وهلAnd is ذاكthat إلاbut مهمهa trackless wilderness بينَamid ثلةٍa flock
وهل ذاك إلا مهمه بينَ ثلةٍ
تطيفcircle بهاaround it منfrom جانبيهاits two sides الثعالبthe foxes
تطيف بها من جانبيها الثعالب
And is that anything but a trackless wilderness amid a flock,
Is that not just a trivial task among a group
with foxes circling around it on both sides?
With foxes roaming around it on both sides
يعدّis deemed حليماforbearing منone whom نهتهhas restrained him بصيرةinsight
يعدّ حليما من نهته بصيرة
عنfrom الغيّwaywardness أوor منone whom أدبتهhas schooled him التحاربwarfare
عن الغيّ أو من أدبته التحارب
Deemed forbearing is one whom insight has restrained
He who abandons his insight is considered wise
from waywardness, or one whom warfare has schooled.
Or he who tames discord is called forbearing
وليسand is not حكيماwise منone whose تهذبhas become refined لفظهhis speech
وليس حكيما من تهذب لفظه
وأخلاقهand his character فيهاin it عليهagainst him معايبfaults
وأخلاقه فيها عليه معايب
Nor is one wise whose speech is refined,
Not truly wise is one whose words are refined
while his character contains faults that count against him.
Yet his morals have flaws that bring him blame
كماjust as قدindeed رأيناwe have seen ناهياone forbidding عنagainst خزايةshameful conduct
كما قد رأينا ناهيا عن خزاية
ويركبهاyet he commits it وهوand he is الألدّthe fiercely contentious one المحاربthe combatant
ويركبها وهو الألدّ المحارب
Just as we have seen one forbid shameful conduct,
As we've seen advisers against sins
yet commit it himself—a fiercely contentious combatant.
Yet they commit those sins, harshly warring
وماand nothing is العيشlife إلاbut أنto تعدّbe deemed مهذباwell-mannered
وما العيش إلا أن تعدّ مهذبا
لبيباdiscerning ولوeven if سدّتare barred عليكto you المذاهبthe paths
لبيبا ولو سدّت عليك المذاهب
And life is nothing but being deemed well-mannered
Life is but to be counted as refined
and discerning, even if the paths are barred to you.
Wise, even if paths are closed to you
Sol 6.1