لُكُلِ اِمرىءٍ شَكلٌ مِنَ الناسِ مِثلُهُ
وَكُلُّ امرىءٍ يَهوى إِلى مَن يُشاكِلُه
Every man has his like among the people,
and every man is drawn to one who resembles him.
وَمالَكَ بُدٌّ مِن نَزيلٍ فَلا تَكُن
نَزيلاً لِمَن يَسعى بِهِ مَن يُنازِلُه
You cannot do without a companion, so do not be
a companion to one whom his companion denounces.
وَإِن أَنتَ نازَلتَ الكَريمَ فَلاقِهِ
بِما أَنتَ مِن أَهلِ المُروءَةِ قائِلُه
And if you keep company with a noble man, meet him
with words you would speak as a man of honor.
وَإِن أَنتَ نازَلتَ اللَئيمَ فَكُن فَتىً
تُزايِلُهُ في فِعلِهِ وَتُحامِلُه
And if you keep company with a base man, be a man
who differs from him in conduct and bears with him.
إِذا لَم تُداخِل عِزَّ مَن كانَ ذا حِجىً
وَعَزمٍ وَحَزمٍ لَم تَجِد مَن تُداخِلُه
If you will not abide the pride of one endowed with good sense
and resolve and prudence, you will find no one to befriend.
وَما الناسُ إِلّا بِالأُصولِ فَإِنَّما
يُثَبِّت أَعلى كُلِّ بَيتٍ أَسافِلُه
And people depend on their roots alone, for it is
the foundations that hold firm the top of every house.
Sol 6.1