إِذا كُنتَ في حاجَةٍ مُرسِلاً

إِذا كُنتَ في حاجَةٍ مُرسِلاً

فَأَرسِل حَكيماً وَلا توصِهِ

فَأَرسِل حَكيماً وَلا توصِهِ

If you are sending someone on an errand,

If you are in need of a messenger

then send a wise man, and do not instruct him.

Then send a wise one, and do not describe him

وَإِن ناصِحٌ مِنكَ يَوماً دَنا

وَإِن ناصِحٌ مِنكَ يَوماً دَنا

فَلا تَنأَ عَنهُ وَلا تُقصِهِ

فَلا تَنأَ عَنهُ وَلا تُقصِهِ

And if a sincere adviser draws near you one day,

And if an advisor comes your way one day

then do not keep away from him or dismiss him.

Then do not distance yourself from him, and do not cut him off

وَإِن بابُ أَمرٍ عَلَيكَ اِلتَوى

وَإِن بابُ أَمرٍ عَلَيكَ اِلتَوى

فَشاوِر لَبيباً وَلا تَعصِهِ

فَشاوِر لَبيباً وَلا تَعصِهِ

And if the door to a matter proves difficult for you,

And if the door of a matter turns to you

then consult a discerning man and do not disobey him.

Then consult an intelligent one, and do not disobey him

وَذو الحَقِّ لا تَنتَقِص حَقَّهُ

وَذو الحَقِّ لا تَنتَقِص حَقَّهُ

فَإِنَّ القَطيعَةَ في نَقصِهِ

فَإِنَّ القَطيعَةَ في نَقصِهِ

And as for one with a right, do not diminish his due,

And the one in the right, do not detract from his right

for estrangement lies in diminishing it.

For estrangement lies in detracting from him

وَلا تَذكُرِ الدَهرَ في مَجلِسٍ

وَلا تَذكُرِ الدَهرَ في مَجلِسٍ

حَديثاً إِذا أَنتَ لَم تُحصِهِ

حَديثاً إِذا أَنتَ لَم تُحصِهِ

And never recount in a gathering

And do not mention fate in a gathering

a report if you have not fully grasped it.

Speaking of it, if you have not grasped it

وَنُصَّ الحَديثَ إِلى أَهلِهِ

وَنُصَّ الحَديثَ إِلى أَهلِهِ

فَإِنَّ الوَثيقَةَ في نَصِّهِ

فَإِنَّ الوَثيقَةَ في نَصِّهِ

And attribute the report to its sources,

And direct the speech to its people

for reliability lies in its attribution.

For security lies in its preciseness

وَلا تَحرِصَنَّ فَرُبَّ اِمرِئٍ

وَلا تَحرِصَنَّ فَرُبَّ اِمرِئٍ

حَريصٍ مُضاعٍ عَلى حِرصِهِ

حَريصٍ مُضاعٍ عَلى حِرصِهِ

And do not be greedy, for many a man

And do not be greedy, for many a greedy man

is greedy yet left deprived despite his greed.

Is wretched because of his greed

وَكَم مِن فَتىً ساقِطٍ عَقلُهُ

وَكَم مِن فَتىً ساقِطٍ عَقلُهُ

وَقَد يُعجَبُ الناسُ مِن شَخصِهِ

وَقَد يُعجَبُ الناسُ مِن شَخصِهِ

And how many a youth is feeble of mind,

And how many young men have lost their minds

yet people may be impressed by his appearance.

Yet people are impressed by their appearance

وَآخَرَ تَحسِبُهُ أَنوَكاً

وَآخَرَ تَحسِبُهُ أَنوَكاً

وَيَأتيكَ بِالأَمرِ مِن فَصِّهِ

وَيَأتيكَ بِالأَمرِ مِن فَصِّهِ

And another you take for a fool,

And another you reckon slow-witted

yet he brings you the very heart of the matter.

Yet he provides you the crux of the matter

لَبِستُ اللَيالي فَأَفنَينَني

لَبِستُ اللَيالي فَأَفنَينَني

وَسَربَلَني الدَهرُ في قُمصِهِ

وَسَربَلَني الدَهرُ في قُمصِهِ

I have worn the nights, and they have consumed me;

I wore out the nights, so they destroyed me

and time has clothed me in its shirts.

And time dressed me in its shirt