لَعَمْرُكَby your life لَلْبَيْتُindeed the house الذيwhich لاnot نَطُورُهُwe visit it
لَعَمْرُكَ لَلْبَيْتُ الذي لا نَطُورُهُ
أَحَبُّdearer إليناto us مِنْthan بِلادٍlands نَطُورُهاwe visit them
أَحَبُّ إلينا مِنْ بِلادٍ نَطُورُها
By your life, the house that we do not visit
is dearer to us than lands we visit.
أَقُولُI say لِصَحْبيto my companions يَوْمَthe day أَشْرَفْتُI looked out وَاجِفاًtrembling
أَقُولُ لِصَحْبي يَوْمَ أَشْرَفْتُ وَاجِفاً
ونفْسِيَand my soul قَدْalready كَادَalmost الهَوَىlonging يَسْتَطيرُهَاcarries it away
ونفْسِيَ قَدْ كَادَ الهَوَى يَسْتَطيرُهَا
I said to my companions, on the day I looked out trembling,
while longing had almost carried my soul away:
أَلاَah! حَبَّذَاhow lovely دَارُthe abode السَّلامِpeace وَحبَّذَاand how lovely
أَلاَ حَبَّذَا دَارُ السَّلامِ وَحبَّذَا
أَجَارِعُsandy hollows وَعْسَاءِWaʿsāʾ التُّقَيِّal-Tuqayy فَدُورُهاthen its dwellings
أَجَارِعُ وَعْسَاءِ التُّقَيِّ فَدُورُها
Ah, how lovely is Dār al-Salām, and how lovely
the sandy hollows of Waʿsāʾ al-Tuqayy, and then its dwellings.
وَمِنْand from مَرْقَبِthe lookout الزّوْرَاءِal-Zawrāʾ دَارٌa dwelling حَبيبَةٌbeloved
وَمِنْ مَرْقَبِ الزّوْرَاءِ دَارٌ حَبيبَةٌ
إليناto us مَحانيcurves مَتْنِهاits ridge وظُهُورُهاand its heights
إلينا مَحاني مَتْنِها وظُهُورُها
And from al-Zawrāʾ’s lookout, a dwelling beloved
to us in its ridge’s curves and its heights.
وَسَقْياًand may rain fall لأعْلَىon the higher الوادِيَيْنthe two valleys وللرَّجَاand on al-Rajā
وَسَقْياً لأعْلَى الوادِيَيْن وللرَّجَا
إذاwhen ماindeed بَدَتْappeared يَوْماًone day لِعَيْنَيْكَbefore your two eyes نُورُهاits blossoms
إذا ما بَدَتْ يَوْماً لِعَيْنَيْكَ نُورُها
And may rain fall on the higher of the two valleys and al-Rajā,
when one day its blossoms appear before your eyes.
وبالبرقِand at al-Barq أَطْلاَلٌruins كأنَّas though رُسُومَهاtheir traces
وبالبرقِ أَطْلاَلٌ كأنَّ رُسُومَها
قَراطِيسُpages رُهْبَانٍmonks تَلُوحُshow plainly سُطُورُهاtheir written lines
قَراطِيسُ رُهْبَانٍ تَلُوحُ سُطُورُها
And at al-Barq are ruins whose traces seem like
monks’ pages, their lines showing plainly.
تَحَمَّلَdeparted منهاfrom it الحَيُّthe tribe لمَّاwhen تَلَهَّبَتْblazed
تَحَمَّلَ منها الحَيُّ لمَّا تَلَهَّبَتْ
لهمupon them وَغْرَةُscorching heat الشِّعْرَىSirius وَهَبَّand blew حَرُورُهاits hot wind
لهم وَغْرَةُ الشِّعْرَى وَهَبَّ حَرُورُها
The tribe departed from it when there flared
upon them the heat of Sirius, and its scorching wind blew.
