لاdo not تحسنَنّever show kindness إلىto الشريرthe wicked man مطلباseeking
لا تحسنَنّ إلى الشرير مطلبا
منهfrom him المودةaffection فالإحسانfor kindness يحقدهfills him with rancor
منه المودة فالإحسان يحقده
Do not show kindness to a wicked man in pursuit
Do not do good to the wicked seeking
Of his affection, for kindness fills him with rancor.
His affection, for kindness angers him.
تدنوyou draw near إليهto him بشيءwith something ليسnot يعرفهhe recognizes it
تدنو إليه بشيء ليس يعرفه
والضدّand the opposite ينكرrejects ضدّاan opposite ليسnot يعهدُهit is accustomed to it
والضدّ ينكر ضدّا ليس يعهدُه
You approach him with something he does not recognize,
Approach him with what he knows not,
And an opposite rejects an opposite it is not accustomed to.
And the opposite rejects its opposite unaccustomed to it.
عاملهtreat him بالشرwith evil وانظرand see كيفhow موقعهits effect
عامله بالشر وانظر كيف موقعه
فالشرfor evil يصلحهsets him right والخيرand goodness يفسدهcorrupts him
فالشر يصلحه والخير يفسده
Treat him with evil and see its effect:
Treat him with evil and see what his position is:
For evil sets him right, while goodness corrupts him.
Evil improves him and good corrupts him.
وكلماand whenever ازددتyou increase إحساناin kindness لقيتyou encounter عناhardship
وكلما ازددت إحسانا لقيت عنا
منهfrom him وجرّبand try فخيرfor the best القولspeech أقصدهits most measured form
منه وجرّب فخير القول أقصده
And the more kindness you show, the more hardship you meet
The more you increase kindness to him, the more you find
From him. Try it: the best speech is the most measured.
Ingratitude from him. Try it, the best words are the most just.
ألمhave you not ترseen الجمرthe embers والكبريتand sulfur يلهبهsets them ablaze
ألم تر الجمر والكبريت يلهبه
بالطبعby nature والماءand water يطفيهextinguishes them ويخمدهand quenches them
بالطبع والماء يطفيه ويخمده
Have you not seen the embers—sulfur sets them ablaze
Have you not seen embers and sulphur,
By nature, while water extinguishes and quenches them?
How fire inflames them by nature, and water extinguishes and quenches them?
للخيرfor goodness أهلworthy people إذاwhen أوليتهمyou bestow on them حسناkindness
للخير أهل إذا أوليتهم حسنا
أولوكthey bestow on you شكراthanks وخيرand the best البرbenevolence أوحدهits most exceptional form
أولوك شكرا وخير البر أوحده
Goodness has its people: when you show them kindness,
The good people, when you treat them with kindness,
They give you thanks; the best benevolence is the most exceptional.
They are grateful, and the best righteous deed singles them out.
وصاحبand a wicked companion السوؤin فيreforming him استصلاحهtoil تعبtoil
وصاحب السوؤ في استصلاحه تعب
يدنوhe draws near إليهto him وطبعand the nature الشرof evil يبعدهdrives him away
يدنو إليه وطبع الشر يبعده
There is toil in trying to reform a wicked companion:
As for the despicable man, your effort to reform him is wasted,
One draws near him, but his evil nature drives one away.
You approach him while the nature of evil distances him.
Sol 6.1