وَماand what خَيرُgood مَنone who لاnot يَنفَعُbenefits الأَهلَthe family مالُهُhis wealth
وَما خَيرُ مَن لا يَنفَعُ الأَهلَ مالُهُ
فَإِنfor if ماتَhe dies لَمnot تَحزَنgrieve عَلَيهِfor him أَقارِبُهْhis relatives
فَإِن ماتَ لَم تَحزَن عَلَيهِ أَقارِبُهْ
What good is a man whose wealth brings his family no benefit?
And what good is one whose wealth does not benefit his family?
For if he dies, his relatives will not mourn him.
For if he dies, his relatives will not grieve for him.
كَهامٌineffectual عَنِagainst الأَقصىthose farther away كَليلٌblunt لِسانُهُhis tongue
كَهامٌ عَنِ الأَقصى كَليلٌ لِسانُهُ
وَفيand among البَشَرِpeople الأَدنىthe nearest حَديدٌsharp مَخالِبُهْhis claws
وَفي البَشَرِ الأَدنى حَديدٌ مَخالِبُهْ
Against a distant foe, all they have in him is a dull tongue;
He is ineffectual against those farther away, his tongue blunt;
yet among those nearest him, his claws are iron-sharp.
Yet among those nearest to him, his claws are sharp.
