تأدَّبْbecome cultured كيso that يقالَit may be said فتىa young man أديبٌcultured
تأدَّبْ كي يقالَ فتى أديبٌ
لتَحْصَرso that they fall silent عنهabout him ألسنةُtongues المديحِof praise
لتَحْصَر عنه ألسنةُ المديحِ
Cultivate yourself, so it may be said: “A cultivated youth!”
Become cultured, so it may be said, “A cultured young man,”
—so that tongues of praise may be withheld from him.
so that tongues of praise fall silent about him.
لقدindeed حفظguarded الفتىthe young man ماwhat فيin يديهhis two hands
لقد حفظ الفتى ما في يديه
بغايةwith the utmost حيلةcunning اللَّحِزِthe surly man الشحيحِthe miserly one
بغاية حيلة اللَّحِزِ الشحيحِ
The young man has indeed kept what was in his hands,
The young man has indeed guarded what is in his hands
through the consummate cunning of a grasping miser.
with the utmost cunning of the surly miser.
