هُمُthey الناسُpeople شَتّىdiverse فيin المَطالبِpursuits لاnot تَرىyou see
هُمُ الناسُ شَتّى في المَطالبِ لا تَرى
أَخاa man of همَّةٍambition إِلاexcept قَدalready اختارَhe has chosen مَذهَباa path
أَخا همَّةٍ إِلا قَد اختارَ مَذهَبا
People differ in their pursuits; you never see
People have diverse ambitions, you won’t see
a man of ambition who has not already chosen a path.
A brother concerned except having chosen a creed
فَمَنso whoever يَعتنيattends بِالفِقهِto jurisprudence يَرأسgains eminence إِذwhen يليhe undertakes
فَمَن يَعتني بِالفِقهِ يَرأس إِذ يلي
قَضاءًjudging وَتَدريساًand teaching وَفُتياand issuing fatwas وَمَنصِباand office
قَضاءً وَتَدريساً وَفُتيا وَمَنصِبا
Whoever attends to jurisprudence gains eminence when he undertakes
So one who cares for jurisprudence becomes
judging, teaching, issuing fatwas, and holding office.
A judge, professor, jurist or takes a position
وَمَنand whoever كانَis ذاpossessed of حَظٍّa share مِنof النَحوgrammar وَاللُغاand language
وَمَن كانَ ذا حَظٍّ مِن النَحو وَاللُغا
يَرىhe sees أَنَّهُthat it is أَسنىthe loftiest الفَضائلِvirtues مَطلَباas a pursuit
يَرى أَنَّهُ أَسنى الفَضائلِ مَطلَبا
Whoever has a share of grammar and language
And one endowed with grammar and language
sees it as the loftiest of virtues to pursue.
Sees he has attained the most virtuous pursuit
وَيزهىand he boasts عَلىover هَذاthese الأَنامpeople لِأَنَّهُbecause he
وَيزهى عَلى هَذا الأَنام لِأَنَّهُ
يَرىhe regards هَمَجاrabble فيamong الناسpeople مَنwhoever لَيسَis not مُعرِباa grammarian
يَرى هَمَجا في الناس مَن لَيسَ مُعرِبا
He vaunts himself over these people, because he
And scorns people for it as he views
counts anyone among mankind who is no grammarian as rabble.
The ignorant among people as non-Arabs
وَمَنand whoever كانَis بِالمَعقولwith rational inquiry مُشتغلاًoccupied يَرىregards
وَمَن كانَ بِالمَعقول مُشتغلاً يَرى
جَميعَall الوَرىhumankind صُمّاًas deaf عَنto الحَقthe truth غَيَّباabsent from it
جَميعَ الوَرى صُمّاً عَن الحَق غَيَّبا
Whoever is occupied with rational inquiry regards
And one busy with the rational sees
all humankind as deaf to the truth, absent from it.
All creation deaf to the truth, obscured
فَإِنso if كانَhe is فيin النَحوينboth disciplines صاحبَpossessed of دِريَةٍexpertise
فَإِن كانَ في النَحوين صاحبَ دِريَةٍ
فَذاكَthen that is الَّذيwho يُدعىis called الإمامthe imam المهذَّباthe accomplished
فَذاكَ الَّذي يُدعى الإمام المهذَّبا
If he has expertise in both disciplines,
So if among the two there is one with insight
then he is the one called the accomplished imam.
He is called the polished imam
وَحافظand a memorizer of أَلفاظِthe wordings of القِراءاتِthe readings جاهِلٌignorant
وَحافظ أَلفاظِ القِراءاتِ جاهِلٌ
بِالإعرابِof grammar وَالمَعنىand meaning للإقراءِfor teaching recitation رُتِّباwas appointed
بِالإعرابِ وَالمَعنى للإقراءِ رُتِّبا
And a memorizer of the wording of the readings, ignorant
While a memorizer of Quranic readings’ terms is
of grammar and meaning, is appointed to teach recitation.
