12ـ كُنْ عَلى حَذَر مِنَ الأحْمَقِ إذا صاحَبْتَهُ...

12ـ كُنْ عَلى حَذَر مِنَ الأحْمَقِ إذا صاحَبْتَهُ، ومِنَ الفاجِرِ إذا عاشَرْتَهُ، ومِنَ الظّالِمِ إذا عامَلْتَهُ. For the fool there is an oath with every statement.[^1] 13ـ لِلأحْمَقِ مََعَ كُلِّ قَوْل يَمِينٌ. Be careful not to love the fool, for he will surely harm you while he thinks that he is benefitting you and will annoy you while he thinks that he is pleasing you.

14ـ إيّاكَ ومَوَّدَةَ الأحْمَقِ، فَإنَّهُ يَضُرُّكَ مِنْ حَيْثُ يَرى أنَّهُ يَنْفَعُكَ، وَيَسُوءُكَ وهُوَ يَرى انَّه يَسُـرُّكَ. Keeping silent is the best response for a fool. 15ـ السُّكُوتُ عَلَى الأحْمَقِ أفْضَلُ جَوابِهِ. Increased fickleness is from the signs of a fool. 16ـ مِنْ أماراتِ الأحْمَقِ كَثْرَةُ تَلَوُّنِهِ. Putting up with a fool is a torment for the soul. 17ـ مُقاساةُ الأحْمَقِ عَذابُ الرُّوحِ. Never show respect to a fool, even if he is [apparently] great.

18ـ لاتَعْظِمَنَّ الأحْمَقَ، وإنْ كانَ كَبيراً. [^1]: i.e. he swears with every statement that he makes. Previous…