للَّهto God درُّexcellence عصابةٍa company جالستُهمI sat with them
للَّه درُّ عصابةٍ جالستُهم
وُقُرِdignified men المجالسthe gatherings عندamid طيشthe rashness الطائِشِof the reckless one
وُقُرِ المجالس عند طيش الطائِشِ
God bless the band whose company I kept—
God bless the company I sat with,
and the master of assemblies when a rash man runs wild:
Dignified in gatherings amid the reckless one's rashness;
منfrom ذيDhu (possessor of) رُعينٍRu'ayn فيamong الجماجمthe heads (chiefs) والذرىand the summits
من ذي رُعينٍ في الجماجم والذرى
أوor ذيDhu (possessor of) نواسNuwas الخيرthe good أوor ذيDhu (possessor of) فائِشFa'ish
أو ذي نواس الخير أو ذي فائِش
whether of Dhū Ruʿayn, among the great tribal houses and lofty peaks,
From Dhu Ru'ayn, among the heads and summits,
or of Dhū Nuwās the Good, or of Dhū Fāʾish;
Or good Dhu Nuwas, or Dhu Fa'ish.
صفُحٍforgiving men إذاwhen وترواthey are wronged لغيرnot out of مذلّةٍservility
صفُحٍ إذا وتروا لغير مذلّةٍ
طُلبٍseekers of redress لجارهمُfor their neighbor بخدشby scratching الخادشthe scratcher
طُلبٍ لجارهمُ بخدش الخادش
forgiving when wronged, but never from abasement,
Forgiving when wronged, but not from servility,
avenging their neighbor for even an aggressor’s scratch.
Seeking redress for their neighbor by scratching the scratcher.
لاnot يَنْبِشونَthey dig up عيوبَthe faults منone who آخاهُمُhas taken them as brothers
لا يَنْبِشونَ عيوبَ من آخاهُمُ
سَفَهاًout of folly ولؤْماًand baseness عندwhen نَبشthe digging النابشof the digger
سَفَهاً ولؤْماً عند نَبش النابش
They never dig up the faults of one who has befriended them
They do not dig up the faults of one who has befriended them,
in folly and meanness, as the fault-raker digs;
Out of folly and baseness, when the digger digs.
بلrather يسترُونthey shield علىon the basis of البراءةinnocence ودَّهُhis affection
بل يسترُون على البراءة ودَّهُ
منfrom كلevery عيبٍfault غيرexcept عيبa fault فاحشflagrant
من كل عيبٍ غير عيب فاحش
rather, even through estrangement, they preserve their affection for him
Rather, presuming innocence, they shield his affection
against every fault but a flagrant one.
From every fault except a flagrant one.
قومٌa people يردّونthey restore الحُشاشَةlife's last remnant بعدماafter
قومٌ يردّون الحُشاشَة بعدما
لمnot يبقremains منهمin them نَبْضةٌa pulse فيin الَراهشthe forearm vein
لم يبق منهم نَبْضةٌ في الَراهش
A people who restore life’s last spark after
A people who restore life's last remnant after
not a pulse remains in any of them, even in the veins;
No pulse remains in their forearm vein.
وتحاولand assail البطلthe champion البئيسَformidable رماحُهُمْtheir spears
وتحاول البطل البئيسَ رماحُهُمْ
فيظلso he remains بينamong لواطمslappers وخوامشand scratchers
فيظل بين لواطم وخوامش
whose spears assail the formidable champion,
And their spears assail the formidable champion,
leaving him amid women slapping cheeks and clawing faces.
So he remains among spears that slap and scratch.
يتناولونthey deal with عدوهمtheir enemy ووليَّهمand their ally
يتناولون عدوهم ووليَّهم
عنfrom قدرةٍpower بمهالكwith means of destruction ومعايشand means of livelihood
عن قدرةٍ بمهالك ومعايش
Their reach extends to enemy and ally alike,
They deal with their enemy and their ally,
through sheer power—with means of destruction and means of life.
From a position of power, with ruin and livelihood.
كمhow many فيهمُamong them منof نحلةٍa bee مجاجةٍpouring forth
كم فيهمُ من نحلةٍ مجاجةٍ
عسلَhoney الشفاءof healing وأفعوانٍand a male viper ناهشbiting
عسلَ الشفاء وأفعوانٍ ناهش
How many among them are a bee pouring forth
How many among them are bees pouring forth
healing honey—and a viper that bites!
Healing honey, and male vipers that bite!
Sol 6.1