أَكرِمhonor صَديقَthe friend of أَبيكَyour father حَيثُwherever لَقيتَهُyou meet him
أَكرِم صَديقَ أَبيكَ حَيثُ لَقيتَهُ
وَاحبُand bestow الكَرامَةَhonor مَنon whoever بَداtook the initiative فَحَباكَهاthen bestowed it on you
وَاحبُ الكَرامَةَ مَن بَدا فَحَباكَها
Honor your father's friend wherever you meet him.
And bestow honor on whoever first bestowed it on you.
وَاكفِand shield from المُهمَّةَthe trouble مَنone who لَوَif انَّكَthat you مَرَّةًonce
وَاكفِ المُهمَّةَ مَن لَوَ انَّكَ مَرَّةً
نَزَلَتbefell إِلَيكَyou مُهِمَّةٌa trouble لَكَفاكَهاhe would surely shield you from it
نَزَلَت إِلَيكَ مُهِمَّةٌ لَكَفاكَها
And shield from trouble one who, if ever you
Were beset by trouble, would shield you from it.
وَإِذاand when أَتاكَcome to you بَنوsons of السَبيلِthe road فَأَعطِهِمthen give them
وَإِذا أَتاكَ بَنو السَبيلِ فَأَعطِهِم
مِنfrom فَضلِthe surplus of نِعمَتِهِHis bounty الَّتيwhich أَعطاكَهاHe gave it to you
مِن فَضلِ نِعمَتِهِ الَّتي أَعطاكَها
And when wayfarers come to you, give them
From the surplus of His bounty that He gave you.
لاdo not تُبدِيَنَّever disclose نَميمَةًmalicious gossip حُدِّثتَهاyou were told it
لا تُبدِيَنَّ نَميمَةً حُدِّثتَها
وَتَحَفَّظَنَّand be on your guard مِنagainst الَّذيthe one who أَنباكَهاtold you of it
وَتَحَفَّظَنَّ مِن الَّذي أَنباكَها
Never disclose malicious gossip you have been told,
And be on your guard against the one who told it to you.
وَتَرىand you see سَفيهَthe fool of القَومِthe people يَترُكُleaves عِرضَهُhis honor
وَتَرى سَفيهَ القَومِ يَترُكُ عِرضَهُ
دَنِساًsullied وَيَمسَحُand wipes نَعلَهُhis sandal وَشِراكَهاand its strap
دَنِساً وَيَمسَحُ نَعلَهُ وَشِراكَها
And you see the fool among the people leave his honor
Sullied, while he wipes his sandal and its strap.
خُرقاًout of foolishness إِذاwhen راضَhe manages الأُمورَaffairs بِنَفسِهِby himself
خُرقاً إِذا راضَ الأُمورَ بِنَفسِهِ
مِثلَlike العَدوِّthe enemy لَهاto them يُريدُhe seeks هَلاكَهاtheir ruin
مِثلَ العَدوِّ لَها يُريدُ هَلاكَها
Out of folly, when he manages affairs himself,
Like their enemy, he seeks their ruin.
لاdo not تُلقِيَنَّever utter مَقالَةًa statement مَشهورَةًmade public
لا تُلقِيَنَّ مَقالَةً مَشهورَةً
لاnot تَستَطيعُyou can إِذاonce مَضَتit has gone forth إِدراكَهاcatching up with it
لا تَستَطيعُ إِذا مَضَت إِدراكَها
Never let loose a public utterance
That you cannot retrieve once it has gone forth.