حُجِبْتُI was barred ببابِat the door of أبيAbu صالحSalih
حُجِبْتُ ببابِ أبي صالح
وأدْخَلand admitted بَوّابُهُhis doorkeeper منwhoever حَضَرْcame
وأدْخَل بَوّابُهُ من حَضَرْ
I was barred at Abu Salih's door,
I barred at the door of Abi Salih
while his doorkeeper admitted those who came.
And his doorkeeper let in whoever came
فإنso if لاnot يكُنْwas ذاكthat عنat أمرهِhis command
فإن لا يكُنْ ذاك عن أمرهِ
فقدthen indeed كانit was فيin الحقّfairness أنْto يَعْتَذِرْapologize
فقد كان في الحقّ أنْ يَعْتَذِرْ
So if that was not at his command,
If that was not by his order
then he should, in fairness, have apologized,
He should rightly have apologized
وأنand to يَعْذلrebuke العَبْدthe slave عذلاًa rebuke
وأن يَعْذل العَبْد عذلاً
يكونwould be لهfor him بعدهاafter it مُزْدَجَرْa deterrent
يكون له بعدها مُزْدَجَرْ
and rebuked the slave in such a way
And pardoned the servant pardon
as would deter him thereafter.
That would later deter him
فإنيfor indeed I ألينُam gentle لمنtoward whoever رامنيsought me
فإني ألينُ لمن رامني
بلينٍwith gentleness واحلوand I am sweet وطوراًand at times أمِرْI am bitter
بلينٍ واحلو وطوراً أمِرْ
For I am gentle with whoever approaches me
For I am gentle with those who wrong me
gently; I am sweet, and at times bitter.
With softness, beauty and order
وإنّيand indeed I إذاwhen ماever (emphasis) أبىdefies صاحبيmy companion
وإنّي إذا ما أبى صاحبي
عليّagainst me والبسُand I don جلدskin النَّمِرْthe leopard
عليّ والبسُ جلد النَّمِرْ
And whenever my companion defies
And if my companion refuses me
me, I don the leopard's skin.
And I wear the skin of the tiger
وأجزيand I repay القروضَdebts بأمثالهاwith their equivalents
وأجزي القروضَ بأمثالها
فخيراًso good بخيْرfor good وشرّاًand evil بِشَرْfor evil
فخيراً بخيْر وشرّاً بِشَرْ
And I repay debts in kind:
And repay debts with their likes
good for good, and evil for evil.
Good with good and bad with bad
علىwith the proviso أنّthat منamong شيمتيmy traits أنْto أُقيلَpardon
على أنّ من شيمتي أنْ أُقيلَ
حُرّاًa free man كريماًnoble إذاwhen ماever (emphasis) عَثَرْhe stumbles
حُرّاً كريماً إذا ما عَثَرْ
Yet it is my nature to pardon
Yet it is in my nature to forgive
a free, noble man whenever he stumbles,
A free honorable man if he stumbles
وإنand that لاnot أُجشِّمَهُI burden him خُطَّةًa course
وإن لا أُجشِّمَهُ خُطَّةً
منof الأمرaction ذاتِhaving مرامِan aim عَسِرْdifficult
من الأمر ذاتِ مرامِ عَسِرْ
and not burden him with a course
And not to blame him for an error
of action whose goal is hard to attain.
Of difficult purpose and aim
فابلغso tell خليليmy friend أباAbu صالحSalih
فابلغ خليلي أبا صالح
بأنّof the fact that عتابيmy reproach لهto him قدalready كَثُرْhas increased
بأنّ عتابي له قد كَثُرْ
So tell my friend Abu Salih
Convey to my friend Abi Salih
that my reproaches to him have multiplied,
That my reproach of him grew
وإنand that قدalready تأيَّيْتُهُI waited patiently for him وانتظرتُand I waited
وإن قد تأيَّيْتُهُ وانتظرتُ
حولاًa year فماso not بعدهafter it انتظرْI will wait
حولاً فما بعده انتظرْ
and that I have waited patiently for him and waited
And though I have waited for him
a year; beyond that I will wait no more.
A year, do not wait longer
عليهupon him السلامpeace وداعfarewell المقيمthe one staying
عليه السلام وداع المقيم
فيin بيتهhis house لاnot وداعfarewell السَفَرtravel
في بيته لا وداع السَفَر
Peace be upon him—a farewell to one staying
Upon him be the farewell of one who stays
in his house, not a farewell for a journey.
Not the farewell of one who travels
سيعلمhe will learn إنْif كنتُI was عنat أمرهhis command
سيعلم إنْ كنتُ عن أمره
حُجبْتُI was barred أيَثْبتُwhether he will stand firm ليagainst me أمor يفرhe will flee
حُجبْتُ أيَثْبتُ لي أم يفر
He will learn, if it was at his command
He will know if I was barred
that I was barred, whether he will stand firm against me or flee.
From his door, will my claim prove true or false
Sol 6.1