Ignorant of parsing and meaning, assigned recitations
يرقِّقُhe pronounces lightly ماwhat قَدindeed فَخَّمُواthey pronounced emphatically وَمفخِّمٌand one who pronounces emphatically
يرقِّقُ ما قَد فَخَّمُوا وَمفخِّمٌ
لماof what رَقَّقواthey pronounced lightly لَمnot يَلقَhe met شَيخاًa master مُهذَّباwell-trained
لما رَقَّقوا لَم يَلقَ شَيخاً مُهذَّبا
He pronounces lightly what they made emphatic, and makes emphatic
He recites gently what they recited heavily and heavily
what they pronounced lightly; he has met no well-trained master.
What they recited gently, no refined shaykh met
يَرىhe thinks أَنَّthat نَظمَthe verse of الشاطِبيal-Shatibi غايةُthe utmost of المُنىwishes
يَرى أَنَّ نَظمَ الشاطِبي غايةُ المُنى
وَلَمand not أَرَI have seen نَظماًa verse مِنهُthan it أَعصىmore intractable وَأًصعَباand harder
وَلَم أَرَ نَظماً مِنهُ أَعصى وَأًصعَبا
He sees al-Shatibi's verse as the height of aspiration,
He sees Al-Shatibi’s poem as the height of purpose
yet I have seen no verse more intractable or harder.
And I saw no poem by him more difficult and tough
يَظَلُّhe remains الفَتىthe young man فيهِover it سِنينَyears عَديدَةًmany
يَظَلُّ الفَتى فيهِ سِنينَ عَديدَةً
يُحاولُهاhe struggles to grasp it فَهماin understanding فَيَبقىso he remains مُعَذَّباtormented
يُحاولُها فَهما فَيَبقى مُعَذَّبا
A young man spends many years over it,
A lad remains in it years
trying to understand it, and so remains tormented
Trying to understand it while remaining tortured
بِلُغزٍby a riddle وَأُحجِيّاتِand puzzles شُلشلShulshul شَمَردَلٍShamardal
بِلُغزٍ وَأُحجِيّاتِ شُلشل شَمَردَلٍ
وَدَغفَلِand Daghfal أَسماءٍnames عَنfrom الفَهمunderstanding حُجَّباveiled
وَدَغفَلِ أَسماءٍ عَن الفَهم حُجَّبا
by riddles and puzzles—'Shulshul,' 'Shamardal,'
With puzzles, riddles, jumbled gibberish
and 'Daghfal'—names veiled from understanding.
And names beyond comprehension, obscured
وَقَدand indeed أولعَbecame obsessed الجُهّالُthe ignorant فيهِconcerning it بِشَرحِهِwith explaining it
وَقَد أولعَ الجُهّالُ فيهِ بِشَرحِهِ
فَمِنso among them is شارِحٍa commentator قَصراًin brief وَآخَرand another أَطنَباwent on at length
فَمِن شارِحٍ قَصراً وَآخَر أَطنَبا
And the ignorant have grown obsessed with explaining it:
The ignorant have indulged explaining it
one commentator keeps it brief, another goes on at length.
So one explainer fell short and another verbose
وَغايَتُهُand its aim نُطقٌpronunciation بِأَلفاظِwith the word-forms of أَحرُفٍvariant readings
وَغايَتُهُ نُطقٌ بِأَلفاظِ أَحرُفٍ
كَمالكsuch as 'Master' نَنسَخ'We abrogate' ننسِها'We cause it to be forgotten' لاnot نكذِّبا'we deny'
كَمالك نَنسَخ ننسِها لا نكذِّبا
Its sole aim is pronouncing words in variant readings,
And its essence is the utterance of letter sounds
such as 'Master,' 'We abrogate,' 'We cause it to be forgotten,' 'we do not deny.'
As if to say we copy without lying
لَقَدindeed كانَwas هَذاthis الفَنُّdiscipline سَهلاًeasy مُعَرَّباclearly expressed
لَقَد كانَ هَذا الفَنُّ سَهلاً مُعَرَّبا
فَبَعَّدَهُso it put it beyond reach هَذاthis القَصيدpoem وَصعَّباand made it difficult
فَبَعَّدَهُ هَذا القَصيد وَصعَّبا
This discipline was once easy and clearly expressed;
This art was once easy, eloquent
then this poem put it beyond reach and made it hard.
