يامَنO you whom يشافِهُهُaddresses him face to face النَّصيحُthe sincere adviser بنُصحِهِwith his counsel
يامَن يشافِهُهُ النَّصيحُ بنُصحِهِ
لِمْwhy أنتْyou مُتَّبِعٌa follower لنُصحِof the counsel of مُشافِهone speaking face to face
لِمْ أنتْ مُتَّبِعٌ لنُصحِ مُشافِه
O you whom the sincere adviser addresses face to face with his counsel,
Why do you follow the counsel of one who addresses you?
كَمْhow long ذاthis التَّعقُلُprudence فيin زَمانٍan age أخرقٍfoolish
كَمْ ذا التَّعقُلُ في زَمانٍ أخرقٍ
يجنيdoes harm علىto عُقَلائهِits wise people وظِرافِهِand its witty people
يجني على عُقَلائهِ وظِرافِهِ
How long this prudence in a foolish age
That wrongs its wise and witty people?
شافِهْaddress face to face زمانَكَyour age مُسعِداًobliging ومُقارباand conciliatory
شافِهْ زمانَكَ مُسعِداً ومُقاربا
فعسىso perhaps يرقُّwill soften مشافِهٌan interlocutor لمُشافِهِtoward an interlocutor
فعسى يرقُّ مشافِهٌ لمُشافِهِ
Address your age face to face, obliging and conciliatory,
So perhaps one interlocutor will soften toward another.
وإذاand if حَباكَit bestows on you بتافِهِwith a trifle فاقنَعْthen be content بهwith it
وإذا حَباكَ بتافِهِ فاقنَعْ به
واكسِبْand gain كَثيراًmuch تافِهاًof little worth منfrom تافِهِone of little worth
واكسِبْ كَثيراً تافِهاً من تافِهِ
And if it bestows a trifle on you, be content with it,
And gain much of little worth from one of little worth.
Translation model: Sol 6.1