هَوَانٌcontempt لِدُنْيَاfor a world غَزْلُهَاits yarn بِيَدِin the hand of النَّقْضِunraveling
هَوَانٌ لِدُنْيَا غَزْلُهَا بِيَدِ النَّقْضِ
إِذَاif لَمْnot تَكُنْbe تُرْضِيplease الذِيthe one who لَمْnot يَزَلْcease يُرْضِيplease
إِذَا لَمْ تَكُنْ تُرْضِي الذِي لَمْ يَزَلْ يُرْضِي
Scorn upon a world whose yarn lies in the hand of unraveling,
The world's allure is frail, woven by undoing hands,
Wretched is a world whose spun thread rests in the hands of unraveling,
If it does not please the one who never ceases to please.
When it cannot please Him who never ceased to please.
If it fails to please the One who never ceases to satisfy.
وَأَعْزِزْand how grievous! عَلَيْنَاto us أَنْthat يُعَزَّbe overcome الْعَزِيزُthe mighty one مَاwhile
وَأَعْزِزْ عَلَيْنَا أَنْ يُعَزَّ الْعَزِيزُ مَا
يَبُزُّrobs عُيُوناًeyes لِلْعُلاَin pursuit of glory لَذَّةَthe delight of الْغَمْضِslumber
يَبُزُّ عُيُوناً لِلْعُلاَ لَذَّةَ الْغَمْضِ
And how grievous to us that the mighty should be overcome, while
And it heartens us that the Almighty is honored
How grievous it is to us that the mighty should be exalted by what
he robs eyes seeking glory of the delight of slumber.
When eyes awe in joy at splendor’s radiant gleam.
Strips the eyes seeking glory of the pleasure of sleep.
أَتَرْجُوdo they hope? أَكُفُّpalms الْقَبْضِclenching بَسْطاًopening إِلَىtoward الذِيthe one who
أَتَرْجُو أَكُفُّ الْقَبْضِ بَسْطاً إِلَى الذِي
تَعَوَّدَwas accustomed to بَسْطاًopening لِلأَكُفِّfor the palms بِلاَwithout قَبْضِclenching
تَعَوَّدَ بَسْطاً لِلأَكُفِّ بِلاَ قَبْضِ
Do clenched hands hope to open toward the one
Would you grasp in closed fist what’s offered opened wide
Do tightly closed fists hope to extend toward the one
accustomed to opening palms without clenching?
By One who’s accustomed to unfold and bid take?
Who is accustomed to opening hands without withholding?
لِذَاكَfor that one خَلِيلٌa friend وَالْجَلِيلُand the noble one تُجِلُّهُyou revere him
لِذَاكَ خَلِيلٌ وَالْجَلِيلُ تُجِلُّهُ
عَلَىalthough أَنَّthat بَعْضَsome الشَّرِّevil أَهْوَنُless grievous مِنْthan بَعْضِothers
عَلَى أَنَّ بَعْضَ الشَّرِّ أَهْوَنُ مِنْ بَعْضِ
That man has a friend, and you revere the noble,
For that is the trusted Friend, the Majestic whom
For that reason, he is a close companion, and you revere the majestic,
Though some evils are less grievous than others.
Some evil's lighter than other evils, we find.
Even though some evils are lesser than others.
عَلَىalthough أَنَّthat بَعْضَsome الشَّرِّevil يَزْدَانُis adorned رَبُّهُits bearer
عَلَى أَنَّ بَعْضَ الشَّرِّ يَزْدَانُ رَبُّهُ
كَمَاjust as ازْدَانَwas adorned خَدُّthe cheek of الأَبْيَضِthe fair-skinned one الْبَضِّtender-skinned بِالْعَضِّby biting
كَمَا ازْدَانَ خَدُّ الأَبْيَضِ الْبَضِّ بِالْعَضِّ
Though some evil adorns its bearer,
So the Lord adorns some evil, as the cheek
Even though the master of some evil is adorned by it,
As a bite adorns the cheek of the fair, tender-skinned one.
Of fair ones is adorned by a beauty spot.
Just as the fair, tender cheek is adorned by a bite.
