كُن اِبنَ مَن شِئتَ واِكتَسِب أَدَباً

كُن اِبنَ مَن شِئتَ واِكتَسِب أَدَباً

يُغنيكَ مَحمُودُهُ عَنِ النَسَبِ

يُغنيكَ مَحمُودُهُ عَنِ النَسَبِ

Be the son of whomever you wish, and acquire refinement.

Be the son of whoever you wish and acquire good manners.

Be the son of whomever you wish, and acquire virtue,

Its praiseworthy merit will suffice you in place of lineage.

Its praise will suffice you instead of lineage.

Its praiseworthy merit will suffice you instead of lineage.

فَلَيسَ يُغني الحَسيبُ نِسبَتَهُ

فَلَيسَ يُغني الحَسيبُ نِسبَتَهُ

بِلا لِسانٍ لَهُ وَلا أَدَبِ

بِلا لِسانٍ لَهُ وَلا أَدَبِ

For his lineage does not avail the well-born man

Lineage will not avail the well-bred man

For ancestry is of no avail to the high-born,

Without an eloquent tongue of his own or refinement.

If he has no eloquence or literary talent.

If he possesses neither eloquence nor virtue.

إِنَّ الفَتى مَن يُقولُ ها أَنا ذا

إِنَّ الفَتى مَن يُقولُ ها أَنا ذا

لَيسَ الفَتى مَن يُقولُ كانَ أَبي

لَيسَ الفَتى مَن يُقولُ كانَ أَبي

Indeed, the true young man is one who says, 'Here I am!'

The real man is one who says 'Here I am'

Indeed, the true youth is he who says, "Here I am,"

The young man is not one who says, 'My father was...'

Not one who says 'My father was so and so'.

The true youth is not he who says, "My father was."