أَلَمhave ... not? تَرَyou seen انّيthat I وَالتَكرُّمُand noble conduct شيمَتيmy nature
أَلَم تَرَ انّي وَالتَكرُّمُ شيمَتي
وَكُلُّand every امرىءٍperson جارٍproceeding عَلىaccording to ماwhat تَعَوَّداhe has grown accustomed to
وَكُلُّ امرىءٍ جارٍ عَلى ما تَعَوَّدا
Have you not seen that generosity is my nature,
Have you not seen that I—nobility being my nature,
and that every man proceeds as he has accustomed himself?
and every man following his accustomed way—
أُطَهِّرI cleanse أَثوابيmy garments مِنَof الغَدرِtreachery والخَناand foulness
أُطَهِّر أَثوابي مِنَ الغَدرِ والخَنا
وَأَنحوand I strive إِلىtoward ماwhat كانَis خَيراًbetter وَأَمجَداand more glorious
وَأَنحو إِلى ما كانَ خَيراً وَأَمجَدا
I keep my garments unstained by treachery and obscenity,
cleanse my garments of treachery and foulness,
and incline toward whatever is better and more glorious.
and seek what is better and more glorious?
وَشاعِرِand many a poet سوءٍof wickedness يَهضِمُmangles القَولَverse كُلَّهُall of it
وَشاعِرِ سوءٍ يَهضِمُ القَولَ كُلَّهُ
إِذاwhenever قالَhe speaks أَقوىmismatches rhyme-ending vowels ماwhat يَقولُhe says وَأَسنَداand mismatches pre-rhyme sounds
إِذا قالَ أَقوى ما يَقولُ وَأَسنَدا
And many a wretched poet who does violence to all speech—
And many a vile poet who mangles all his verse,
when he recites, he commits both iqwāʾ and sinād.
whenever he speaks, mismatching rhyme vowels and pre-rhyme sounds—
صَفحتُI pardoned لَهُhim بَعدَafter الأَناةِpatient deliberation فَرُعتُهُthen I terrified him
صَفحتُ لَهُ بَعدَ الأَناةِ فَرُعتُهُ
بِحَرباءَwith a chameleon-like satire لَمnot يعلمhe knew لَهاfor it كَيفَhow أَرصَداto prepare a defense
بِحَرباءَ لَم يعلم لَها كَيفَ أَرصَدا
After patient restraint, I forgave him—then struck awe into him
I pardoned him after deliberation, then made him quake
with a war for which he never knew how I had laid my ambush.
with a chameleon-like satire he knew not how to guard against.
وَإِنّيand indeed I لَذوsurely possessed of حِلمٍforbearance كَثيرٍabundant وَإِنَنيand indeed I
وَإِنّي لَذو حِلمٍ كَثيرٍ وَإِنَني
كَثيراًoften لأُشفيI surely cure داءَthe ailment of مَنwhoever كانَis أَصيَداstiff-necked with pride
كَثيراً لأُشفي داءَ مَن كانَ أَصيَدا
Indeed, I possess abundant forbearance, though I
I do possess great forbearance, and indeed I
often cure the malady of whoever grows arrogant.
often cure the ailment of the stiff-necked.
أَعودُI show kindness عَلىto المولىthe ally إِذاwhen زَلَّfalters حِلمُهُhis forbearance
أَعودُ عَلى المولى إِذا زَلَّ حِلمُهُ
بِحِلميwith my forbearance وَكانَand was العَودُsuch renewed kindness أَبقىmore enduring وَأَحمَداand more praiseworthy
بِحِلمي وَكانَ العَودُ أَبقى وَأَحمَدا
When an ally's self-command fails, I answer him
I show my ally kindness when his forbearance falters,
with my own; such a return is more enduring and praiseworthy.
with my own; such kindness proves more lasting and praiseworthy.
فَكُنتُso I would إِذاwhenever المَولىthe ally بِداليَbecame clear to me غِشُّهُhis deceit
فَكُنتُ إِذا المَولى بِداليَ غِشُّهُ
تَجاوَزتُI forgave عَنهُhim واستَدَمتُand I preserved بِهِwith him غَداa tomorrow
تَجاوَزتُ عَنهُ واستَدَمتُ بِهِ غَدا
Thus, whenever an ally's deceit became apparent to me,
So whenever my ally's deceit became clear to me,
I overlooked it and sought to preserve him for another day,
I would overlook it and preserve a tomorrow with him,
لِتُحكِمَهto make him wise الأَيامُthe days أَوor لِتَردَّهُto bring him back
لِتُحكِمَه الأَيامُ أَو لِتَردَّهُ
عَليَّto me وَلَمand did not أَبسِطI unleash لِساناًa tongue وَلاnor يَداa hand
عَليَّ وَلَم أَبسِط لِساناً وَلا يَدا
that time might set him right or bring him back
so the days might teach him wisdom, or bring him back
to me; I lashed out with neither tongue nor hand.
to me, without my unleashing either tongue or hand.
Sol 6.1