أَفِرُّI flee مِنَfrom السوءِevil لاnot أَفعَلُهI commit it
أَفِرُّ مِنَ السوءِ لا أَفعَلُه
وَمِنand from مَوقِفِa position of الضَيمِhumiliation لاnot أَقبَلُهI accept it
وَمِن مَوقِفِ الضَيمِ لا أَقبَلُه
I flee from evil; I do not commit it.
I shun evil, I do not commit it
And I shun a position of humiliation; I do not accept it.
And from the stance of oppression, I do not accept it
وَقُربىand the bond القَرابَةِof kinship أَرعىI safeguard لَهاfor it
وَقُربى القَرابَةِ أَرعى لَها
وَفَضلُand the merit أَخيof the possessor of الفَضلِmerit لاnot أَجهَلُهI fail to recognize it
وَفَضلُ أَخي الفَضلِ لا أَجهَلُه
And I safeguard the bond of kinship.
And I look after the kinship of kin
And a worthy man's merit I do not overlook.
And the excellence of my brother, I do not ignore it
وَأَبذُلُand I offer عَدلِيَmy fairness لِلأَضعَفينَto the weaker ones
وَأَبذُلُ عَدلِيَ لِلأَضعَفينَ
وَلِلشامِخِand to the lofty الأَنفِnose لاnot أَبذُلُهI offer it
وَلِلشامِخِ الأَنفِ لا أَبذُلُه
And I offer my fairness to the weaker ones.
And I bestow my justice upon the weak
And to one whose nose is held high, I do not offer it.
And to the arrogant, haughty one I do not bestow it
وَأَحسَنُand best ماكُنتَas you have ever been بُقياin clemency إِذاwhen
وَأَحسَنُ ماكُنتَ بُقيا إِذا
أَنالَنيgrants me اللَهُGod ماwhat آمُلُهI hope for it
أَنالَني اللَهُ ما آمُلُه
And you are at your most merciful when
And I do good whatever life remains
God grants me what I hope for.
If God grants me what I hope for
وَقَدand indeed عَلِمَknows الحَيُّthe clan حَيَّthe clan of الضِبابِal-Ḍibāb
وَقَد عَلِمَ الحَيُّ حَيَّ الضِبابِ
وَأَصدَقُand the truest قيلِspeech of الفَتىthe young man أَفضَلُهits best
وَأَصدَقُ قيلِ الفَتى أَفضَلُه
And the clan, the clan of al-Ḍibāb, well knows—
And the living one knew the living one of the mirage
and a young man's truest words are his best—
And the most truthful saying of a young man is the best of him
بِأَنّيthat I كَفَفتُI held back وَأَنّيand that I عَفَفتُI refrained from wrongdoing
بِأَنّي كَفَفتُ وَأَنّي عَفَفتُ
وَإِنand even though كَرِهَdisliked الجَيشُthe army ماwhat أَفعَلُهI do it
وَإِن كَرِهَ الجَيشُ ما أَفعَلُه
that I held back and refrained from wrongdoing,
That I held back and that I was chaste
even though the army disliked what I did.
Even if the army dislikes what I do
وَقَدand indeed أُرهِقَwas hard-pressed الحَيُّthe clan مِنfrom خَلفِهِits rear
وَقَد أُرهِقَ الحَيُّ مِن خَلفِهِ
وَأوقِفَand was halted خَوفَfor fear of الرَدىdeath أَوَّلُهits vanguard
وَأوقِفَ خَوفَ الرَدى أَوَّلُه
And the clan had been hard-pressed from the rear,
And the living one was exhausted from those who came after him
and its vanguard was halted for fear of death.
And the fear of harm halted its first ones
فَعادَتso it returned عُدَيٌّʿUdayy بِأَحقادِهاwith its grudges
فَعادَت عُدَيٌّ بِأَحقادِها
وَقَدand indeed عَقَلَunderstood الأَمرَthe matter مَنwhoever يَعقِلُهunderstands it
وَقَد عَقَلَ الأَمرَ مَن يَعقِلُه
So ʿUdayy returned with its grudges,
So the enemies returned with their hatred
and those who understand had grasped the matter.
And the sensible one understood it
Sol 6.1