one day,

And if an advisor comes near you one day

Then do not keep away from him or drive him away.

Do not distance yourself from him, and do not cut him short

وَذو الحَقِّ لا تَنقصن حقَّهُ

وَذو الحَقِّ لا تَنقصن حقَّهُ

فَإِن القَطيعَة في نُقصِهِ

فَإِن القَطيعَة في نُقصِهِ

And never diminish the due of one entitled to it,

And one who has rights, do not diminish his rights

For diminishing it severs ties.

For estrangement is in its diminishment

وَلا تَدكر الدَهر في مَجلِس

وَلا تَدكر الدَهر في مَجلِس

حَديثاً اِذا اِنتَ لَم تَحصه

حَديثاً اِذا اِنتَ لَم تَحصه

And never recount in a gathering

And do not mention the days gone in an assembly

An account you have not fully grasped.

When you have no knowledge of it, unprepared

وَنص الحَديثِ الى أَهلِهِ

وَنص الحَديثِ الى أَهلِهِ

فَإِنَّ الأَمانَةَ في نَصه

فَإِنَّ الأَمانَةَ في نَصه

And attribute the account to its originators,

And confide the conversation to its people

For honesty lies in its attribution.

For trustworthiness is in its confidentiality

فَكَم مِن فَتى عازِب لبه

فَكَم مِن فَتى عازِب لبه

وَقَد تَعجب العَين من شَخصِه

وَقَد تَعجب العَين من شَخصِه

For many a young man is lacking in reason,

So many a lonely young man

Yet the eye may marvel at his appearance.

Whose looks astonish the eye

وَآخر تَحسَبه أَنوكاً

وَآخر تَحسَبه أَنوكاً

وَيَأتيكَ بِالأَمرِ من نَصه

وَيَأتيكَ بِالأَمرِ من نَصه

And another you consider a fool,

And another you think inexperienced

And he brings you the matter in its exact wording.

Yet he undertakes the matter completely