أخوكyour brother الذيwho إنif غبتyou are absent نالكreaches you نفعهhis benefit
أخوك الذي إن غبت نالك نفعه
بممكنهwith his available means جهداwith effort ومنand one whom أنتyou شافعهhis intercessor
بممكنه جهدا ومن أنت شافعه
Your brother is one whose help reaches you when you are absent,
Your brother who, if absent, benefits you
With all his means and effort—and one for whom you intercede.
With all his might and effort, and you his intercessor are
فإنthen if كنتماyou two are فيin بحبةease or abundance (uncertain reading) كنتماyou two are معاtogether
فإن كنتما في بحبة كنتما معا
علىin كرمgenerosity قدalready سالمتكhave made peace with you مطامعهhis desires
على كرم قد سالمتك مطامعه
If you both enjoy ease, you are together,
If you two are in a dilemma, you are together
In generosity; his desires have made peace with you.
With generosity that has saved you from its greed
فأماbut as for الذيthe one who يرضيكpleases you ظاهرthe outward appearance لفظهof his words
فأما الذي يرضيك ظاهر لفظه
وتأتيكand reach you منهfrom him فيin المغيبabsence قوارعهhis blows
وتأتيك منه في المغيب قوارعه
But as for one whose outward words please you,
As for the one whose outward speech pleases you
While his blows reach you in your absence—
Yet inwardly he assails you with misfortunes
فذاكthen that one الذيwho لاmay not قرّبbring near اللهGod دارهhis home
فذاك الذي لا قرّب الله داره
ولاand may not سمعتhear بالمفرحاتof gladdening things مسامعهhis ears
ولا سمعت بالمفرحات مسامعه
That is the one—may God never bring his home near,
He whom God will not bring near his abode
Nor may his ears hear glad tidings.
Nor will you hear good tidings reach his ears
فإنthen if فاتكeludes you المحضthe one pure in المودةaffection فليكنthen let be
فإن فاتك المحض المودة فليكن
أخوكyour brother الذيthat whose تغشىencompass الأنامhumankind منافعهits benefits
أخوك الذي تغشى الأنام منافعه
If one pure in affection eludes you, then let
If pure affection has eluded you, then let
Your brother be that whose benefits encompass humankind.
Your brother be one whose benefits all people enjoy
يلوحshines علىon أرجائهits borders فيin سطورهاtheir lines
يلوح على أرجائه في سطورها
منamong الآيthe verses ماthat which قدalready أحكمhas perfected النفسthe soul صانعهits maker
من الآي ما قد أحكم النفس صانعه
On its borders, in their lines, shine
In his lines gleam verses that the soul's Maker
Verses whose maker has perfected the soul.
Has rendered profound, a stronghold for the self
فذاكthen that أخوكyour brother الحقtrue فيin كلevery موطنplace
فذاك أخوك الحق في كل موطن
إذاwhen أفسدspoils الودaffection الذيthe one whose أنتyou تابعهfollower
إذا أفسد الود الذي أنت تابعه
That is your true brother in every place,
He is your true brother in every abode
When the one you follow spoils affection.
If the love you pursue becomes corrupted
يسرّكَdelights you إنif نفذتهyou put it to use فيin وجوههits avenues of use
يسرّكَ إن نفذته في وجوهه
إذاwhen ضنّis stingy بالمالwith wealth المؤثلamassed جامعهits accumulator
إذا ضنّ بالمال المؤثل جامعه
It delights you if you put it to use in its proper ways,
You rejoice if you spend it on worthy faces
When the hoarder begrudges his amassed wealth.
When the abject hoarder gathers his riches
Sol 6.1