Sol 6.1

  1. لّما رأوْني فريداً حِلْسَ زاوِيَةٍ

    مُستوحِشاً مِن أُناسٍ حِلْمُهُم سَفَهُ

    When they saw me alone, a fixture in a corner,

    Estranged from people whose wisdom is folly,

  2. قالُوا وضيعٌ سَلا عن حظِّه ورأى

    أنَ النَّبيهَ هوَ المُستحْقَرُ النَّبِهُ

    They said, “A lowly man, who has forgotten his fortune and thinks

    That the eminent man is the scorned yet discerning one.”

  3. لوْ أنصَفوني أصاخُوا للنِّداء وهلْ

    ترجى إصاخَةُ قَومٍ بعدَما انتَبهُوا

    Had they been fair to me, they would have heeded the call—but can

    One hope for people to listen once they have risen to prominence?

  4. أنّى يكونُ وضيعُ النَّفسِ ذا هِمَمٍ

    لهُ بإبلاغِها أقصى العُلا وَلَهُ

    How could a base-souled man possess aspirations

    He passionately longs to raise to the loftiest heights?

  5. ما عابَني غيرَ أنِّي عِبْتُ شَهوتَهُ

    إليهِ ظناً بأنّ الهِمَّةَ الشَّرَهُ

    He faulted me only because I censured his craving

    For it, thinking that ambition is greed.

  6. رَضِيتُ نَفسي لِنَفسي مُؤنساً حَدباً

    إنْ ظُنّ بي بَلَهٌ أو ظُنَّ بي وَرَهُ

    I was content with myself as my own caring companion,

    Even if I am thought naive, or thought foolish.

  7. ففي بَلاغاتِ أهلِ العِلِم لي بُلَغٌ

    وفي رياضِ الرَّياضاتِ لي نُزَهُ

    For in the eloquent sayings of the learned I find sustenance,

    And in the gardens of self-discipline I find delights.

  8. وليس يُزري بنَفسي فقدَ مُؤنِسِها

    وهَلْ يضُرُّ بِعَينِ الأكحَلِ المَرَهُ

    Nor does the loss of its companion diminish my soul;

    And can going without kohl harm a naturally dark-rimmed eye?

  9. ما أشبَهُوني فعادُوني لنَقصِهِمُ

    وليسَ يشبهُ تِبراً خالِصاً شَبَهُ

    They were unlike me, so their own shortcomings made them hostile to me;

    Nor does brass resemble pure gold.