تخذتكُمُI took you دِرعاًarmor وتُرساًand a shield لتدفعواso that you might repel
تخذتكُمُ دِرعاً وتُرساً لتدفعوا
نِبَاَلarrows العداthe foes عنِّيfrom me فكنتُمْyet you became نصالَهاtheir arrowheads
نِبَاَل العدا عنِّي فكنتُمْ نصالَها
I took you as armor and shield, that you might ward off
I took you as armor and a shield, so you might ward off
the foes’ arrows from me—but you became their very points.
the foes' arrows from me—yet you became their arrowheads.
وقدand indeed كنتُI was أرجوhoping منكُمfrom you خيرَthe best ناصرٍhelper
وقد كنتُ أرجو منكُم خيرَ ناصرٍ
علىat حينِthe time of خذلانforsaking اليمينthe right hand شِمالَهاits left hand
على حينِ خذلان اليمين شِمالَها
I had hoped to find in you the best of helpers,
And I had hoped to find in you the finest helper,
when the left hand had forsaken the right.
at a time when the right hand forsook its left.
فإنْso if أنتُمُyou لمnot تحفظواuphold لمودّتيfor my affection
فإنْ أنتُمُ لم تحفظوا لمودّتي
ذِماماًa bond of loyalty فكونواthen be لاnot عليهاagainst it ولاnor لَهاfor it
ذِماماً فكونوا لا عليها ولا لَها
So if you will not preserve, for the sake of my friendship,
So if you have not upheld, for my affection,
a sacred bond, then be neither against it nor for it.
a bond of loyalty, then be neither against it nor for it.
قفواstand موقفَthe stance of المعذورِone excused عنّيaway from me بمعزلٍin isolation
قفوا موقفَ المعذورِ عنّي بمعزلٍ
وخلّواand leave نباليmy arrows والعِداand the foes ونبالَهاand their arrows
وخلّوا نبالي والعِدا ونبالَها
Stand apart from me in the place of one excused,
Take the stance of one excused, apart from me,
and leave my arrows, the foe, and their arrows alone.
and leave my arrows, the foes, and their arrows alone.
فكمfor how many مِنof أعادٍfoes قدindeed نصلْتُI have outshot رُماتَهاtheir archers
فكم مِن أعادٍ قد نصلْتُ رُماتَها
وكمand how many منof رجالٍmen ماnot استَبَنتُI noticed اعتزالَهاtheir withdrawal
وكم من رجالٍ ما استَبَنتُ اعتزالَها
How many enemies’ archers have I disarmed,
For I have outshot the archers of many a foe,
and how many men withdrew without my even noticing!
and never noticed the withdrawal of many men.
وماand not أوْحشتْنيdismayed me وِحدةٌsolitude معْwith مذلَّةٍhumiliation
وما أوْحشتْني وِحدةٌ معْ مذلَّةٍ
إذاwhen الحربُwar صفَّتْarrayed خيلَهاits horses ورجالَهاand its men
إذا الحربُ صفَّتْ خيلَها ورجالَها
Nor has solitude, coupled with humiliation, made me desolate
Nor has solitude amid humiliation dismayed me,
when war arrays its cavalry and infantry.
when war arrays its horses and its men.
هيit النفسُthe soul إمّاeither أنto تعيشَlive بغبطةٍin happiness
هي النفسُ إمّا أن تعيشَ بغبطةٍ
وإلاand otherwise فغنمٌthen a gain أنto تزولَpass away زوالَهاits passing away
وإلا فغنمٌ أن تزولَ زوالَها
Such is the soul: either it lives in gladness,
It is the soul: either it lives in happiness,
or else it is gain for it to pass utterly away.
or else it is a gain for it to pass away.
عفاءٌobliteration علىupon ذكرِthe mention of الحياةِlife إذاwhen حمتْit withheld
عفاءٌ على ذكرِ الحياةِ إذا حمتْ
علىfrom المرءِa man إلاexcept رنْقهاits turbid water وسِمالَهاand its dregs
على المرءِ إلا رنْقها وسِمالَها
Let all remembrance of life be effaced, if it withholds
May oblivion fall upon the mention of life, when it withholds
from a man all but its murk and dregs.
from a man all but its turbid water and its dregs.
Sol 6.1