فَشَرٌّso an evil يَسُوقُbrings الْخَيْرَgood بَيْنَbetween بُرُودِهِits robes
فَشَرٌّ يَسُوقُ الْخَيْرَ بَيْنَ بُرُودِهِ
عَظِيماًgreat هُوَit is الْخَيْرُgoodness الْمُعَافَىsafeguarded مِنَfrom النَّقْضِundoing
عَظِيماً هُوَ الْخَيْرُ الْمُعَافَى مِنَ النَّقْضِ
So an evil that brings good within its robes—
Thus evil leads to good in its cool interstices—
Thus, an evil that drives goodness within its garments
great good—is goodness safeguarded from undoing.
Immense is that good, safe from all undoing.
Is truly a great good, safe from being undone.
وَمَاand not هَذِهِthese الأَيَّامُdays إِلاَّexcept أَرَاقِمٌspeckled serpents
وَمَا هَذِهِ الأَيَّامُ إِلاَّ أَرَاقِمٌ
وَإِنَّand even if بَرَزَتْthey appear فِيin زَيِّthe guise of زُخْرُفِهَاtheir finery الْغَضِّfresh
وَإِنَّ بَرَزَتْ فِي زَيِّ زُخْرُفِهَا الْغَضِّ
And these days are nothing but speckled serpents,
These days are but ciphers, though they don
And these days are nothing but venomous serpents,
Even if they appear clad in their fresh finery.
Finery and ornaments of spangled gloss.
Even if they appear in the guise of fresh adornments.
إِذَاif سَالَمَتْthey leave unharmed مِنْfrom بَعْضِsome of مَاwhat قَدْalready تَلَمَّظَتْthey have licked their lips
إِذَا سَالَمَتْ مِنْ بَعْضِ مَا قَدْ تَلَمَّظَتْ
فَذَلِكَthen that مِنْهَاfrom them الْخَيْرُthe good ذُوpossessing الطُّولِlength وَالْعَرْضِand breadth
فَذَلِكَ مِنْهَا الْخَيْرُ ذُو الطُّولِ وَالْعَرْضِ
If they spare you some of what they have licked their lips for,
When they're spared somewhat of their vileness,
If they spare you from some of what they hungered for,
That is their goodness in all its length and breadth.
That's the good in them, long and wide.
Then that is a vast goodness from them, immense in length and breadth.
يُعَالِجُcontends with مِنْهَاfrom them الْمَرْءُa person كَيْدَthe guile of مُنَافِقٍa hypocrite
يُعَالِجُ مِنْهَا الْمَرْءُ كَيْدَ مُنَافِقٍ
تُرِيهِthey show him ابْتِسَاماًa smile وَهْيَwhile they تَغْلِيseethe مِنَfrom الْبُغْضِhatred
تُرِيهِ ابْتِسَاماً وَهْيَ تَغْلِي مِنَ الْبُغْضِ
A man contends with a hypocrite's guile from them;
One contends thereby with the guile of hypocrites
From them, a man must endure the deceit of a hypocrite,
They show him a smile while seething with hatred.
Who smile at you while boiling with hatred inside.
Showing him a smile while boiling with hatred.
كَمَاjust as اخْرَنْبَقَcoiled itself الأَفْعَىthe viper لِيَنْبَاعَto spring forth دُفْعَةًall at once
كَمَا اخْرَنْبَقَ الأَفْعَى لِيَنْبَاعَ دُفْعَةً
فَلاَso do not تَحْسِبَنَّever suppose الأَيْمَthe serpent أَطْرَقَlowered its head مِنْout of غَضِّmodesty
فَلاَ تَحْسِبَنَّ الأَيْمَ أَطْرَقَ مِنْ غَضِّ
As the viper coils itself to spring forth all at once,
As the viper squatted to suddenly spring forth,
Just as the viper lies low to spring all at once,
So never think the serpent lowers its head from modesty.
Do not think the moment it glanced down was out of remorse.
So do not think the serpent lowers its head out of modesty.
