قدindeed زادنيhas outstripped me أدبٌlearning يمشيwalks علىupon قدمٍa foot
قد زادني أدبٌ يمشي على قدمٍ
صحيحةsound ماnot بهاin it عيبa defect ولاnor حنفُinward turning of the foot
صحيحة ما بها عيب ولا حنفُ
Learning that walks upon a foot has outstripped me—
My manners increased, walking on a steady foot
Sound, with neither defect nor inward bend.
Without fault or lameness
لنwill not يقطعshorten العمرlife سيرtravel فيthrough البلادthe lands عسىperhaps
لن يقطع العمر سير في البلاد عسى
يلقاهmeets him فيهin it الغنىwealth يوماone day أوor التلفُdeath
يلقاه فيه الغنى يوما أو التلفُ
Travel through the lands will not shorten life; perhaps
Life's journey won't cease crossing lands, mayhap
Wealth will meet him there one day—or death.
Riches or ruin come his way one day
إذاif استرابbecomes suspicious بأمرabout a matter جدّhastens مرتحلاًdeparting
إذا استراب بأمر جدّ مرتحلاً
عنهاaway from it ففيfor in غيرهاsomewhere other than it منهاin place of it لهfor him خلفa substitute
عنها ففي غيرها منها له خلف
If a matter makes him doubtful, he hastens to depart
When tired of a serious matter, moving
From that land, for elsewhere he finds a substitute for it.
From it, for in another like it he’ll find relief
أشكواI complain إلىto اللهGod أنيthat I كالأسيرlike a prisoner إذاwhen
أشكوا إلى الله أني كالأسير إذا
رأيتI see منطلقاsomeone free to go يعتادنيrepeatedly besets me الأسفُsorrow
رأيت منطلقا يعتادني الأسفُ
I complain to God that I am like a prisoner: when
I complain to God that I'm like a captive when
I see someone free to go, sorrow besets me.
I see a freedman, sorrow besieges me
وقدand indeed دفعتI have been thrust إلىinto دهرan age أكافحهُI struggle against it
وقد دفعت إلى دهر أكافحهُ
أسقامهُits ailments وتنالand wins الحظوةfavor الجيفcarrion
أسقامهُ وتنال الحظوة الجيف
And I have been thrust into an age in which I battle
And I'm handed over to a time I struggle with
Its ailments, while carrion wins favor.
Its illnesses, and good fortune is a carcass
حظّيmy lot بهin it معشرa company of people خسّتhave grown base نفوسهمُtheir souls
حظّي به معشر خسّت نفوسهمُ
مثلlike البهائمbeasts حرّa free, noble man فيهمamong them حرفُill-starred
مثل البهائم حرّ فيهم حرفُ
My lot in it is a company whose souls have grown base,
My lot is a group whose souls are worthless
Like beasts; a noble man among them is ill-starred.
Like beasts, in them ignorance reigns
يمشيwalks بهمwith them عنقاat a brisk gait طوراat times وهملجةand at a smooth amble
يمشي بهم عنقا طورا وهملجة
حتّىuntil إذاwhen سمتهُI asked it for بيwith me مشيةa step يقفit stops
حتّى إذا سمتهُ بي مشية يقف
It walks with them, now at a brisk gait, now at a smooth amble,
It drives them neck now, head now, confused
Until, when I ask it to take a step with me, it stops.
Until when I walk straight, it stops
إلاexcept for عيالاdependents أبادmay destroy اللهGod شأفتهمtheir root
إلا عيالا أباد الله شأفتهم
ماnot منهمof them أحدanyone للماءfor water يغترفdraws
ما منهم أحد للماء يغترف
Except for dependents—may God root them out!
Save dependents God destroyed their distinction
Not one of them draws water.
None of them reaches for water to draw
يستهتفونيthey call upon me إلىto إحرازsecuring قوتهمtheir sustenance
يستهتفوني إلى إحراز قوتهم
ولستand I am not ممنone of those who لضعفbecause of weakness الرجلthe leg يحترفplies a trade
ولست ممن لضعف الرجل يحترف
They call on me to secure their sustenance,
They beg me to provide their livelihood
And, because my leg is weak, I am not one who can ply a trade.
Yet I'm not one to earn through weakness
يكلفونيthey require me to سؤالask الناسpeople نائلهمtheir bounty
يكلفوني سؤال الناس نائلهم
كرهاunwillingly ويمنعنيand prevents me منfrom ذلكthat الأنفpride
كرها ويمنعني من ذلك الأنف
They make me ask people for their bounty
They task me to ask people for their needs
Against my will, yet pride prevents me from doing so.
Perforce, but pride stops me from that
يستنهضونيthey spur me to action إلىtoward ماwhat ليسdoes not يعجبُنيplease me
يستنهضوني إلى ما ليس يعجبُني
إنindeed الذيwhat بينناbetween us جداgreatly لمختلفis surely different
إن الذي بيننا جدا لمختلف
They spur me toward what does not please me;
They rouse me to what does not please me
Indeed, there is profound disagreement between us.
Indeed, between us lies great dissent
Sol 6.1