تَرَفَّقْ فَإِنَّ الرِّفْقَ زَيْنٌ وَقَلَّمَا

تَرَفَّقْ فَإِنَّ الرِّفْقَ زَيْنٌ وَقَلَّمَا

يَنالُ الْفَتَى بِالْعُنْفِ ما كانَ طالِبَا

يَنالُ الْفَتَى بِالْعُنْفِ ما كانَ طالِبَا

Be gentle, for gentleness is an adornment, and seldom

Be gentle, for gentleness is beautiful, and rarely

does a young man attain by force what he sought.

Does a young man attain what he desires through force.

إِذَا لم يَكُنْ لِلْمَرْءِ عَقْلٌ يَرُدُّهُ

إِذَا لم يَكُنْ لِلْمَرْءِ عَقْلٌ يَرُدُّهُ

إِلَى الْحِلْمِ لَم يَبْرَحْ مَدَى الدَّهْرِ عاتِبَا

إِلَى الْحِلْمِ لَم يَبْرَحْ مَدَى الدَّهْرِ عاتِبَا

If a man lacks the judgment to bring him back

If a man has no wisdom to restrain him

to forbearance, he remains reproachful all his days.

And lead him to patience, he will live forever blaming.

وَإِنْ هُوَ لَمْ يَصْفَحْ عَنِ الْخِلِّ إِنْ هَفَا

وَإِنْ هُوَ لَمْ يَصْفَحْ عَنِ الْخِلِّ إِنْ هَفَا

أَقَامَ وَحِيداً أَوْ قَضَى الْعُمْرَ غَاضِبَا

أَقَامَ وَحِيداً أَوْ قَضَى الْعُمْرَ غَاضِبَا

And if he does not pardon his friend when he errs,

And if he does not forgive petty wrongs when asked,

he remains alone or spends his life in anger.

He will remain lonely or live out his life indignant.