وَفيand among الحَيِّthe tribe غَرَّاءُradiant الجَبينِthe brow كأنَّهاas though she were
وَفي الحَيِّ غَرَّاءُ الجَبينِ كأنَّها
غَمَامَةُa cloud صَيْفٍsummer مُسْتَهلٌّpouring rain صَبِيرُهاits cloud mass
غَمَامَةُ صَيْفٍ مُسْتَهلٌّ صَبِيرُها
And in the tribe was a radiant-browed woman, like
a summer cloud whose mass is pouring rain.
وَلَمَّاand when رَأَيْنَاwe saw نِعْمَةَthe bliss اللَّهْوِpleasure قَدْalready مَضَتْhad passed
وَلَمَّا رَأَيْنَا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهْوِ قَدْ مَضَتْ
بِطِيَّتِهاon their course أيَّامُهاits days وشهُورُهاand its months
بِطِيَّتِها أيَّامُها وشهُورُها
And when we saw that the bliss of pleasure had passed,
its days and months gone on their course,
عَزَفْناwe turned away وَمَاand not كانَتْit was بِأَوَّلِthe first نِعْمةٍa blessing
عَزَفْنا وَمَا كانَتْ بِأَوَّلِ نِعْمةٍ
مَحَتْهَاerased it اللَّياليthe nights كَرُّهاtheir recurrence ومُرُورُهاand their passage
مَحَتْهَا اللَّيالي كَرُّها ومُرُورُها
we turned away; it was not the first blessing
erased by the nights, their recurrence and passage.
فكمfor how often قدindeed رأيناwe have seen منof تكدرgrowing troubled عيشةa life
فكم قد رأينا من تكدر عيشة
وأخرىand another صغاinclined (likely a typo for 'cleared') بعدafter اكدرارturbidity غديرُهاits pool
وأخرى صغا بعد اكدرار غديرُها
For how often have we seen a life grow troubled,
and another whose pool cleared after growing turbid.
وَقَدْand may تَغْدِرُbetray الدُّنْياthe world فيُضْحىso becomes غَنِيُّهاits rich man
وَقَدْ تَغْدِرُ الدُّنْيا فيُضْحى غَنِيُّها
فَقيراًpoor وَيَغْنَىand grows rich بَعْدَafter بُؤْسٍhardship فَقيرُهاits poor man
فَقيراً وَيَغْنَى بَعْدَ بُؤْسٍ فَقيرُها
And the world may betray, so that its rich man becomes
poor, and its poor man grows rich after hardship.
إذَاwhen يَسَّرَmakes easy اللّهُGod الأمُورَaffairs تَيَسَّرَتْthey become easy
إذَا يَسَّرَ اللّهُ الأمُورَ تَيَسَّرَتْ
وَلانتْand grew supple قُواهَاtheir strands واستَقَادَand yielded عَسِيرُهاtheir difficult part
وَلانتْ قُواهَا واستَقَادَ عَسِيرُها
When God makes affairs easy, they become easy;
their strands grow supple, and their difficulties yield.
وَمَاand not الجُودُgenerosity مِنْfrom فَقْرِpoverty الرِّجالِmen وَلاَnor الغِنَىwealth
وَمَا الجُودُ مِنْ فَقْرِ الرِّجالِ وَلاَ الغِنَى
وَلكِنَّهُbut it خِيمُthe innate character الرِّجَالِmen وَخِيرُهاand their goodness
وَلكِنَّهُ خِيمُ الرِّجَالِ وَخِيرُها
And generosity comes neither from men’s poverty nor wealth,
but is men’s innate character and goodness.
فَكَمْfor how many طَامِعٍa hopeful man فِيfor حَاجَةٍa desired thing لاnot يَنالُهاhe attains it
فَكَمْ طَامِعٍ فِي حَاجَةٍ لا يَنالُها
وَكَمْand how many بَائِسٍa despairing man مِنْهَاof it أَتَاهُcame to him بَشِيرُهاits herald of good news
وَكَمْ بَائِسٍ مِنْهَا أَتَاهُ بَشِيرُها
For how many a man longs for something he does not attain,
and how many who despaired of it received its glad tidings.
