مَنwhoever جَعَلَmade الدَهرَTime عَلىon بالِهِhis mind
مَن جَعَلَ الدَهرَ عَلى بالِهِ
أَمَّheaded toward بِهِwith him أَفظَعَthe most dreadful of أَهوالِهِits terrors
أَمَّ بِهِ أَفظَعَ أَهوالِهِ
Whoever keeps Time on his mind,
Who made time the concern of his mind
Time leads him toward its most dreadful terrors,
Or terrified him with its most gruesome horrors
وَحَطَّهُand lowered him بَعدَafter سُمُوٍّelevation بِهِwith him
وَحَطَّهُ بَعدَ سُمُوٍّ بِهِ
قَسراًby force إِلىto أَخبَثِthe worst of أَحوالِهِhis conditions
قَسراً إِلى أَخبَثِ أَحوالِهِ
and casts him down after raising him high,
And debased him, after he had risen high
by force into his most wretched condition.
Forcibly to the meanest of conditions?
قَدmay يُغبَنُbe cheated الإِنسانُthe person فيin دينِهِhis faith
قَد يُغبَنُ الإِنسانُ في دينِهِ
جَهلاًthrough ignorance وَلاyet not يُغبَنُbe cheated فيin مالِهِhis wealth
جَهلاً وَلا يُغبَنُ في مالِهِ
A man may be cheated in his faith,
Man may err ignorantly in his religion
through ignorance, yet not be cheated in his wealth.
But does not err in regard to his money
يَتَّعِظُtakes a lesson العاقِلُthe wise person مِنfrom مِثلِهِone like him
يَتَّعِظُ العاقِلُ مِن مِثلِهِ
وَيَحتَذيand follows the example مِنهُfrom him بِأَفعالِهِin his deeds
وَيَحتَذي مِنهُ بِأَفعالِهِ
The wise man learns from one like himself,
The wise man derives a lesson from the like of him
and models his deeds on that man's.
And takes warning by his deeds
وَصاحِبُand the companion of المَرءِthe man شَبيهٌsimilar بِهِto him
وَصاحِبُ المَرءِ شَبيهٌ بِهِ
فَسَلso ask عَنِabout المَرءِthe man بِأَمثالِهِthrough those like him
فَسَل عَنِ المَرءِ بِأَمثالِهِ
And a man's companion resembles him,
A man's companion is like him
so inquire about a man through those like him.
So ask about a man by his likes
وَسَلand ask عَنِabout الضَيفِthe host بِمَنthrough those who أَمَّهُcame to him
وَسَل عَنِ الضَيفِ بِمَن أَمَّهُ
فَإِنَّهُfor he شِبهٌis similar بِنُزّالِهِto his guests
فَإِنَّهُ شِبهٌ بِنُزّالِهِ
And inquire about a host through those who visit him,
And ask about a guest by who hosted him
for he resembles his guests.
For he resembles his hosts
لاتَغبِطَنَّdo not envy الدَهرَever ذاone with ثَروَةٍwealth
لاتَغبِطَنَّ الدَهرَ ذا ثَروَةٍ
قَدindeed جَعَلَmade اللَذاتِpleasures مِنamong بالِهِhis concerns
قَد جَعَلَ اللَذاتِ مِن بالِهِ
Never envy a man of wealth
Do not envy time its wealth
who has made pleasures his concern.
When it has made pleasures its concern
صاحِبbefriend إِذاwhen صاحَبتَyou befriend ذاone with عُقدَةٍsound judgment
صاحِب إِذا صاحَبتَ ذا عُقدَةٍ
مُحتَمِلاًbearing أَعباءَthe burdens of أَثقالِهِhis heavy loads
مُحتَمِلاً أَعباءَ أَثقالِهِ
When you befriend someone, befriend a man of sound judgment,
When you befriend one of sullen mood
one who shoulders the weight of his burdens.
Bearing the burden of his troubles
لَهُhe has وَفاءٌloyalty وَلَهُand he has عَزمَةٌdetermination
لَهُ وَفاءٌ وَلَهُ عَزمَةٌ
تَأويyou take refuge إِلىin أَكنافِthe shelter of أَظلالِهِhis shade
تَأوي إِلى أَكنافِ أَظلالِهِ
He has loyalty, and he has determination;
He has loyalty and determination
you take refuge within his sheltering shade.
That find refuge in the shade of his burdens
Sol 6.1