سكتI fell silent فقالواso they said ارتاحhe found rest بعدafter عنائهhis toil
سكت فقالوا ارتاح بعد عنائه
وماand not هيit إلاexcept راحةُrepose اليأسdespair منهمُof them
وما هي إلا راحةُ اليأس منهمُ
I fell silent, and they said, “He has found rest after his toil.”
Yet it is only the repose of having lost hope in them.
وماand not سألواthey asked عنabout أزمتيmy crisis وقدand already انتهتْit has ended
وما سألوا عن أزمتي وقد انتهتْ
ولمand did not يبقremain إلاexcept ماهمُwhat they فيهin it مأزمُa predicament
ولم يبق إلا ماهمُ فيه مأزمُ
Nor did they ask about my crisis, which has now ended;
and nothing remains but the predicament they are in.
جهرتI spoke out فلمbut did not ينفعنيَbenefit me الجهرُspeaking out عندهمwith them
جهرت فلم ينفعنيَ الجهرُ عندهم
ولمnor did أنجI escape مماfrom what كنتُI used to أخفيhide وأكتمand conceal
ولم أنج مما كنتُ أخفي وأكتم
I spoke out, but speaking out did me no good with them,
nor did I escape what I used to hide and conceal.
وماand not ذكرواthey remembered أنيthat I تحملتI had borne عبئهمtheir burden
وما ذكروا أني تحملت عبئهم
وماand not صدَّقواthey believed أنيthat I لهمfor them متألمsuffering
وما صدَّقوا أني لهم متألم
They did not remember that I had borne their burden,
nor did they believe that I was suffering for them.
وماand what حيلتيmy recourse فيwith العابثينthose who trifle بشملهمwith their unity
وما حيلتي في العابثين بشملهم
وهمwhile they بالمصيرof the fate السوءevil أدرىmore aware وأعلمand more knowledgeable
وهم بالمصير السوء أدرى وأعلم
What can I do with those who trifle with their own unity,
when they know and understand their grim fate better?
يدورونthey circle حولَaround الحكمpower يلتمسونهthey seek it
يدورون حولَ الحكم يلتمسونه
وشرُّand the worst البلاياcalamities أنthat يهونواthey become abased ليحكمواso they may rule
وشرُّ البلايا أن يهونوا ليحكموا
They circle around power, seeking it,
and the worst of calamities is that they abase themselves to rule.
ويرجونand they hope for بالزلفىthrough ingratiation إلىtoward الخصمthe adversary وُدَّهhis affection
ويرجون بالزلفى إلى الخصم وُدَّه
وماand not ودهُhis affection إلاexcept الطعامُfood المسمَّمpoisoned
وما ودهُ إلا الطعامُ المسمَّم
They hope, by courting the adversary, to win his affection,
yet his affection is nothing but poisoned food.
لعلperhaps القضاءَfate الجاريَunfolding اليومَtoday بينهمamong them
لعل القضاءَ الجاريَ اليومَ بينهم
يُحدِّثُهمwill speak to them بعديafter me غداًtomorrow ويُكلِّمand address
يُحدِّثُهم بعدي غداً ويُكلِّم
Perhaps the fate at work among them today
will speak to them tomorrow, after me, and address them.
وتشغلهمand distracts them عنfrom أزمةcrisis المالmoney جيرةٌneighbors
وتشغلهم عن أزمة المال جيرةٌ
يسيلflows لحرياتهمfor their freedoms منهمfrom them الدمblood
يسيل لحرياتهم منهم الدم
And they will be distracted from the financial crisis by neighbors
whose own blood flows for their freedoms.
وفكand freeing رقابnecks منfrom عدوٍّan enemy مسلَّطٍholding sway
وفك رقاب من عدوٍّ مسلَّطٍ
علىover الأرضthe land منthan دفعwarding off المجاعةfamine أكرمnobler
على الأرض من دفع المجاعة أكرم
And freeing necks from an enemy holding sway
over the land is nobler than warding off famine.
وقدand perhaps يشتهيlongs for الموتَdeath الفتىthe young man وهوwhile he is موثقbound
وقد يشتهي الموتَ الفتى وهو موثق
ولاand not يشتهيlongs for الموتَdeath الفتىthe young man وهوwhile he is معدمdestitute
ولا يشتهي الموتَ الفتى وهو معدم
A young man may long for death when he is bound,
but a young man does not long for death when he is destitute.
Sol 6.1