But this ode made it abstruse and tough
وَناظمِand a composer of أَشعارٍpoems يَدورُgoes around عَلىamong الوَرىhumankind
وَناظمِ أَشعارٍ يَدورُ عَلى الوَرى
بِذمٍّwith blame وَمَدحٍand praise مُرهِباintimidating أَوor مُرغّباenticing
بِذمٍّ وَمَدحٍ مُرهِبا أَو مُرغّبا
And a poet goes around among people,
And a composer of poetry who circulates among people
with blame and praise, intimidating or enticing.
With censure or praise, intimidating or enticing
يرىhe believes أَنَّthat نظمَcomposing الشعرِpoetry أَسنىthe loftiest فَضيلَةًvirtue
يرى أَنَّ نظمَ الشعرِ أَسنى فَضيلَةً
وَلَيسَand is not بِفَضلٍof merit ماwhat بِطَبعٍby natural talent تركَّباwas composed
وَلَيسَ بِفَضلٍ ما بِطَبعٍ تركَّبا
He thinks composing poetry the loftiest virtue,
Sees composing poetry as the highest merit
but what natural talent puts together is no merit.
While what comes naturally is no virtue, contrived
وَراويand a teller of حِكاياتٍtales لِناسof people تَقَدَّمُواwho lived before
وَراوي حِكاياتٍ لِناس تَقَدَّمُوا
غَداbecame وَاعِظاًa preacher يَشروhe peddles وَيَنشرand spreads مُطرِباdelighting listeners
غَدا وَاعِظاً يَشرو وَيَنشر مُطرِبا
And a teller of stories about people long gone
And a narrator of tales of bygone people
becomes a preacher, peddling and spreading them to delight.
Becomes, by turns, preacher, moralizer, enticer
وَطوراًand at times يُبكّيhe makes weep الناسَthe people خَوفاًin fear وَرَهبةًand dread
وَطوراً يُبكّي الناسَ خَوفاً وَرَهبةً
وَطوراًand at times يُرجِّيhe gives hope بِالتَسامحof leniency مُذنِباa sinner
وَطوراً يُرجِّي بِالتَسامح مُذنِبا
At times he makes people weep in fear and dread,
Sometimes making people cry in awe and fear
and at times gives a sinner hope of pardon.
Other times giving hope to a sinner
وَتالٍand a reciter لِقُرآنٍof the Qur'an بِتُربةat the grave of مَيِّتٍa dead person
وَتالٍ لِقُرآنٍ بِتُربة مَيِّتٍ
قَدindeed اتَخَذَhe has made التَنغيمَmelodic chanting بِالصَوتِwith the voice مَكسباa livelihood
قَد اتَخَذَ التَنغيمَ بِالصَوتِ مَكسبا
And a reciter of the Qur'an at a dead man's grave
And a reciter of the Quran over a dead man’s soil
has made melodic chanting with his voice a livelihood.
Who has made vocal modulation his livelihood
وَجامعِand one who combines آدابٍliterary learning وَحفظِand memorization of رَسائِلٍepistles
وَجامعِ آدابٍ وَحفظِ رَسائِلٍ
وَجودَةِand excellence of خَطٍّhandwriting راجِياًhoping أَنthat يُقرّباhe may be brought near
وَجودَةِ خَطٍّ راجِياً أَن يُقرّبا
And one who combines literary learning, memorized epistles,
And a collector of etiquette and letter-writing
and fine handwriting, hoping to be brought near
And good handwriting, hoping to gain closeness
إِلىto ملكٍa king كيماso that يَكونhe may be موقِّعاa signatory secretary
إِلى ملكٍ كيما يَكون موقِّعا
فَينظُفso he becomes spotless أَثواباًin garments وَينبُلand he becomes grand مَوكِباin retinue
فَينظُف أَثواباً وَينبُل مَوكِبا
to a king, so that he may become a secretary,
To a ruler so as to become a signatory
and be spotless in dress and grand in retinue.
