أَئِنis it because كُنتُI was فيamong الفِتيانِthe young men آلوتُungainly (uncertain reading) سَيِّداًa chief
أَئِن كُنتُ في الفِتيانِ آلوتُ سَيِّداً
كَثيرَmuch شُحوبِpallor اللَونِof complexion مُختَلِفَdisordered العَصبِthe sinews
كَثيرَ شُحوبِ اللَونِ مُختَلِفَ العَصبِ
Is it because, among the young men, I am an ungainly chief,
Was I not once a leader among youth,
often pale of complexion, with sinews awry?
Pale of complexion yet steadfast of nerve?
فَماfor nothing لَكَfor you مِنfrom مَولاكَyour ally إِلّاexcept حِفاظُهُhis loyalty
فَما لَكَ مِن مَولاكَ إِلّا حِفاظُهُ
وَماand not المَرءُa man إِلّاexcept بِاللِسانِthrough the tongue وِبِالقَلبِand through the heart
وَما المَرءُ إِلّا بِاللِسانِ وِبِالقَلبِ
For all you have from your ally is his loyalty,
You have no protector but God's safekeeping;
and a man's worth lies only in his tongue and heart.
Man is naught but tongue and heart.
هُماthey both الأَصغَرانِthe two smaller ones الذائِدانِthe two that ward off عَنِfrom الفَتىthe young man
هُما الأَصغَرانِ الذائِدانِ عَنِ الفَتى
مَكارِهَهُhis misfortunes وَالصاحِبانِand the two companions عَلىin facing الخَطبِcalamity
مَكارِهَهُ وَالصاحِبانِ عَلى الخَطبِ
They are the two little ones that ward off from a young man
These two are his sentinels, warning
his misfortunes, and his two companions in calamity.
Him of ills, attending him through life's storms.
فَإِلّاso if not أُطِقI can sustain سَعيَthe striving الكِرامِof noble men فَإِنَّنيthen indeed I
فَإِلّا أُطِق سَعيَ الكِرامِ فَإِنَّني
أَفُكُّI loosen bonds عَنِfrom العانيthe captive وَأَصبِرُand I stand firm فيin الحَربِwar
أَفُكُّ عَنِ العاني وَأَصبِرُ في الحَربِ
So if I cannot match the striving of noble men, I still
If I cannot live honorably, I shall break
free the captive and stand firm in war.
Free of sorrow and show fortitude in war.
Sol 6.1