إِذا كُنتَ في حاجَةٍ مُرسِلاً

إِذا كُنتَ في حاجَةٍ مُرسِلاً

فَأَرسِل حَكيماً وَلا توصِهِ

فَأَرسِل حَكيماً وَلا توصِهِ

If you need to send someone on an errand,

If you are sending someone on an errand,

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

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

وَإِن بابُ أَمرٍ عَلَيكَ اِلتَوى

وَإِن بابُ أَمرٍ عَلَيكَ اِلتَوى

فَشاوِر لَبيباً وَلا تَعصِهِ

فَشاوِر لَبيباً وَلا تَعصِهِ

And if the door to some affair twists shut on you,

And if the door to some matter resists you,

consult a discerning man, and do not disobey him.

then consult a discerning man, and do not disobey 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 should one day draw near to you,

And if a sincere adviser draws near you one day,

do not draw away from him or cast him aside.

then do not withdraw from him, nor push him away.

وَذا الحَقِّ لا تَنتَقِص حَقَّهُ

وَذا الحَقِّ لا تَنتَقِص حَقَّهُ

فَإِنَّ القَطيعَةَ في نَقصِهِ

فَإِنَّ القَطيعَةَ في نَقصِهِ

Do not diminish the due of one who has a right,

And do not diminish anyone's rightful due,

for diminishing it breeds estrangement.

for diminishing it brings estrangement.

وَلا تَحرِصَنَّ فَرُبَّ اِمرِئٍ

وَلا تَحرِصَنَّ فَرُبَّ اِمرِئٍ

حَريصٍ مَضيعٌ عَلى حِرصِهِ

حَريصٍ مَضيعٌ عَلى حِرصِهِ

And do not be overzealous—for many a man,

And never be greedy, for many a man

though eager, is thwarted despite his eagerness.

is greedy, yet loses out despite his greed.

وَلا تَذكُرِ الدَهرَ في مَجلِسٍ

وَلا تَذكُرِ الدَهرَ في مَجلِسٍ

حَديثاً إِذا أَنتَ لَم تُحصِهِ

حَديثاً إِذا أَنتَ لَم تُحصِهِ

Never recount, in any gathering,

And never recount in a gathering

a tale unless you have grasped it in full.

a report, if you have not fully grasped it.

وَنُصَّ الحَديثَ إِلى أَهلِهِ

وَنُصَّ الحَديثَ إِلى أَهلِهِ

فَإِنَّ الأَمانَةَ في نَصِّهِ

فَإِنَّ الأَمانَةَ في نَصِّهِ

And let each account be attributed to its source,

And attribute the report to its source,

for fidelity lies in its true attribution.

for trustworthiness lies in attributing it.

فَكَم مِن فَتىً عازِبٍ لُبُّهُ

فَكَم مِن فَتىً عازِبٍ لُبُّهُ

وَقَد تَعجَبُ العَينُ مِن شَخصِهِ

وَقَد تَعجَبُ العَينُ مِن شَخصِهِ

How many a youth has a mind far away,

For many a youth is bereft of reason,

though the eye may marvel at his appearance;

though the eye may marvel at his appearance.

وَآخَرَ تَحسَبُهُ أَنوَكاً

وَآخَرَ تَحسَبُهُ أَنوَكاً

وَيَأتيكَ بِالأَمرِ مِن فَصِّهِ

وَيَأتيكَ بِالأَمرِ مِن فَصِّهِ

and another you take for a fool,

And another you consider a fool,

yet he brings you the matter from its very heart.

yet he brings you the very core of the matter.