وَيَعْلَمُand learns مَاwhat فِيin طَبْعِهَاtheir nature بِامْتِحَانِهَاby testing them
وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي طَبْعِهَا بِامْتِحَانِهَا
كَمَاjust as يُدْرَكُis detected الدَّاءُthe disease الدَّفِينُhidden مِنَfrom النَّبْضِthe pulse
كَمَا يُدْرَكُ الدَّاءُ الدَّفِينُ مِنَ النَّبْضِ
And one learns what lies in their nature by testing them,
And one knows its nature by testing it,
And one learns what lies in its nature by testing it,
As a hidden disease is detected from the pulse.
As a hidden malady's known from the pulse.
Just as a hidden disease is detected from the pulse.
فَلِلَّهِso, to God عَيْناًan eye مَنْwho? رَأَىhas seen مِثْلَthe like of مَنْone who يَرَىsees
فَلِلَّهِ عَيْناً مَنْ رَأَى مِثْلَ مَنْ يَرَى
كَوَارِثَهَاtheir calamities رَحْضاًa cleansing لَهُfor him أَيَّمَاwhat a رَحْضِcleansing
كَوَارِثَهَا رَحْضاً لَهُ أَيَّمَا رَحْضِ
God bless that eye! Who has seen the like of one who sees
God bless the eye of one who sees what he sees—
How divine are the eyes of one who sees, like him who views
their calamities as cleansing for himself—what a cleansing!
Sees its caprices as coloring all it surveys.
Its disasters as a profound cleansing for himself.
فَلاَso not يَزْدَهِيهِِmakes him vain الرَّفْعُelevation إِنif شَامَglimpses بَرْقُهُits lightning
فَلاَ يَزْدَهِيهِِ الرَّفْعُ إِن شَامَ بَرْقُهُ
وَلاَand not يَنْزَوِيshrinks لِلْخَفْضِat abasement إِنْif سِيمَis subjected بِالْخَفْضِto abasement
وَلاَ يَنْزَوِي لِلْخَفْضِ إِنْ سِيمَ بِالْخَفْضِ
So elevation does not make him vain if he glimpses its lightning,
Elevation cannot make him vain if his gleam rises high,
He is not made arrogant by elevation if he spots its lightning,
Nor does he shrink from abasement if abasement is imposed on him.
Nor will he shrink from abasement if it casts him low.
Nor does he shrink away if subjected to abasement.
فَذَاكَso that one الذِيwho يَحْتَاجُneeds جَمْعَthe whole host of خُطُوبِهَاtheir trials
فَذَاكَ الذِي يَحْتَاجُ جَمْعَ خُطُوبِهَا
بِجَمْعٍwith a united force مِنَof التَّأْيِيدِsupport لَيْسَis not بِمُرْفَضِّdispersing
بِجَمْعٍ مِنَ التَّأْيِيدِ لَيْسَ بِمُرْفَضِّ
Thus he is the one who needs their gathered trials,
That's the one who needs to meet its diverse woes
He is the one who requires that the gathering of its afflictions
With a united force of support that never disperses.
With diverse aid, not rejected or pushed away.
Be met with a gathering of support that never disperses.
يُقَابِلُهَاfaces them مِنْfrom دُونِwithout تَحْرِيقِgrinding أُرَّمٍmolars
يُقَابِلُهَا مِنْ دُونِ تَحْرِيقِ أُرَّمٍ
بِرَأْيٍwith judgment لأَِبْكَارupon the first occurrences of ِالْحَوَادِثِevents مُنْقَضِّswooping down
بِرَأْيٍ لأَِبْكَار ِالْحَوَادِثِ مُنْقَضِّ
He faces them without grinding his molars,
He counters it, without burning anchors,
He confronts them without gnashing his teeth in rage,
With judgment that swoops upon unprecedented events,
With opinons open to the new, e'er dissolving.
With a sharp intellect that swoops down on unprecedented events.
إِلَىuntil أَنْthat تَصِيرَbecome السُّودُthe black ones بِيضاًwhite وَفِعْلُهَاand their effect
إِلَى أَنْ تَصِيرَ السُّودُ بِيضاً وَفِعْلُهَا
بِجَمْعِupon the host of الأَعَادِيenemies السُّودِblack لَيْسَis not بِمُبْيَضِّturning white
بِجَمْعِ الأَعَادِي السُّودِ لَيْسَ بِمُبْيَضِّ
Until black calamities turn white; yet their effect
Until the blacks turn white by its actions,
Until the dark days turn white, though their effect
upon the host of black foes is never whitened.
