إنindeed اللئيمthe base man علىdespite حقارةthe lowliness of قدرهhis worth
إن اللئيم على حقارة قدره
لَينالsurely takes منfrom عِرضthe honor of الكريمthe noble man منالاa share
لَينال من عِرض الكريم منالا
Indeed, the base man, despite his paltry worth,
The base fellow in his lowly state
does assail the noble man's honor.
Attains from the noble man's virtue
يؤذيهhe harms him وهوwhile he بطبعهby his nature متنزهkeeping aloof
يؤذيه وهو بطبعه متنزه
عنهfrom him فيقصرso he refrains رفعةout of nobility وجلالاand dignity
عنه فيقصر رفعة وجلالا
He harms him, though the noble is by nature aloof
Hurting him, while he by nature is aloof
from him, and refrains out of nobility and dignity.
From it, so his loftiness and glory falls short
كالكلبlike a dog يُقلقdisturbs بالنباحby barking ضبارماa mighty lion
كالكلب يُقلق بالنباح ضبارما
والكبرand pride يمنعهprevents him عليهagainst it مصالاan attack
والكبر يمنعه عليه مصالا
Like a dog whose barking disturbs a mighty lion,
Like a dog disturbing fierce lions
while pride prevents the lion from attacking it.
With barking, and superiority prevents it from having power over him
والفضلand virtue يحميprotects أهلهits possessors عنfrom خطةa course of conduct
والفضل يحمي أهله عن خطة
فيهاin it يساوونthey equal اللئامthe base خصالاin character traits
فيها يساوون اللئام خصالا
And virtue shields its possessors from a course
And merit protects its people from a scheme
in which they would match the base in character.
In which the base are equal in attributes
كمhow many منof كلابdogs بالنفوسin spirit وإنهاand indeed they
كم من كلاب بالنفوس وإنها
لتظنare surely thought to be منfrom صورthe forms of الجسومbodies رجالاmen
لتظن من صور الجسوم رجالا
How many dogs there are in spirit, though they
How many dogs in souls, though they
are surely taken for men because of their bodily forms!
Seem from bodily forms to be men
Sol 6.1