طُرُقُpaths الرِجالِof men إِلىto المَعاليeminence جَمَّةٌmany
طُرُقُ الرِجالِ إِلى المَعالي جَمَّةٌ
شَتّىvaried فَدانٍso one is near قاصِدٌdirect وَبَعيدُand another far
شَتّى فَدانٍ قاصِدٌ وَبَعيدُ
Men’s paths to eminence are many,
Varied: some near and direct, others far.
وَاِبناكَand your two sons إِنeven if لَمdo not يَمثُلاresemble each other فيin خِلقَةٍphysical build
وَاِبناكَ إِن لَم يَمثُلا في خِلقَةٍ
فَكِلاهُماthen both of them فيin ماwhat يَرومُhe seeks سَديدُsound
فَكِلاهُما في ما يَرومُ سَديدُ
And your two sons, though unlike in build,
Are both sound in what each seeks.
كَرَماًin generosity فَهَذاso this one فيupon مَفارِقِthe hair-partings of عَصرِهِhis age
كَرَماً فَهَذا في مَفارِقِ عَصرِهِ
تاجٌa crown وَذاكَand that one بِصَفحَتَيهِat its two sides فَريدُa peerless jewel
تاجٌ وَذاكَ بِصَفحَتَيهِ فَريدُ
In generosity, this one, upon the head of his age,
Is a crown, and that one a peerless jewel at its two sides.
كَالرُمحِlike the spear وَالقَلَمِand the pen القَصيرِshort لِنِسبَةٍby analogy
كَالرُمحِ وَالقَلَمِ القَصيرِ لِنِسبَةٍ
وَكِلاهُماand both of them فيin مايَنوبُwhatever arises حَميدُpraiseworthy
وَكِلاهُما في مايَنوبُ حَميدُ
Like the spear and the short pen, by analogy,
And both are praiseworthy when need arises.
Sol 6.1