And have luxurious clothes and a splendid procession
وَحاملِand a bearer of أَجزاءٍfascicles لِطافٍthin سَقيمَةٍunsound
وَحاملِ أَجزاءٍ لِطافٍ سَقيمَةٍ
تَأبّطهاhe tucked them under his arm كيماso that تَروّىthey may be transmitted وَتكتباand copied
تَأبّطها كيما تَروّى وَتكتبا
And a bearer of thin, unsound fascicles
And a carrier of nonsensical, worthless parts
tucks them under his arm to have them transmitted and copied.
Wrapping them up so they are sated and written
يَدورُhe makes the rounds عَلىof شَيخٍa shaykh جَهولٍignorant وَشَيخةٍand a woman teacher
يَدورُ عَلى شَيخٍ جَهولٍ وَشَيخةٍ
عَجوزٍan old woman تَرىshe regards جمعgathering الرُؤوسِheads تقرباas devotion
عَجوزٍ تَرى جمع الرُؤوسِ تقربا
He makes the rounds of an ignorant shaykh and a woman teacher,
Frequenting an ignorant shaykh and an old hag
an old woman who counts gathering heads as devotion.
Who sees the gathering of heads as devotion
وَجمّاعِand an accumulator of أَنواعٍkinds مِنof الفِسقِdepravity لَمnot يبَلhe cared
وَجمّاعِ أَنواعٍ مِن الفِسقِ لَم يبَل
بِمعصيَةabout sin إِنwhether كانَhe was كَهلاًmiddle-aged أَوor أَشيباgray-haired
بِمعصيَة إِن كانَ كَهلاً أَو أَشيبا
And one who amasses every kind of depravity, heedless
And all types of debauchery, not ceasing
of sin, whether middle-aged or gray-haired.
Disobedience, whether mature or turning grey
أَتَأخُذُdo you take دينَthe religion of اللَهِGod عَنfrom مثلِthe likes of هَؤلاthese people
أَتَأخُذُ دينَ اللَهِ عَن مثلِ هَؤلا
لَأَنتَyou indeed إِذَنthen فيin الغَيerror أَصبَحتَyou have become مُسهباfar gone
لَأَنتَ إِذَن في الغَي أَصبَحتَ مُسهبا
Do you take God's religion from the likes of these?
Do you take the religion from the likes of these?
Then you have indeed gone far into error.
You have surely then gone far astray
وَغايةُand the utmost of ماwhat يدريهِhe knows it أَنَّthat فلانةًa certain woman
وَغايةُ ما يدريهِ أَنَّ فلانةً
رَوَتshe transmitted جُزءَthe fascicle of بيبيBibi وَهيَand she ماتَتdied بِيَثرِباin Yathrib
رَوَت جُزءَ بيبي وَهيَ ماتَت بِيَثرِبا
All he knows is that a certain woman
The extent of his knowledge is that so-and-so
transmitted Bibi's fascicle, and she died in Yathrib.
Transmitted the part of Bibi when she died in Yathrib
وَذاand this one لَقَّبوهthey nicknamed him جَزرةًJazara ('Carrot') وَملقبٌand one is nicknamed
وَذا لَقَّبوه جَزرةً وَملقبٌ
بِصاعِقَةٍas Sa'iqa ('Thunderbolt') إِنif كانَhe is فيin الحِفظِmemorization أَغلباsuperior
بِصاعِقَةٍ إِن كانَ في الحِفظِ أَغلبا
This one they nicknamed Jazara ('Carrot'), and another is nicknamed
And he is titled Jarza and given the epithet
Sa'iqa ('Thunderbolt') if he excels in memorization.
Saiqah if he excels in memorization
وَمشتغلٍand one occupied بِالطبِّwith medicine قَدindeed رامَhas sought صَنعَةًa profession
وَمشتغلٍ بِالطبِّ قَد رامَ صَنعَةً
قَليلاًmeager جَداهاits profit ماhow أَشقَّtoilsome وَأَخيَباand disappointing
قَليلاً جَداها ما أَشقَّ وَأَخيَبا
And one occupied with medicine has sought a profession
And one taking up medicine, having sought a livelihood
with meager returns—how toilsome and disappointing!
