الجَهلُ بَعدَ الأَربَعينَ قَبيحُ

الجَهلُ بَعدَ الأَربَعينَ قَبيحُ

فَزَعِ الفُؤادَ وَإِن ثَناهُ جُموحُ

فَزَعِ الفُؤادَ وَإِن ثَناهُ جُموحُ

Folly after forty is unbecoming.

Ignorance after forty is shameful

So restrain the heart, even if unruliness turns it aside.

So calm your anxious heart even if it protests

وَبِعِ السَفاهَةَ بِالوَقارِ وَبِالنُهى

وَبِعِ السَفاهَةَ بِالوَقارِ وَبِالنُهى

ثَمَنٌ لَعَمرُكَ إِن فَعَلتَ رَبيحُ

ثَمَنٌ لَعَمرُكَ إِن فَعَلتَ رَبيحُ

And sell foolishness for dignity and reason—

And sell foolishness through dignity and prohibition

A profitable price, by your life, if you do so.

A profitable price indeed if you do so

فَلَقَد حَدا بِكَ حادِيانِ إِلى البِلى

فَلَقَد حَدا بِكَ حادِيانِ إِلى البِلى

وَدَعاكَ داعٍ لِلرَحيلِ فَصيحُ

وَدَعاكَ داعٍ لِلرَحيلِ فَصيحُ

For two drivers have indeed urged you toward decay,

For two guides have directed you to ruin

And an eloquent caller has summoned you to departure.

And a caller has summoned you to depart, loudly shouting