أباO father of قاسمQasim ماnot للحِجىfor reason عندat معدِلُan alternative
أبا قاسم ما للحِجى عند معدِلُ
ولاnor للعُلىfor glory إلاexcept عليكon you مُعَوَّلُreliance
ولا للعُلى إلا عليك مُعَوَّلُ
O Abu Qasim, reason has no other recourse,
Abu Qasim, trials hold no weight for the resolute,
nor has glory anyone but you to rely on.
Nor do calamities, but in you hopes are resolute,
عَهِدتُكI have known you لاnot يَثنىbends اعتزامكyour resolve حادثٌa calamity
عَهِدتُك لا يَثنى اعتزامك حادثٌ
مُلمٌّbefalling ولاnor يحتاجُrequires صبرَكyour patience مُعضِلُa hard trial
مُلمٌّ ولا يحتاجُ صبرَك مُعضِلُ
I have known you: no calamity bends your resolve
Your determination does not waver with events,
when it befalls; nor does a hard trial require your patience.
Decisive, needing no patience for predicaments,
تأمَّلreflect on تصاريفَvicissitudes of الزمانِtime فإنَّماfor only
تأمَّل تصاريفَ الزمانِ فإنَّما
يُكشِّفُreveals أسرارَthe secrets of الأمورِthings التأمُّلُreflection
يُكشِّفُ أسرارَ الأمورِ التأمُّلُ
Reflect on time's vicissitudes, for only
Contemplate the turns of fate, for contemplation
reflection reveals the secrets of things.
Uncovers the secrets of affairs for examination,
أتبصرُdo you see مَغبوطاًsomeone envied بحالٍfor a condition تَسُرُّهُthat pleases him
أتبصرُ مَغبوطاً بحالٍ تَسُرُّهُ
إذاwhen كَمُلَتit becomes complete لمdoes not تَبتَدbegin تَتَحوَّلُto change
إذا كَمُلَت لم تَبتَد تَتَحوَّلُ
Do you see anyone envied for a lot that delights him,
Do you see one fortunate in a state that pleases,
which, once complete, does not begin to change?
When perfected, not originating, changing uneases?
نعيشُwe live كماas تَهوىwish الخطوبُmisfortunes تقودُناlead us
نعيشُ كما تَهوى الخطوبُ تقودُنا
مذاهبُpaths of آمالٍhopes تجورُveer off course وتَعدِلُand go straight
مذاهبُ آمالٍ تجورُ وتَعدِلُ
We live as misfortunes wish; we are led
We live as ordeals desire, driving us
by paths of hope that swerve and run straight.
Down routes of hopes, wronging and making right unsure,
إذاwhen ماemphatic particle تأمَّلناwe reflect on الخُطوبَmisfortunes وَكرّهاand their repeated assaults
إذا ما تأمَّلنا الخُطوبَ وَكرّها
عليناupon us عَلِمناwe know أنَّناthat we نَتَعَلَّلُwe console ourselves
علينا عَلِمنا أنَّنا نَتَعَلَّلُ
When we ponder misfortunes and their repeated assaults
If we contemplate ordeals and their vexation on us,
upon us, we know that we are consoling ourselves.
We know we are making excuses to rationalize.
وقَصرُand the final resort of الَجزوعِthe fretful man الصَّبرُpatience لكنَّbut كُلمَّاwhatever
وقَصرُ الَجزوعِ الصَّبرُ لكنَّ كُلمَّا
تقدَّمَcomes earlier منof صَبرِthe patience of الفتىthe young man فهوthen it is أجملُfiner
تقدَّمَ من صَبرِ الفتى فهو أجملُ
And patience is the fretful man's final resort; yet whatever
But short is the patience of the steadfast, yet the more
patience a young man shows sooner is finer.
Advances the patience of a youth, the finer it is.
Sol 6.1