وإَذا أَرَدْتَ تَرى فَضيلَةَ صَاحِبٍ

وإَذا أَرَدْتَ تَرى فَضيلَةَ صَاحِبٍ

فَانْظُرْ بِعَيْنِ البَحْثِ مَنْ نُدْمانُهُ

فَانْظُرْ بِعَيْنِ البَحْثِ مَنْ نُدْمانُهُ

And if you wish to see a companion's worth,

When you want to see the virtue of a friend

Then look with an inquiring eye at who his boon companions are.

Look with the eye of insight at who is close to him

فَالمَرْءُ مَطْويٌّ عَلى عِلاَّتِهِ

فَالمَرْءُ مَطْويٌّ عَلى عِلاَّتِهِ

طَيَّ الكِتابِ وصَحْبُهُ عُنْوَانُهُ

طَيَّ الكِتابِ وصَحْبُهُ عُنْوَانُهُ

For a man is folded shut upon his faults,

For a person is folded over his own nature

As a book is folded, and his companions are his title.

Like the folds of a book, and his friends are its title