عَجِبتُI marveled بِإِزراءِat the belittling العَيِيِّthe inarticulate man بِنَفسِهِof himself
عَجِبتُ بِإِزراءِ العَيِيِّ بِنَفسِهِ
وَصَمتِand the silence الَّذيthe one who قَدindeed كانَwas بِالقَولِin speech أَعلَماmore knowledgeable
وَصَمتِ الَّذي قَد كانَ بِالقَولِ أَعلَما
I marveled at the inarticulate man's belittling himself,
I marvel at the old man's self-deprecation
And at the silence of one who was more versed in speech.
And the silence of one who was most eloquent
وَفيand in الصَمتِsilence سَترٌa veil لِلعَيِيِّfor the inarticulate man وَإِنَّماand it is only
وَفي الصَمتِ سَترٌ لِلعَيِيِّ وَإِنَّما
صَحيفَةُthe page لُبِّof the mind المَرءِof the man أَنthat يَتَكَلَّماhe speaks
صَحيفَةُ لُبِّ المَرءِ أَن يَتَكَلَّما
And silence is a veil for the inarticulate; indeed,
For in silence there is concealment for the aged
The page of a man's mind is nothing but his speech.
Yet speech reveals the inner heart of a man
Sol 6.1