إِذا زَجَرتَ لَجُوجا زِدتَه عُلَقا

إِذا زَجَرتَ لَجُوجا زِدتَه عُلَقا

ولجَّتِ النَّفسُ منهُ في تَمَادِيها

ولجَّتِ النَّفسُ منهُ في تَمَادِيها

If you rebuke a stubborn man, you increase his obstinacy,

If you rebuke a stubborn man, you only add fuel to the flames,

and his soul persists stubbornly in its excesses.

And his soul becomes more stubborn in its persistence.

فَعُد عليه إذا ما نَفسُه جَمَحت

فَعُد عليه إذا ما نَفسُه جَمَحت

باللينِ مِنكَ فإنَّ اللِّينَ يَثنيِها

باللينِ مِنكَ فإنَّ اللِّينَ يَثنيِها

So return to him when his soul runs wild,

So return to him with gentleness when his soul is restless,

with your gentleness, for gentleness turns it back.

For gentleness can dissuade it.