And the throng of foes fails to whiten its darkness.
Upon the gathering of dark enemies does not turn white.
أَقُولُI speak فَإِنَّfor indeed الْقَوْلَspeech يَنْفَعُbenefits غُلَّةًburning thirst
أَقُولُ فَإِنَّ الْقَوْلَ يَنْفَعُ غُلَّةً
وَيُطْفِئُand quenches لَوْعَاتٍagonies وَيَشْفِيand heals مِنَfrom الْمَضِّgnawing pain
وَيُطْفِئُ لَوْعَاتٍ وَيَشْفِي مِنَ الْمَضِّ
I speak, for speech allays a burning thirst,
I say verily, for the word benefits an ache,
I speak, for speaking soothes a burning thirst,
And quenches agonies and brings healing from gnawing pain.
And douses torments and cures the hurt.
And extinguishes anguish, and heals from the sting of pain.
وَيَقْضِيand gives judgment عَلَىdespite عِلاَّتِهِits flaws بِسِيَاسَةٍwith statesmanship
وَيَقْضِي عَلَى عِلاَّتِهِ بِسِيَاسَةٍ
إِذَاwhen النَّاسُpeople مَقْضِيٌّone judged عَلَيْهِagainst him وَمُسْتَقْضِand one seeking judgment
إِذَا النَّاسُ مَقْضِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ وَمُسْتَقْضِ
And, despite its flaws, gives judgment with statesmanship,
And it decides on the illness with wise governance
And he renders judgment, despite its burdens, with wise policy,
When people are either judged against or seeking judgment.
When people are hostage to it, and it holds sway.
When people are either subjected to judgment or demanding it.
أَقُولُI speak وَهَلْand is? يُلْفَىfound لِقَوْلِيَfor my words عَائِبٌa faultfinder
أَقُولُ وَهَلْ يُلْفَى لِقَوْلِيَ عَائِبٌ
إِذَاwhen مَاemphatic particle مَضَىadvances قُدْماًboldly forward إِذَاwhen الْقَوْلُspeech لَمْnot يَمْضِadvance
إِذَا مَا مَضَى قُدْماً إِذَا الْقَوْلُ لَمْ يَمْضِ
I speak—and can anyone be found to fault my words,
I say, and can fault be found with my word
I speak, and could there be found any faultfinder for my words,
When they press boldly onward where speech fails to advance?
Once spoken forthrightly, and the saying holds true?
When they advance boldly while other words fail to pass?
إذَاif لَمْnot تَحُوطُواyou all safeguard الأَرْضَthe earth مِنْfrom رَجَفَانِهَاits trembling
إذَا لَمْ تَحُوطُوا الأَرْضَ مِنْ رَجَفَانِهَا
فَغَضْبَةُthen the wrath of مَنْthe One who أَسْمَىraised السَّمَاءَthe sky عَلَىabove الأَرْضِthe earth
فَغَضْبَةُ مَنْ أَسْمَى السَّمَاءَ عَلَى الأَرْضِ
If you do not guard the earth against its trembling,
If you cannot contain the earth from its shaking,
If you do not protect the earth from its trembling,
Then comes the wrath of Him who raised the sky above the earth.
The wrath of Him Who highest named the heavens will be upon the earth.
Then the wrath of Him who raised the heavens will fall upon the earth.
أَلاَbehold إِنَّindeed ذَاكَthat الْمِثْلَexemplar أَنْتَyou وَوَالِدٌand a father
أَلاَ إِنَّ ذَاكَ الْمِثْلَ أَنْتَ وَوَالِدٌ
نَهُوضٌever rising بِأَعْبَاءِbearing the burdens of الْعُلاَglory صَادِقُsteadfast النَّهْضِendeavor
نَهُوضٌ بِأَعْبَاءِ الْعُلاَ صَادِقُ النَّهْضِ
Behold, that exemplar is you and your father,
Verily, that parable is you and parent—
Indeed, you are that ideal example, alongside a father
Ever rising to bear glory's burdens, steadfast in his endeavor.
Rising with the burdens of sublime sincerity.
Who rises to bear the burdens of glory, true in his rising.
Sol 6.1