دَعleave off عَنكَfrom you مِنof لَومِreproach قَومٍpeople لَستَyou do not تَخبُرُهُمyou test them
دَع عَنكَ مِن لَومِ قَومٍ لَستَ تَخبُرُهُم
إِلّاexcept that تَكَشَّفَlifted سِترُthe veil الغَيبِthe unseen عَنfrom عَيبِa flaw
إِلّا تَكَشَّفَ سِترُ الغَيبِ عَن عَيبِ
Leave off reproaching people whom you never put to the test
Turn from blaming a people whom you do not know
Without the veil of the unseen lifting to reveal a flaw.
Unless the veil over what is hidden is lifted from their fault
عوجٌcrooked عَلىthroughout الدَهرِtime هوجٌreckless غَيرَexcept أَنَّهُمُthat they are
عوجٌ عَلى الدَهرِ هوجٌ غَيرَ أَنَّهُمُ
سودٌblack مِنَfrom الجَهلِignorance بيضانٌwhite مِنَfrom الشَيبِgray hair
سودٌ مِنَ الجَهلِ بيضانٌ مِنَ الشَيبِ
Crooked through the ages, reckless—save that they are
They are bent over by time, awry, except they
Black with ignorance, white with gray hair.
Are blackened by ignorance, whitened by old age