Whose profits are meager and loss plenty
يَدورhe makes the rounds عَلىof المَرضىthe sick وَيُحرزand assesses علَّةan illness
يَدور عَلى المَرضى وَيُحرز علَّة
وَيَسألand he asks ماذاwhat كانَhad عَنهُfrom it تَسبَّباarisen
وَيَسأل ماذا كانَ عَنهُ تَسبَّبا
He makes the rounds of the sick, assessing an illness,
Visits patients, diagnoses an illness
and asks what it had arisen from.
And asks what caused it and brought it about
وَيَنهَبُand he plunders مِنهُfrom him مالَهُhis money لاnot يهمُّهit concerns him
وَيَنهَبُ مِنهُ مالَهُ لا يهمُّه
سواءthe same لَدَيهِto him أَنwhether يَصِحَّhe recovers وَيَعطَباand perishes
سواء لَدَيهِ أَن يَصِحَّ وَيَعطَبا
He robs him of his money, unconcerned;
And seizes their money, unconcerned
to him it is the same whether he recovers or perishes.
Whether they recover or relapse
وَغايَتُهُand his utmost task استقبالُfacing بَولٍurine بِوجهِهِwith his face
وَغايَتُهُ استقبالُ بَولٍ بِوجهِهِ
وَشَمُّand smelling قَذوراتٍfilth كَأَنas though شمّhe smelled زرنَباzarnab (an aromatic plant)
وَشَمُّ قَذوراتٍ كَأَن شمّ زرنَبا
His highest task is meeting urine face-to-face,
His crowning feat is receiving urine in his face
and sniffing filth as though he smelled fragrant zarnab.
And smelling filth as if smelling camphor
وَكَسلانَand a lazy man يَختارُchooses المَشيخةَbeing a shaykh صَنعةًas a trade
وَكَسلانَ يَختارُ المَشيخةَ صَنعةً
فَيَجمَعso he gathers أَوشاباًriffraff إِلىfor الزَّردthe feasts رُغَّباeager
فَيَجمَع أَوشاباً إِلى الزَّرد رُغَّبا
And a lazy man chooses being a shaykh as his trade,
And an idler who takes up shaykhdom, enticed
and gathers riffraff eager for banquets.
By rabble, vile to their origins and their fathers
تيوسٌbilly goats رُعاعٌrabble وَهوَand he جَهلاin ignorance أَبوهُمُis their father
تيوسٌ رُعاعٌ وَهوَ جَهلا أَبوهُمُ
فَاقبِحso how vile بِهِمthey are وُلداًas offspring وَاقبِحand how vile بِهِhe is أَباas a father
فَاقبِح بِهِم وُلداً وَاقبِح بِهِ أَبا
Billy goats, rabble—and he is their father in ignorance:
Gazing at the ground one moment and another
how vile they are as offspring, how vile he as a father!
At the celestial world, listening for news
وَيَبهَتُand he stares blankly نَحوَtoward الأَرضthe ground طَوراًat one time وَتارَةand at another
وَيَبهَتُ نَحوَ الأَرض طَوراً وَتارَة
إِلىtoward العالَمِthe world العُلوِيِّabove يَستَمِعُhe listens for النَباthe tidings
إِلى العالَمِ العُلوِيِّ يَستَمِعُ النَبا
He stares blankly toward the ground at times, and at others
And riding a donkey when he himself is a donkey
toward the world above, listening for tidings.
So simple ignorance leading composited ignorance
وَيَركبُand he rides عيراًan ass وَهوَand he is عيرٌan ass حَقيقةًin truth
وَيَركبُ عيراً وَهوَ عيرٌ حَقيقةً
فَجهلٌso ignorance بَسيطٌsimple قادَhas led جَهلاًignorance مركَّباcompound
فَجهلٌ بَسيطٌ قادَ جَهلاً مركَّبا
He rides an ass, and is truly an ass himself;
Informing of things in his kingdom
thus simple ignorance has led compound ignorance.