وَكَمْand how many خَائِفٍa fearful man صَارَbecame المَخُوفَthe feared وَمُقْتِرٍand a poor man
وَكَمْ خَائِفٍ صَارَ المَخُوفَ وَمُقْتِرٍ
تَمَوَّلَacquired wealth والأحْدَاثُand events يَحلُوgrows sweet مَرِيرُهاtheir bitterness
تَمَوَّلَ والأحْدَاثُ يَحلُو مَرِيرُها
And how many a fearful man became feared, and a poor man
grew wealthy; the bitterness of events turns sweet.
تَقَلَّبْتُI moved about فيamong الإخوانِfriends حَتَّىuntil عَرَفْتُهُمْI knew them
تَقَلَّبْتُ في الإخوانِ حَتَّى عَرَفْتُهُمْ
ولاand not يَعْرِفُknows الإخوانَfriends إلاَّexcept خَبِيرُهاone experienced in them
ولا يَعْرِفُ الإخوانَ إلاَّ خَبِيرُها
I moved among friends until I knew them,
and none knows friends but one experienced in them.
فَلاَso not أَصْرِمُI sever ties with الخِلاَّنَclose friends حَتَّىuntil يُصَارِمُواthey sever ties
فَلاَ أَصْرِمُ الخِلاَّنَ حَتَّى يُصَارِمُوا
وحَتَّىand until يَسِيرُواthey follow سِيرَةًa course لاnot أسِيرُهاI follow it
وحَتَّى يَسِيرُوا سِيرَةً لا أسِيرُها
So I do not break with friends until they break with me,
and until they follow a course I do not follow.
فَإِنَّكَfor you بَعْدَafter الشَّرِّharm ماnot أَنْتَyou وَاجِدٌfinding
فَإِنَّكَ بَعْدَ الشَّرِّ ما أَنْتَ وَاجِدٌ
خَلِيلاًa close friend مُدِيماًmaintaining شِيمَةًa disposition لاnot يُديرُهاhe changes it
خَلِيلاً مُدِيماً شِيمَةً لا يُديرُها
For after trouble, you will not find
a friend who maintains one disposition without changing it.
وإِنَّكَand you فيconcerning غَيْرِother than الأخِلاَّءِclose friends عَالِمٌknowing
وإِنَّكَ في غَيْرِ الأخِلاَّءِ عَالِمٌ
بأَنَّthat الذيwhat يخْفَىis hidden عَلَيْكَfrom you ضَمِيرُهاtheir inward thought
بأَنَّ الذي يخْفَى عَلَيْكَ ضَمِيرُها
And concerning those who are not close friends, you know
that what is hidden from you is their inward thought.
فَلاso do not تَكُbe مغْرُوراًdeceived بمَسْحةِصَاحِبٍby a companion's veneer
فَلا تَكُ مغْرُوراً بمَسْحةِصَاحِبٍ
مِنَof الوُدِّaffection لاَnot تَدْرِيyou know عَلاَمَto what مَصِيرُهاits outcome
مِنَ الوُدِّ لاَ تَدْرِي عَلاَمَ مَصِيرُها
So do not be deceived by a companion’s veneer
of affection; you do not know how it will end.
وَنَفْسَكَand your soul أكْرِمْhonor عَنْabove أُمُورٍmatters كَثِيرةٍmany
وَنَفْسَكَ أكْرِمْ عَنْ أُمُورٍ كَثِيرةٍ
فَماfor there is no لَكَfor you نَفْسٌa soul بَعْدَهاafter it تَسْتَعِيرُهاyou can borrow it
فَما لَكَ نَفْسٌ بَعْدَها تَسْتَعِيرُها
And honor your soul by keeping it above many things,
for you have no soul after this one that you can borrow.
