أَباO Abu جَعفَرٍJa‘far لَيسَis not فَضلُmerit الفَتىthe young man
أَبا جَعفَرٍ لَيسَ فَضلُ الفَتى
إِذاwhen راحَhe goes about فيin فَرطِexcess إِعجابِهِhis self-admiration
إِذا راحَ في فَرطِ إِعجابِهِ
O Abu Ja‘far, a young man's merit does not lie
Abu Ja'far, the merit of a young man does not lie
in going about with excessive self-admiration,
In his excessive self-pride,
وَلاnor فيin فَراهَةِfineness بِرذَونِهِhis riding horse
وَلا في فَراهَةِ بِرذَونِهِ
وَلاnor فيin نَظافَةِcleanliness أَثوابِهِhis clothes
وَلا في نَظافَةِ أَثوابِهِ
nor in the fineness of his riding horse,
Nor in the elegance of his attire,
nor in the cleanliness of his clothes.
Nor in the cleanliness of his clothes.
وَلَكِنَّهُbut it فيin الفِعالِthe deeds الكَريـnoble (word begins)
وَلَكِنَّهُ في الفِعالِ الكَريـ
ـمِcompletes 'noble' وَالخَطَرِand standing الأَشرَفِthe noblest النابِهِdistinguished
ـمِ وَالخَطَرِ الأَشرَفِ النابِهِ
Rather, it lies in noble deeds
Rather, it lies in his noble deeds,
and in the noblest, most distinguished standing.
And perilous feats, the most glorious.
رَأَيتُكَI saw you تَهوىyou desire اِقتِناءَacquiring المَديـpraise (word begins)
رَأَيتُكَ تَهوى اِقتِناءَ المَديـ
ـحِcompletes 'praise' وَتَجهَلُand you do not know مِقدارَthe extent إيجابِهِwhat makes it deserved
ـحِ وَتَجهَلُ مِقدارَ إيجابِهِ
I have seen you longing to acquire praise,
I saw you covet acquiring wealth,
yet unaware of what it takes to earn it.
Yet ignore the extent of its obligations.
وَكَيفَand how تُرَجّيyou hope for وُصولاًattainment إِلَيـto
وَكَيفَ تُرَجّي وُصولاً إِلَيـ
ـهِit وَلَمand have not تَتَوَصَّلyou seek access بِأَسبابِهِthrough its means
ـهِ وَلَم تَتَوَصَّل بِأَسبابِهِ
And how can you hope to attain
How can you wish to attain it,
it, when you have not pursued the means to it?
Without utilizing its means?
لَئِنif indeed كُنتُI were أَمنَحُهُI grant it الأَكرَميـthe most generous (word begins)
لَئِن كُنتُ أَمنَحُهُ الأَكرَميـ
ـنَcompletes 'the most generous' فَماthen not أَنتَyou أَوَّلُforemost أَربابِهِits rightful claimants
ـنَ فَما أَنتَ أَوَّلُ أَربابِهِ
If indeed I grant it to the most generous,
If I were to grant it to you generously,
you are not foremost among those entitled to it.
You would not be its first owner.
وَإِنand if أَتَطَلَّبI seek بِهِthrough it نائِلاًa gift
وَإِن أَتَطَلَّب بِهِ نائِلاً
فَلَستَthen you are not مَلِيّاًwealthy enough بِإِطلابِهِto grant it
فَلَستَ مَلِيّاً بِإِطلابِهِ
And if I seek a gift through it,
And if you sought it persistently,
then you lack the means to grant it.
You could not compel me to give it to you.
وَإِنand if أَتَصَدَّقI give alms بِهِwith it حِسبَةًseeking God's reward
وَإِن أَتَصَدَّق بِهِ حِسبَةً
فَإِنَّthen indeed المَساكينَthe poor أَولىmore entitled بِهِto it
فَإِنَّ المَساكينَ أَولى بِهِ
And if I give it as charity, seeking God's reward,
And if I gave it away as charity,
then the poor are more entitled to it.
The poor would be more deserving of it.
Sol 6.1