لاnot يُشفِقُhas pity الغازيthe invader علىfor مَغزوِّهthe one he invades
لا يُشفِقُ الغازي على مَغزوِّه
بلrather يستخفُّmakes light بحلفهِof his ally وعدوِّهِand his enemy
بل يستخفُّ بحلفهِ وعدوِّهِ
The invader has no pity for the one he invades.
The invader shows no mercy to the invaded
Rather, he makes light of his ally and his enemy.
But makes light of his covenant and enemy
ماno للضعيفِfor the weak إلىto القويِّthe strong شفاعةٌintercession
ما للضعيفِ إلى القويِّ شفاعةٌ
شتّانhow far apart بينَbetween هبوطهِhis descent وعلوِّهand his ascent
شتّان بينَ هبوطهِ وعلوِّه
The weak have no intercession with the strong.
The weak have no intercession with the strong
How far apart are his descent and his ascent!
Far apart are their descent and ascent
لاdo not let يَخدَعَنَّكَdeceive you رفقُهhis gentleness وليانُهُand his softness
لا يَخدَعَنَّكَ رفقُه وليانُهُ
بعدَafter الهوانِhumiliation ببطشهِthrough his violence وعتوِّهand his arrogance
بعدَ الهوانِ ببطشهِ وعتوِّه
Do not let his gentleness and softness deceive you
Let not his gentleness and flexibleness delude you
After the humiliation brought by his violence and arrogance.
After humiliation, by his tyranny and excess
واصبرand be patient عليهِwith him مراقباًkeeping watch حتىuntil إذاwhen
واصبر عليهِ مراقباً حتى إذا
جازَhe crosses الحدودَthe bounds أخَذتَهُyou hold him to account بغلوِّهfor his excess
جازَ الحدودَ أخَذتَهُ بغلوِّه
And bear with him, keeping watch, until
Endure him, watching, until when
He crosses the bounds—then hold him to account for his excess.
He transgresses the limits, you seize him for his trespass
ماnot كانَhe was يوماًever حانياًcompassionate بلbut جانياًa wrongdoer
ما كانَ يوماً حانياً بل جانياً
والغدرُand treachery يَكمنُlurks فيin لحاظِglances حنوِّهhis tenderness
والغدرُ يَكمنُ في لحاظِ حنوِّه
He was never compassionate, but a wrongdoer.
Never was he a day calm but unruly
And treachery lurks in his tender glances.
And betrayal lurks in the glance of his affection
لاno بدَّescape منfrom وَطَرa goal ولوand even if حالَstood in the way الوَرىall humankind
لا بدَّ من وَطَر ولو حالَ الوَرى
والدهرُand time دونَin the way of بلوغهِattaining it ودنوِّهand approaching it
والدهرُ دونَ بلوغهِ ودنوِّه
One must have a goal, even if all humankind
Needs must come a stumble though the land be smooth
And time stand in the way of reaching it and drawing near to it.
And fate before his nearing and approaching
المرءُman كانhas been ولمand has not يزلceased to be متقلِّباًchangeable
المرءُ كان ولم يزل متقلِّباً
والحظُّand fortune بينَbetween رواحهِhis evening journey وغدوِّهand his morning journey
والحظُّ بينَ رواحهِ وغدوِّه
Man has been, and ever remains, changeable,
Man was and will remain ever-changing
And fortune shifts between his evening and morning journeys.
And fortune between his coming and going
Sol 6.1