وَكَمْand how often قَدْindeed رَأَيْناwe have seen مِنْof تَكدُّرِgrowing troubled عِيشَةٍa life
وَكَمْ قَدْ رَأَيْنا مِنْ تَكدُّرِ عِيشَةٍ
وَحالٍand a state صَفَاcleared بَعْدَafter اكْدِرَارٍturbidity غَدِيرُهاits pool
وَحالٍ صَفَا بَعْدَ اكْدِرَارٍ غَدِيرُها
And how often have we seen a life grow troubled,
and a state whose pool cleared after growing turbid.
وَنَفْسَكَand your soul فاحْفَظْهَاthen guard it وَلاَand do not تُفْشِdivulge للوَرَىto humankind
وَنَفْسَكَ فاحْفَظْهَا وَلاَ تُفْشِ للوَرَى
مِنَof السِّرِّsecrets مَاwhat يُطْوَىis folded عَلَيْهِover it ضَمِيرُهاits innermost mind
مِنَ السِّرِّ مَا يُطْوَى عَلَيْهِ ضَمِيرُها
And your soul—guard it; do not disclose to humankind
the secrets enfolded in its innermost thoughts.
فَمَنْfor whoever يَتَّبِعْfollows مَاwhat يُعْجِبِpleases النَّفْسَthe soul لاَnot يَزَلْcease
فَمَنْ يَتَّبِعْ مَا يُعْجِبِ النَّفْسَ لاَ يَزَلْ
مُطِيعاًobedient لهاto it فيin فِعْلِdoing شَيْءٍsomething يضيرُهاharms it
مُطِيعاً لها في فِعْلِ شَيْءٍ يضيرُها
For whoever follows what pleases the soul will always be
obedient to it in doing something that harms it.
وَلاَand do not تَقْرَبِapproach الأَمْرَthe act الحَرامَforbidden فإنَّهُfor it
وَلاَ تَقْرَبِ الأَمْرَ الحَرامَ فإنَّهُ
حَلاوَتُهُits sweetness تَفْنَىvanishes وَيَبْقَىand remains مَرِيرُهاits bitterness
حَلاوَتُهُ تَفْنَى وَيَبْقَى مَرِيرُها
And do not approach a forbidden act, for
its sweetness vanishes, while its bitterness remains.
ولاand do not تُلْهِكَdistract you الدنياthis world عنfrom الحقtruth واعْتَمِلْand strive
ولا تُلْهِكَ الدنيا عن الحق واعْتَمِلْ
لآخِرةٍfor the hereafter لابُدَّinevitably أَنْthat سَتَصِيرُهاyou will go to it
لآخِرةٍ لابُدَّ أَنْ سَتَصِيرُها
And let this world not distract you from truth; strive
for the hereafter, to which you will inevitably go.
فَمَاfor none يَحْفَظُguards المكْتُومَwhat is concealed مِنَof سِرّthe secret أَهْلِهِhis people
فَمَا يَحْفَظُ المكْتُومَ مِنَ سِرّ أَهْلِهِ
إذاwhen عُقَدُknots الأسْرَارِsecrets ضَاعَwere lost كَثِيرُهاmany of them
إذا عُقَدُ الأسْرَارِ ضَاعَ كَثِيرُها
For no one guards the hidden secrets of his people,
when many knots binding secrets have come undone,
مِنَamong القَوْمِthe people إلاَّexcept ذُوone possessing عَفافٍrestraint يُعِينُهُhelps him
مِنَ القَوْمِ إلاَّ ذُو عَفافٍ يُعِينُهُ
عَلَىin ذَاكَthat مِنْهُfrom within him صِدْقُsincerity نَفْسٍa soul وخِيرُهاand its goodness
عَلَى ذَاكَ مِنْهُ صِدْقُ نَفْسٍ وخِيرُها
among the people, except a man of restraint, aided
in that by his own soul’s sincerity and goodness.
Sol 6.1