أَلاَbehold فيin الأَوَّلِthe earlier one الماضيthe departed اعِتبارُa lesson
أَلاَ في الأَوَّلِ الماضي اعِتبارُ
لِذيfor one possessing عَقلٍreason أَخيpossessing فَهمٍunderstanding بَصيرِdiscerning
لِذي عَقلٍ أَخي فَهمٍ بَصيرِ
Behold, in the one who passed before lies a lesson
For one endowed with reason, understanding, and insight.
تَخَيَّرَhe carefully chose لِلوزارةِfor ministerial office مَنone who رعَاهcared for him
تَخَيَّرَ لِلوزارةِ مَن رعَاه
بإِشفاقٍwith solicitude ونُصحٍand sincere counsel فيin الأُمورِaffairs
بإِشفاقٍ ونُصحٍ في الأُمورِ
He chose as minister one who cared for him
With solicitude and sincere counsel in affairs.
وَحِصنٍand guarded سَرَّهُhis secret فَعَلاَso he rose مَهيباًawe-inspiring
وَحِصنٍ سَرَّهُ فَعَلاَ مَهيباً
يُجازيhe rewards القُلَّthe little بالَحجمِwith a measure الكَثيرِgreat
يُجازي القُلَّ بالَحجمِ الكَثيرِ
And guarded his secret, so he rose commanding awe,
Rewarding little with a great measure
مِنَof الإِحسانِkindness والإِكرامِand honor فِعلاًan act
مِنَ الإِحسانِ والإِكرامِ فِعلاً
يُزانُhe is adorned بهِby it إلَىuntil يَومِthe Day of النُّشُورِResurrection
يُزانُ بهِ إلَى يَومِ النُّشُورِ
Of kindness and honor—an act
By which he is adorned until the Day of Resurrection.
وأَنفَقَand he spent ماwhat أَفادَhe gained بِحُسنِwith good هَديٍconduct
وأَنفَقَ ما أَفادَ بِحُسنِ هَديٍ
وتَقديرٍand careful reckoning بِلاwithout سَرَفٍextravagance مُبيرِruinous
وتَقديرٍ بِلا سَرَفٍ مُبيرِ
And spent what he gained with good conduct
And careful reckoning, without ruinous extravagance.
وأَجمَلُand one sounder فيconcerning الرَّعيَّةِthe subjects منهُthan him رَأياًin judgment
وأَجمَلُ في الرَّعيَّةِ منهُ رَأياً
كَفَاهُspared him عِلمَknowing أَخبارِthe reports of الخَبيرِthe well-informed man
كَفَاهُ عِلمَ أَخبارِ الخَبيرِ
And one sounder than he in judging the subjects
Spared him having to learn a well-informed man's reports.
يُلاِحظُhe observes مَنwhoever دَنَاdraws near بِثَبَاتِwith steadiness of ذِهنٍmind
يُلاِحظُ مَن دَنَا بِثَبَاتِ ذِهنٍ
فيَعلَمُso he knows بِالضَّميرِthrough inward awareness هَوَىthe desire of الضَّميرِthe inner self
فيَعلَمُ بِالضَّميرِ هَوَى الضَّميرِ
He observes whoever draws near with a steady mind,
So through inward awareness he knows the heart's desire.
وواتاهُand favored him الزَّمَانُtime فعاشَso he lived دَهراًan age
وواتاهُ الزَّمَانُ فعاشَ دَهراً
مَنيعاًunassailable فيin السُّهولِthe plains وفيand in الوُعورrugged terrain
مَنيعاً في السُّهولِ وفي الوُعور
And time favored him, so he lived an age,
Unassailable in the plains and in rugged country.
ولَمand did not يَمنَعهُprotect him تَدبيرٌplanning وحَزمٌand resolve
ولَم يَمنَعهُ تَدبيرٌ وحَزمٌ
مِنَfrom الَموتِdeath الُمَنغِّصthe spoiler للسُّرورof joy
مِنَ الَموتِ الُمَنغِّص للسُّرور
Yet planning and resolve did not protect him
From death, the spoiler of joy.
ومَاand not يَبقَىendures عَلَىthrough الأَيَّامِthe days باقٍany enduring being
ومَا يَبقَى عَلَى الأَيَّامِ باقٍ
سِوىَexcept ذيthe Possessor of العِزَّةِmight الرَّبِّthe Lord القَديرِthe all-powerful
سِوىَ ذي العِزَّةِ الرَّبِّ القَديرِ
And no being endures through the passing days,
Save the Possessor of Might, the all-powerful Lord.
Sol 6.1