للمرءِfor a person قبلَbefore سماعِhearing وعظِadmonition الواعظِthe preacher
للمرءِ قبلَ سماعِ وعظِ الواعظِ
منfrom نفسهhis own self تبدوappear أجلُّthe greatest مواعظِadmonitions
من نفسه تبدو أجلُّ مواعظِ
For a man, before hearing the preacher's admonition,
Before listening to the preacher's sermon
the greatest admonitions emerge from his own soul.
Advice that comes from within is far superior
فاطلُبْso seek طريقَthe path العدلِjustice لاdo not تعدلْswerve مدىthroughout الthe (split article)
فاطلُبْ طريقَ العدلِ لا تعدلْ مدى ال
أيامِdays عنهfrom it وقلand say لنفسكto your own soul حافظيkeep watch
أيامِ عنه وقل لنفسك حافظي
So seek the path of justice; never swerve, throughout the
So seek the path of justice, do not deviate
days, from it; and tell your soul, 'Keep watch.'
From it, and say to yourself "be mindful!"
واكنُفْand restrain لحاظَكyour glances ماas long as حييتَyou live فكمfor many a جوًىburning heartache
واكنُفْ لحاظَك ما حييتَ فكم جوًى
أذكَتْهُkindled it فيin الأحشاءِthe inward parts لحظةُa glance لاحِظِa beholder
أذكَتْهُ في الأحشاءِ لحظةُ لاحِظِ
And restrain your glances as long as you live; for many a heartache
And shield your gaze for as long as you live
a beholder's glance has kindled in the inward parts.
For how many desires has an instant ignited in one's heart!
ياO طالباًseeker للكيمياءِfor alchemy أقِلّdesist قدalready
يا طالباً للكيمياءِ أقِلّ قد
أصبحتَyou have become ويْكَwoe to you حليفَa sworn companion of عيشٍa life باهظِburdensome
أصبحتَ ويْكَ حليفَ عيشٍ باهظِ
O seeker of alchemy, desist; already
O seeker of alchemy, your means are few
you have become—woe to you—the sworn companion of a burdensome life.
Yet your lifestyle is lavish
ماnot صحّproved true علمُthe science الكيمياءِalchemy لغيرِfor anyone other than مُدpanegyrists (first word-fragment)
ما صحّ علمُ الكيمياءِ لغيرِ مُد
احِpanegyrists (final word-fragment) الإمامthe imam الأريحيّthe generous الحافظِthe Hafiz (memorizer)
احِ الإمام الأريحيّ الحافظِ
The art of alchemy has proved true for none but the panegyrists
The science of alchemy cannot be sound
of the generous imam, the Hafiz.
Except through the efforts of Imam Al-Arahi the vigilant
يعطيهمُhe gives them الأموالَwealth إذwhen يُعطونَهthey give him
يعطيهمُ الأموالَ إذ يُعطونَه
لفظاًa word وماand what مقدارُthe worth لفظِa word اللافظِthe speaker
لفظاً وما مقدارُ لفظِ اللافظِ
He gives them wealth when they give him
They give them money when the latter only
a word—and what is a speaker's word worth?
Offer words, and what are words worth from the gabbler!
فيin حِلمِthe forbearance of أحنفَAhnaf يستبينُhe is manifest وفيand in تواwritings (first word-fragment)
في حِلمِ أحنفَ يستبينُ وفي توا
ليفwritings (final word-fragment) ابنِIbn (son of) بحرٍBahr ذيpossessor of العلومthe sciences الجاحظِal-Jahiz
ليف ابنِ بحرٍ ذي العلوم الجاحظِ
He is manifest in Ahnaf's forbearance, and in the writings
In the dreams of the fair-minded, clarity is apparent
of Ibn Bahr, al-Jahiz, master of the sciences.
And in the works of Ibn Bahr the prolific scholar
يُحييhe keeps alive الثناءَpraise وغيرُهand others besides him فيin غفلةٍheedlessness
يُحيي الثناءَ وغيرُه في غفلةٍ
عنهof it وماand not المُشْتارُthe honey-gatherer مثلlike القارظِthe gatherer of tanning leaves
عنه وما المُشْتارُ مثل القارظِ
He keeps praise alive, while others are heedless
He brings praise to life while others negligently
of it; the honey-gatherer is not like the gatherer of tanning leaves.
Forget him, for who is like the watchful critic!
دامَmay remain الزمانُTime علىto الثوابreward محافظاًdevoted
دامَ الزمانُ على الثواب محافظاً
وعلىand to ارتكابِcommitting الإثْمِsin غيرnot محافظِdevoted
وعلى ارتكابِ الإثْمِ غير محافظِ
May Time remain ever devoted to reward,
May time always reward good deeds
and never devoted to committing sin.
And abstain from committing sins without being mindful
Sol 6.1