أَجدٌّAre you serious? بِهَذاin this الهَجرِestrangement أَمor مُتَمَزحُjesting
أَجدٌّ بِهَذا الهَجرِ أَم مُتَمَزحُ
صُدودُكَyour shunning وَالهِجرانُand estrangement بِالحَبلِupon the cord منجحُeffective
صُدودُكَ وَالهِجرانُ بِالحَبلِ منجحُ
Are you serious in this estrangement, or merely jesting?
Is this estrangement serious or jesting?
Your shunning and estrangement have their effect upon the cord.
Your aloofness and separation are secured with rope.
أَمor العلةُthe cause الأُخرىother عِتابٌa reproach عَتبتهُyou voiced it as reproach
أَم العلةُ الأُخرى عِتابٌ عَتبتهُ
عَلىagainst بَعضِsome of مَنthose who يَهديsend السَّلامَgreetings وَيَنصحُand counsel sincerely
عَلى بَعضِ مَن يَهدي السَّلامَ وَيَنصحُ
Or is the other cause a reproach you made
Or is the other reason resentment you resented
Against one of those who send greetings and counsel sincerely?
Against some who bid peace and advise sincerely?
وَقَدand indeed كانَwas عَهديmy experience بِالبعادِwith separation مَلَجَّةًa cause of obstinacy
وَقَد كانَ عَهدي بِالبعادِ مَلَجَّةً
لِذيfor one possessing الودِّaffection حَتّىuntil يَجعَلَit makes الودَّaffection يَنزحُebb away
لِذي الودِّ حَتّى يَجعَلَ الودَّ يَنزحُ
And I have known separation to provoke obstinacy
My way with remoteness has always been
In one who loves, until it makes affection ebb away.
To push affection until affection ebbs away.
وَلاand do not تَنقَطِعُcut yourself off مِنfrom وامِقٍa lover ذيpossessing مَوَدَّةٍaffection
وَلا تَنقَطِعُ مِن وامِقٍ ذي مَوَدَّةٍ
بِغَيبٍbecause of absence وَلاnor واشٍa slanderer يَدُبُّcreeps about وَيَقدحُand maligns
بِغَيبٍ وَلا واشٍ يَدُبُّ وَيَقدحُ
And do not cut yourself off from a lover full of affection
Nor does sincere friendship cease with an absent friend,
Because of absence, or a slanderer who creeps about and maligns.
Or whisperer creeping, kindling sparks and fires.
وَلِلمَلكِand the king has سُلطانٌauthority وَلِلحُبِّand love has هَيبَةٌawe
وَلِلمَلكِ سُلطانٌ وَلِلحُبِّ هَيبَةٌ
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle أَجنتهُhave concealed it أَضالِعُribs جنّحُcurving
إِذا ما أَجنتهُ أَضالِعُ جنّحُ
And a king has authority, and love has awe,
The king has authority, and love has awe
When curving ribs have concealed it.
When ribs of zealots guard it, so it thrives.
فَلاso do not تَصرِمَنَّever sever ties with الدَّهرَfor all time مَنone whom قَدalready حَبَوتهُyou have favored him
فَلا تَصرِمَنَّ الدَّهرَ مَن قَد حَبَوتهُ
بِودِّكَwith your affection وَاِعلمْand know أَهلَهُthose worthy of it حينَwhen تمنَحُyou bestow
بِودِّكَ وَاِعلمْ أَهلَهُ حينَ تمنَحُ
So never sever ties with one you have favored
Do not spurn all time one you've adored with love,
With your affection; and know who deserves it when you bestow it.
And know your people when you grant and give.
وَخَيرُand the best of الهَوىlove العَهدthe bond القَديمold وَشَرّهُand its worst
وَخَيرُ الهَوى العَهد القَديم وَشَرّهُ
ضِعافُthe weak القُوىin strength وَالكاذِبُand the liar المتمنحُseeking favors
ضِعافُ القُوى وَالكاذِبُ المتمنحُ
And the best of love is an old bond, and its worst:
The best love is old covenant, and the worst
Those of feeble strength, and the lying seeker of favors.
Weak powers and lying beggar craving gifts.
يَقولُsay صحابيmy companions إِذwhen نَظَرتI looked صَبابَةًout of longing
يَقولُ صحابي إِذ نَظَرت صَبابَةً
بِجرفٍat Jurf حَميدٍHamid ماwhat لِطَرفِكَwith your gaze يَطمَحُstrays upward
بِجرفٍ حَميدٍ ما لِطَرفِكَ يَطمَحُ
My companions say, as I gaze with longing
My friend said when he saw a lively doe
At Jurf Hamid: ‘Why does your gaze wander?’
On a pleasant lofty dune: “Why do you gaze?”
ثَقيلٌheavy عَلىupon جَنبِthe side المهادِthe bed وَمالهand his wealth
ثَقيلٌ عَلى جَنبِ المهادِ وَماله
خَفيفٌlight عَلىupon أَعدائِهِhis enemies حينَwhen يَسرَحُhe goes forth
خَفيفٌ عَلى أَعدائِهِ حينَ يَسرَحُ
He weighs heavily on the side of the bed, while his wealth
Heavy upon the litter's side, but light
Weighs lightly upon his enemies when he goes forth.
Upon its enemies when it stamps away.
فَإِنso if ماتَhe dies لَمnot يفجَعْbereaves صَديقاًa friend مَكانَهُhis place
فَإِن ماتَ لَم يفجَعْ صَديقاً مَكانَهُ
وَإِنand if عاشَhe lives فَهوَthen he is الدَّيدَنِيِّhabitual المترّحُbringing grief
وَإِن عاشَ فَهوَ الدَّيدَنِيِّ المترّحُ
So if he dies, no friend mourns his empty place;
If it dies, no friend replaces it,
And if he lives, he is an inveterate bringer of grief.
And if it lives, it is the wont to roam.
فَإِنَّfor indeed أمينَone trustworthy الغَيبِin absence يَحصرgrows tight صَدرهhis breast
فَإِنَّ أمينَ الغَيبِ يَحصر صَدره
مِراراًrepeatedly وَيَستَحييand feels shame الحَبيبُthe beloved فَيصفحُand so forgives
مِراراً وَيَستَحيي الحَبيبُ فَيصفحُ
For one faithful in absence feels his breast constrict
For the keeper of one absent wrings his heart
Again and again; the beloved feels shame and so forgives.
Repeatedly, and the lover is too shy to greet.
إِذاif لَمnot ترافدْyou give mutual aid فيin الرفادِgiving aid وَلَمand not تَسقyou drive off
إِذا لَم ترافدْ في الرفادِ وَلَم تَسق
عَدوّاًan enemy وَلَمand not تَستَغنِyou become self-sufficient فَالمَوتُthen death أَروَحُmore restful
عَدوّاً وَلَم تَستَغنِ فَالمَوتُ أَروَحُ
If you do not join in giving aid, nor drive off
If you do not help in time of need or quench
An enemy, nor become self-sufficient, then death is more restful.
A foe, and you do not suffice, then death is rest.
Sol 6.1