There was a kind-hearted man, covering his creation

Who was silent for a while in Egypt

The wise men of both near and far

Gathered around him like moths seeking light

One night, he thought deeply in his heart

That a man’s true self is hidden beneath his tongue

If I keep such thoughts to myself

How will people know that I am learned?

He spoke, and both enemy and friend knew

That in Egypt there was none more ignorant than him

His presence became disorderly, and his actions were disgraceful

He traveled and wrote on the arch of the mosque

If I had seen myself in the mirror

I would not have uncovered my ignorance

I took off that veil and revealed such ugliness

Thinking I was fair and noble

A quiet voice should have a sharp fame

Once spoken, if it has no prominence, it escapes

You, silence, O lord of wisdom

Dignity is the veil for the unworthy

If you are a scholar, do not abandon your dignity

And if you are ignorant, do not uncover your veil

Do not quickly reveal your heart’s secrets

For whenever you wish, you can reveal them

But when a man’s secret is revealed

It should not be hidden again with effort

The pen hides the secret of the king so well

That until a knife is at his head, it is not spoken

The animals are silent, and mankind speaks

It is better to be silent than to speak evil

When people speak, they must do so with awareness

Otherwise, they will become like mute animals

Speech is a gift, and human reason is apparent

Do not be like the parrot, speaking foolishly

The speech of a human is better than that of animals

Animals are better off if you do not speak wrongly