احذَرْBeware صديقَكَyour friend إنْif تَغَيَّرhe changes إنَّهُfor he is
احذَرْ صديقَكَ إنْ تَغَيَّر إنَّهُ
ضِدُّan adversary يُصيبstrikes الحُرَّthe noble man حينَwhen يعارضُhe opposes
ضِدُّ يُصيب الحُرَّ حينَ يعارضُ
Beware your friend if he changes, for he is
Beware of your friend if he changes
an adversary who strikes the noble man when he opposes him.
He is an opponent who wounds the free man when he opposes
فالخمرُFor wine يمتَعُdelights ذوقُهاits taste ونَسيمُهاand its fragrance
فالخمرُ يمتَعُ ذوقُها ونَسيمُها
فإذاand when استحالَتْit changes فهْيَthen it is خَلٌvinegar حامِضُsour
فإذا استحالَتْ فهْيَ خَلٌ حامِضُ
For wine's taste and fragrance give delight;
Wine delights the taste and its breeze
and when it changes, it is sour vinegar.
But when it sours it becomes bitter vinegar