اُنظُرlook إِلىat قُرَناءِcompanions المَرءِthe man تَعرِفُهُyou will know him
اُنظُر إِلى قُرَناءِ المَرءِ تَعرِفُهُ
بِهِمthrough them وَإِنand even if أَنتَyou لَمdid not تَكشِفهُinvestigate him عَنfor خَبَرِinformation
بِهِم وَإِن أَنتَ لَم تَكشِفهُ عَن خَبَرِ
Look at a man's companions: you will know him
Look at a man's companions to know him
Through them, even if you have not sought to learn about him.
Though you have no news of him before.
فَلَستُfor I am not بِأَوَّلِthe first مَنone who فاتَهُeluded him
فَلَستُ بِأَوَّلِ مَن فاتَهُ
عَلىdespite إِربِهِhis resourcefulness بَعضُsome ماwhat يَطلُبُhe seeks
عَلى إِربِهِ بَعضُ ما يَطلُبُ
For I am not the first to fail to attain
I'm not the first one who missed
Some of what he seeks, despite his resourcefulness.
Some of what he sought from his loved one.
وَكائِنand many a تَعَرَّضَcame forward مِنof خاطِبٍsuitor
وَكائِن تَعَرَّضَ مِن خاطِبٍ
فَزُوِّجَso he was married to غَيرَsomeone other than الَّتيthe woman whom يَخطِبُhe seeks in marriage
فَزُوِّجَ غَيرَ الَّتي يَخطِبُ
And many a suitor has come forward,
Many a suitor has tried
Only to be married to a woman other than the one he seeks.
Yet she he sought was wed to another,
وَأُنكِحَهاand was married to her بَعدَهُafter him غَيرُهُsomeone other than him
وَأُنكِحَها بَعدَهُ غَيرُهُ
وَكانَتand she was لَهُto him قَبلَهُbefore him تُحجَبُkept veiled
وَكانَت لَهُ قَبلَهُ تُحجَبُ
And another was married to her after him,
And she was married after him to someone else
And before that she had been kept veiled from him.
Though she was forbidden to him before.
وَكُنّاand we were حَديثاًrecently صَفِيَّينِtwo close companions لاnot
وَكُنّا حَديثاً صَفِيَّينِ لا
نَخافُwe fear الوُشاةَthe tale-bearers وَماand what سَبَّبواthey caused
نَخافُ الوُشاةَ وَما سَبَّبوا
And not long ago we were two close companions, not
We were close friends, sincere,
Fearing the tale-bearers or what they brought about.
Fearing no slanderers and their schemes.
فَإِنso if شَطَّتِgrew distant الدارُthe dwelling عَنّاfrom us بِهاwith her
فَإِن شَطَّتِ الدارُ عَنّا بِها
فَبانَتso she departed وَفيand among الناسِpeople مُستَعتَبُa source of solace
فَبانَت وَفي الناسِ مُستَعتَبُ
So if her dwelling has carried her far from us,
But when the house parted us,
And she has departed, there is solace among people.
It was exposed, and blame fell on people.
وَأَصبَحَand has become صَدعُthe rift الَّذيthat which بَينَناis between us
وَأَصبَحَ صَدعُ الَّذي بَينَنا
كَصَدعِlike a crack in الزُجاجَةِthe glass vessel ماnot يُشعَبُis mended
كَصَدعِ الزُجاجَةِ ما يُشعَبُ
And the rift in the bond between us has become
The rift between us now
Like a crack in a glass vessel that cannot be mended,
Is like a crack in glass, unable to mend.
وَكَالدَرِّand like milk لَيسَتthere is not لَهُfor it رَجعَةٌa return
وَكَالدَرِّ لَيسَت لَهُ رَجعَةٌ
إِلىto الضَرعِthe udder مِنfrom بَعدِafter ماthat (clause marker) يُحلَبُit is milked
إِلى الضَرعِ مِن بَعدِ ما يُحلَبُ
And like milk, for which there is no return
Like a pearl, it has no way
To the udder after it has been milked.
Back to the oyster once taken out.
Sol 6.1