He saw plainly, from them not obscured
فَيُخبِرُso he reports عَنabout أَشياءَthings فيin ملكوتِهِHis dominion
فَيُخبِرُ عَن أَشياءَ في ملكوتِهِ
رَآهاhe saw them عَياناًwith his own eyes لَيسَhe is not عَنهاfrom them محجّباveiled
رَآها عَياناً لَيسَ عَنها محجّبا
He reports things within His dominion,
His disciples walk around his donkey
seen with his own eyes, with no veil between him and them.
Belts tightened around them, cloaks worn
تَلاميذُهُhis disciples يَمشونَwalk حَولَaround حمارِهِhis donkey
تَلاميذُهُ يَمشونَ حَولَ حمارِهِ
وَأَوساطُهمand their waists مَشدودةare girded لابِسوwearing القَباthe qaba (long coat)
وَأَوساطُهم مَشدودة لابِسو القَبا
His disciples walk around his donkey,
Bare of knowledge, so if one is eminent
their waists girded, wearing long coats.
He pretends to be called the favored imam
عريُّونnaked عَنof علمٍknowledge وَمَنand whoever كانَwas فاضِلاlearned
عريُّون عَن علمٍ وَمَن كانَ فاضِلا
تَقرمَطَbecame a Qarmatian كَيso that يُدعىhe may be called الامامَthe imam المقرَّباthe favored
تَقرمَطَ كَي يُدعى الامامَ المقرَّبا
Naked of learning; and whoever was learned
Revealing to them the obscurities of a science
turned Qarmatian to be called the favored imam.
Which they snapped up from a whispered secret
فَيُبديso he reveals لَهُمto them أَسرارَsecrets of عِلمٍknowledge غَوامِضاًobscure
فَيُبدي لَهُم أَسرارَ عِلمٍ غَوامِضاً
تلقَّفهاhe snatched them عَنfrom سرa secret of سرٍّa secret ترتّباarranged in sequence
تلقَّفها عَن سر سرٍّ ترتّبا
He reveals to them obscure secrets of knowledge,
From him to him about him in him appeared
snatched from a secret of a secret, arrayed in ranks.
Perplexities from him oozing like vapor
فَمِنهُso from Him إِلَيهِto Him عَنهُof Him فيهِin Him لَديهِwith Him قَدindeed
فَمِنهُ إِلَيهِ عَنهُ فيهِ لَديهِ قَد
بَدَتhave appeared غامِضاتٌobscurities عَنهُfrom him تنبَثُthey scatter كَالهباlike dust
بَدَت غامِضاتٌ عَنهُ تنبَثُ كَالهبا
So 'from Him, to Him, of Him, in Him, with Him'—there have
I wonder that the likes of me lived seventy pilgrimages
emerged obscurities, scattering from him like dust.
And nine, meeting people east and west
عَجِبتُI marveled لِمثليat one like me عِشتُI lived سَبعينَseventy حِجَّةًyears
عَجِبتُ لِمثلي عِشتُ سَبعينَ حِجَّةً
وَتِسعاًand nine أُلاقيI meet الناسَpeople شَرقاin the east وَمَغرِباand in the west
وَتِسعاً أُلاقي الناسَ شَرقا وَمَغرِبا
I marvel at one like myself: I have lived seventy years
My eye did not attain one who is righteous
and nine, meeting people east and west,
Except one titled among people
فَماyet not ظَفِرتfound عَينيmy eye بِمَنanyone who هُوَhe صالِحٌrighteous
فَما ظَفِرت عَيني بِمَن هُوَ صالِحٌ
سِوىexcept مَنsomeone بِهِby that name بَينَamong الأَنامِmankind تَلقَّباwas nicknamed
سِوى مَن بِهِ بَينَ الأَنامِ تَلقَّبا
yet my eye has found no righteous person,
except someone so nicknamed among mankind.
Partial English translation: 82 of 84 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1