ألا خَيْرُ ما لِلْمَرءِ عَقْلٌ يَزيْنُهُ

ألا خَيْرُ ما لِلْمَرءِ عَقْلٌ يَزيْنُهُ

فإنْ لم يَكُنْ عَقْلٌ فَجاهٌ ينفِّقُهْ

فإنْ لم يَكُنْ عَقْلٌ فَجاهٌ ينفِّقُهْ

Indeed, the best a man possesses is an intellect that adorns him.

Behold, the best a man can have is reason to adorn him,

So if he has no intellect, then prestige that wins him acceptance.

Else influence to promote him if no reason be his;

وإِلّا فمالٌ ساتِرٌ مِنْ عُوارِهِ

وإِلّا فمالٌ ساتِرٌ مِنْ عُوارِهِ

وما خيرُ سِتْرٍ قَدْ يُخافُ تَمَزُّقُهْ

وما خيرُ سِتْرٍ قَدْ يُخافُ تَمَزُّقُهْ

And otherwise, wealth that conceals some of his flaws.

Or wealth to veil his defects should reason miss him;

And what good is a covering whose tearing may be feared?

But the best of veils is that which naught can pierce.

فإنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ مِنْ ذِي الثَّلاثَةِ واحِدٌ

فإنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ مِنْ ذِي الثَّلاثَةِ واحِدٌ

فأوْلى لَهُ نارٌ مِنَ اللهِ تُحرِقُهْ

فأوْلى لَهُ نارٌ مِنَ اللهِ تُحرِقُهْ

So if he has none of these three,

If a man lack all three means let hell fire burn him;

Then more fitting for him is a fire from God that burns him.

'Tis best for him from his Lord in flames to perish.