وَماand no خَصلَةٌtrait قَدmay تَذلُّabase الرِجالَmen
وَما خَصلَةٌ قَد تَذلُّ الرِجالَ
بَأَسوَاworse وَأَخزَىand more shameful مِنthan المَسأَلَهbegging
بَأَسوَا وَأَخزَى مِن المَسأَلَه
No trait that can bring men low
No trait can make men lose dignity
is worse or more shameful than begging.
More severely and shamefully than begging.
فَإِنso if مُتَّyou die ضَرّاًfrom want فَلاthen do not تَسألَنever ask
فَإِن مُتَّ ضَرّاً فَلا تَسألَن
أَخاa brother of الجَهلِignorance مِنfrom مالِهِhis wealth خَردَلَهa mustard seed
أَخا الجَهلِ مِن مالِهِ خَردَلَه
So even if you die of want, never ask
So if you are in need, do not beg
an ignorant man for a mustard seed of his wealth,
From the ignorant man even a mustard seed.
فَتَرجِعso you return مِنfrom عِندِهِhis presence نادِماًregretful
فَتَرجِع مِن عِندِهِ نادِماً
وَتَقطَعand cut off مِنfrom كَفِّكَyour palm الأُنملَهthe fingertip
وَتَقطَع مِن كَفِّكَ الأُنملَه
lest you return from him regretful
For you will return from him regretful
and cut a fingertip from your hand.
And will cut off your finger tips.
وَإِنand if هوhe أَعطاكَgives you مَجهودَهُhis utmost
وَإِن هو أَعطاكَ مَجهودَهُ
فَلَيسَthen he is not بِأَعطىmore generous مِنthan المُكحُلَهthe kohl pot
فَلَيسَ بِأَعطى مِن المُكحُلَه
And even if he gives you all he can,
And if he gives you his pittance,
he is no more generous than a kohl pot.
It is not worth more than kohl.
Sol 6.1