اِنّي لِأعرض عَن أشياء أسمعها

اِنّي لِأعرض عَن أشياء أسمعها

حَتّى يَظن رِجال أَن بي حمقا

حَتّى يَظن رِجال أَن بي حمقا

Indeed, I turn away from things I hear,

Indeed, I turn away from things I hear,

until some men suppose there is folly in me.

Until men think me foolish.

اِخشى جَواب سَفيه لا حياء لهُ

اِخشى جَواب سَفيه لا حياء لهُ

فَسَل يَظن رِجال أَنَّهُ صدقا

فَسَل يَظن رِجال أَنَّهُ صدقا

I fear the retort of a fool who has no shame—

I fear the reply of a fool who has no shame,

so ask around: some men think he spoke the truth.

A base fellow men think has spoken the truth.