لاdo not تَأمَنَنَّever trust أَخاone possessed of العَداوَةِenmity إِنَّهُfor he
لا تَأمَنَنَّ أَخا العَداوَةِ إِنَّهُ
إِنif أَمكَنَتهُpresents itself to him فُرصَةٌan opportunity لَمnot يُمهَلِgrant respite
إِن أَمكَنَتهُ فُرصَةٌ لَم يُمهَلِ
Never trust one who bears you enmity, for he,
if a chance presents itself, will grant no respite.
لِلَّهِto God belongs دَرُّكَyour excellence كَيفَhow تَأمَنُcan you trust مُحنَقاًan enraged man
لِلَّهِ دَرُّكَ كَيفَ تَأمَنُ مُحنَقاً
تَغليboils عَداوَةُthe hatred صَدرِهِof his breast فيin مِرجَلِa cauldron
تَغلي عَداوَةُ صَدرِهِ في مِرجَلِ
God bless you! How can you trust an enraged man,
when the hatred in his breast boils in a cauldron?
ماnot الحَزمُprudence إِلّاexcept فيin اِجتِثاثِuprooting أُصولِهِhis roots
ما الحَزمُ إِلّا في اِجتِثاثِ أُصولِهِ
وَالأَيمُand the serpent لَمnot يُؤمَنbe trusted إِذاif لَمnot يُقتَلِbe killed
وَالأَيمُ لَم يُؤمَن إِذا لَم يُقتَلِ
Prudence lies only in tearing out his roots;
and a serpent cannot be trusted unless it is killed.