لاdo not تصحبنّever keep company with اميراًan emir
لا تصحبنّ اميراً
ولاand not غنياa wealthy man قديراpowerful
ولا غنيا قديرا
Never keep company with an emir,
Do not befriend a prince,
nor with a rich and powerful man,
Or a wealthy powerful man.
يطاعis obeyed فيكconcerning you إذاwhen ماan emphatic particle
يطاع فيك إذا ما
جنيتyou commit ذنباan offense يسيراslight
جنيت ذنبا يسيرا
whose word against you is obeyed whenever
If you offend him slightly,
you commit a slight offense.
He will punish you as he can.
أحكامهُhis judgments فيكconcerning you تحريpursue
أحكامهُ فيك تحري
بغياoppression وظلماand injustice وزوراand falsehood
بغيا وظلما وزورا
His judgments concerning you pursue
His judgments over you
oppression, injustice, and falsehood.
Are driven by greed and deceit untrue.
ولاand not ترىyou find لكfor yourself خلفاa substitute
ولا ترى لك خلفا
يكونwould be منهby him محيراbewildered
يكون منه محيرا
And you will find no substitute for yourself
And you will find no one behind you
who would be left bewildered by him.
To defend you or see you through.
إنindeed التعزّزseeking might ذلّhumiliation
إن التعزّز ذلّ
فلاso do not تردهseek him ظهيراas a supporter
فلا ترده ظهيرا
Seeking might is humiliation,
For true honor lies in humility,
so do not seek him as a supporter.
Do not make the proud your pillar.
وكنand be معwith البهمthe lambs and kids واقنعand be content
وكن مع البهم واقنع
ترىyou see القليلwhat is little كثيراmuch
ترى القليل كثيرا
And be with the flock, and be content:
Keep company with the meek,
you will see little as much.
And be content with little, however small.
تكونyou will be فيهمamong them طليقاfree
تكون فيهم طليقا
وفيand in يديهhis two hands أسيراa captive
وفي يديه أسيرا
Among them you will be free,
With them you have freedom,
and in his hands a captive.
While under the mighty, a prisoner in thrall.
متىwhenever تعدّىtransgresses نظيرan equal
متى تعدّى نظير
عليكagainst you كنتyou would be نظيراan equal
عليك كنت نظيرا
Whenever an equal transgresses
If a peer wrongs you,
against you, you stand as his equal.
Meet him as an equal.
فإنso if تناولhe takes up زقّاa wineskin
فإن تناول زقّا
أخذتyou take دلواa bucket كبيراlarge
أخذت دلوا كبيرا
So if he takes up a wineskin,
If he takes but a beaker,
you take a large bucket.
Seize from him a bucketful.
والصلحand reconciliation منfrom بعدafter هذاthis
والصلح من بعد هذا
وقدand already أمنتyou have become safe from الغروراdeception
وقد أمنت الغرورا
And reconciliation comes after this,
And after this, make peace,
with you now safe from deception.
Once passion and pride are cooled.
إنindeed الخمولobscurity سرورٌhappiness
إن الخمول سرورٌ
لمنfor whoever أرادdesires السروراhappiness
لمن أراد السرورا
Indeed, obscurity is happiness
For tranquility gladdens
for whoever desires happiness.
Those who seek only peace.
Sol 6.1