ماnot فيin مُعاشَرَةِkeeping company with اِبنُson of أَكثَمَAktham ساعَةًfor an hour
ما في مُعاشَرَةِ اِبنُ أَكثَمَ ساعَةً
خَطَرٌworth لِذيfor one possessing عَقلٍreason وَلاnor مَجنونِa madman
خَطَرٌ لِذي عَقلٍ وَلا مَجنونِ
There is no worth in an hour of Ibn Aktham’s company
There is not an hour's worth in associating with Ibn Aktham
For a man of sense, nor for a madman.
For one of sense or even a madman
أَعمىblind لَهُhe has بَصَرٌsight يَعيبُfinds fault with صَديقَهُhis friend
أَعمى لَهُ بَصَرٌ يَعيبُ صَديقَهُ
يَأتيcommits المَثالِبَdisgraceful deeds فيin خَفاًsecrecy وَسُكونِand silence
يَأتي المَثالِبَ في خَفاً وَسُكونِ
A blind man with sight that finds fault with his friend,
A blind man with sight finding fault with his friend
He commits disgraceful deeds in secrecy and silence.
He comes with subtle harms in silence
يُبديdisplays لِناto us زِيَّthe garb of القُضاةِthe judges وَسَمتَهُمand their dignified bearing
يُبدي لِنا زِيَّ القُضاةِ وَسَمتَهُم
وَأَجَلُّand the chief part of طُعمَتِهُhis livelihood مِنَfrom التَقينadornment
وَأَجَلُّ طُعمَتِهُ مِنَ التَقين
He shows us the judges’ garb and their dignified bearing,
He shows us the mien of judges and their traits
Yet his chief livelihood comes from adornment.
Yet his finest bite is from the backbiter
كَمhow many ثَمَّthere مِنof وَصفٍa description يَسُرُّكَpleases you حاضِراًwhen present
كَم ثَمَّ مِن وَصفٍ يَسُرُّكَ حاضِراً
وَمَعَbut with المَغيبِabsence فَلَيسَthen he is not بِالمَأمونِtrustworthy
وَمَعَ المَغيبِ فَلَيسَ بِالمَأمونِ
How many descriptions there are that please you to your face,
How much is there in a description that pleases you present
Yet in your absence he is not to be trusted.
Yet with the absent it is not to be trusted
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen حَذِقَhe mastered القِيادَةَpimping كُلَّهاall of it
حَتّى إِذا حَذِقَ القِيادَةَ كُلَّها
باعَhe sold القِيانَthe singing girls وَجَدَّand strove hard فيin التَعيّنِgaining distinction
باعَ القِيانَ وَجَدَّ في التَعيّنِ
Until, when he had mastered pimping in all its forms,
Until mastering leadership entirely
He sold the singing girls and strove hard to gain distinction.
He sold leaders and excelled in appointments
وَقَضىand adjudicated مَظالِمَthe grievances of جَدِّهِhis grandfather مُتَحَرِّياًscrupulously
وَقَضى مَظالِمَ جَدِّهِ مُتَحَرِّياً
فَتَخَلَّصَso he escaped اللوطيُّthe sodomite بِالمَأبونِthrough the passive partner
فَتَخَلَّصَ اللوطيُّ بِالمَأبونِ
And he scrupulously adjudicated his grandfather’s grievances,
And avenged the oppressions of his grandfather
So the sodomite escaped through the passive partner.
So the mercenary escaped with the condemned
Sol 6.1