Sol 6.1

  1. فَإِن يَكُ عاراً ما لَقيتُ فَرُبَّما

    أَتى المَرءَ يَومَ السوءِ مِن حَيثُ لا يَدري

    If what I have endured is a disgrace, then often

    a day of misfortune befalls a man from where he does not expect it.

  2. وَلَم أَرَ ذا عَيشٍ يَدومُ وَلا أَرى

    زَمانَ الغِنى إِلّا قَريباً مِنَ الفَقرِ

    I have seen no one whose livelihood endures, nor do I see

    a time of wealth except close to poverty.

  3. وَمَن يَفتَقِر يَعلَم مَكانَ صَديقِهِ

    وَمَن يَحيَ لا يُعدَم بَلاءً مِنَ الدَهرِ

    Whoever becomes poor learns where his friend stands,

    and whoever lives is never without an ordeal from time.

  4. وَإِنّي لِأَستَحيي إِذ كُنتُ مُعسِراً

    صَديقَيَّ وَالخِلّانُ أَن يَعلَموا عُسري

    And indeed, when I am hard-pressed, I am ashamed

    to let my two friends and close companions know my hardship.

  5. وَأَهجُرُ خِلّاني وَما خانَ عَهدي

    حَياءً وَإِكراماً وَما بي مِن كبرِ

    I withdraw from my companions, though my pledge remains unbroken,

    out of shame and respect, with no arrogance in me.

  6. وَأَكرِمُ نَفسي أَن تُرى بي حاجَةٌ

    إِلى أَحَدٍ دوني وَإِن كانَ ذا وَفرِ

    I honor myself too much to be seen in need

    of anyone beneath me, even if he has abundant wealth.

  7. وَلَمّا رَأَيتُ المالَ قَد حِيلَ دونَهُ

    وَصَدَّت وُجوهٌ دونَ أَرحامِها البُترِ

    And when I saw that wealth had been put beyond reach,

    and faces turned away from their severed ties of kinship,

  8. جَعَلتُ حَليفَ النَفسِ عَضباً وَنَثرَةً

    وَأَزرَقَ مَشحوذاً كَخافِيَةِ النَّسرِ

    I made a keen sword and a coat of mail my soul's allies,

    and a sharpened blue spear, like a vulture's wing-feather.

  9. وَلا خَيرَ في عَيشِ أَمرىءٍ لا تَرى لَهُ

    وَظيفَةَ حَقٍّ في ثَناءٍ وَفي أَجرِ

    There is no good in the life of a man for whom you see no

    rightful share of praise and reward.