قُل ما تَشاءُ بِمَحفِلٍ أَو مَجهَلٍ

قُل ما تَشاءُ بِمَحفِلٍ أَو مَجهَلٍ

وَاِخزُن لِسانَكَ عَن مَقالٍ يوبِقُ

وَاِخزُن لِسانَكَ عَن مَقالٍ يوبِقُ

Say what you will, in a gathering or a wilderness,

Say what you will in public or private

and restrain your tongue from speech that brings ruin.

And restrain your tongue from ruinous speech

إِنَّ الصَغيرَةَ قَد تَجُرُّ عَظيمَةً

إِنَّ الصَغيرَةَ قَد تَجُرُّ عَظيمَةً

وَلَرُبَّما أَودى بِشاهٍ بَيدَقُ

وَلَرُبَّما أَودى بِشاهٍ بَيدَقُ

Indeed, a small matter may bring about a great calamity,

For the small thing may bring the great one down

and often a pawn has brought a king to ruin.

And a mere tent peg has killed many a king