لاdo not تَسأَليask (addressing a woman) القَومَthe people عَنabout ماليmy wealth وَكَثرَتِهِand its abundance
لا تَسأَلي القَومَ عَن مالي وَكَثرَتِهِ
قَدmay يَقْتُرُbe poor المَرءُa man يَوماًone day وَهوَand he is مَحمودُpraised
قَد يَقْتُرُ المَرءُ يَوماً وَهوَ مَحمودُ
Do not ask the people about my wealth and its abundance.
Ask not the folk about my wealth and its abundance,
A man may one day be poor, yet be praised.
A man may become poor one day, though commendable he remains,
أمضيI proceed عَلىaccording to سُنَّةٍa tradition مِنfrom والِديmy father سَلَفَتhas gone before
أمضي عَلى سُنَّةٍ مِن والِدي سَلَفَت
وَفيand in أَرومَتِهِits rootstock ماemphatic particle ينبتُgrows العودُthe branch
وَفي أَرومَتِهِ ما ينبتُ العودُ
I follow a tradition passed down from my father.
I follow a tradition that my forebears have set,
And it is in its rootstock that the branch grows.
In his care what nourishes life abounds,
مُطَلّبٌmuch pursued بِتُراتٍfor blood debts غَيرِnot مُدرَكَةٍavenged
مُطَلّبٌ بِتُراتٍ غَيرِ مُدرَكَةٍ
مُحسَّدٌmuch envied وَالفَتىand the young man ذوpossessing الفَضلِmerit مَحْسودُenvied
مُحسَّدٌ وَالفَتى ذو الفَضلِ مَحْسودُ
Much pursued for blood debts still unavenged,
Seeking impossible fortunes,
Much envied—and a young man of merit is envied.
Envied, while the noble youth is envied in turn.
Sol 6.1