أَفادَتhave gained بِكَthrough you الأَيّامُthe days فَرطَan abundance of تَجارِبٍexperiences
أَفادَت بِكَ الأَيّامُ فَرطَ تَجارِبٍ
كَأَنَّكَas though you were فيin فَرقِthe hair's parting الزَمانِtime مَشيبُgray hair
كَأَنَّكَ في فَرقِ الزَمانِ مَشيبُ
Through you the days have gained a wealth of experience,
Days have taught you an excess of experiences
As though you were gray hair in time's parting.
As if you were an old man in the span of time
وُكُلُّand every بَعيدٍdistant one قَرَّبَbrought near الحَينَdeath نَحوُهُtoward him
وُكُلُّ بَعيدٍ قَرَّبَ الحَينَ نَحوُهُ
سَلاهِبُكَyour tall steeds الجُردُthe sleek-coated الجِيادُthe swift ones قَريبُnear
سَلاهِبُكَ الجُردُ الجِيادُ قَريبُ
And every distant one to whom death has been brought near
And every far thing, it brought near to it
By your tall, sleek, swift steeds is near.
Your horses roaming free, near at hand
تَباشَرُthey touch أَقطارَthe regions of البِلادِthe lands كَأَنَّهاas though they were
تَباشَرُ أَقطارَ البِلادِ كَأَنَّها
رِياحٌwinds لَهاfor them فيin الخافِقينَthe east and west هُبوبُblowing
رِياحٌ لَها في الخافِقينَ هُبوبُ
They touch the far reaches of the lands, as though they were
You traverse the regions of the countries as if they are
Winds blowing in the east and west.
Winds blowing freely in the air
تَماشىthey stride along بِفِتيانٍwith young men كَأَنَّas though جُسومَهُمtheir bodies
تَماشى بِفِتيانٍ كَأَنَّ جُسومَهُم
لِخِفَّتِهاbecause of their lightness فَوقَabove السُروجِthe saddles قُلوبُhearts
لِخِفَّتِها فَوقَ السُروجِ قُلوبُ
They stride along with youths, as though their bodies,
You walk with young men whose bodies
So light above the saddles, were hearts.
Are like hearts above the saddles because of their lightness
وَتَملَأُand they fill ماwhat بَينَbetween الفَضائينَthe two expanses عِثيراًdust
وَتَملَأُ ما بَينَ الفَضائينَ عِثيراً
مُثاراًstirred up بِوَجهِupon the face of الشَمسِthe sun مِنهُfrom it شَحوبُpallor
مُثاراً بِوَجهِ الشَمسِ مِنهُ شَحوبُ
And they fill the space between the two expanses with dust
And you fill what is between the two horizons with bustling
Stirred up, making the sun's face grow pale.
Stirred by the face of the sun which pales it
وَماand not يُدرِكُattains العَلياءَthe heights إِلّاexcept مُهَذَّبٌa refined man
وَما يُدرِكُ العَلياءَ إِلّا مُهَذَّبٌ
يُصابُis struck عَلىaccording to مِقدارِهِhis worth وَيُصيبُand strikes
يُصابُ عَلى مِقدارِهِ وَيُصيبُ
And none attains the heights except a refined man,
And none can attain lofty goals except one refined
Who is struck in proportion to his worth, and strikes in turn.
Who measures up to it and attains it
فَلاso do not تَصطَفِchoose الإِخوانَthe friends قَبلَbefore اِختِبارِهمtesting them
فَلا تَصطَفِ الإِخوانَ قَبلَ اِختِبارِهم
فَماfor not كُلُّevery خِلٍّfriend تَصطَفيهِyou choose him نَجيبُnoble
فَما كُلُّ خِلٍّ تَصطَفيهِ نَجيبُ
So do not choose your friends before testing them,
So do not choose companions before testing them
For not every friend you choose is noble.
For not every sweet date is of high quality
Sol 6.1