رَأَيتُI saw البَحبَحانِيَّal-Bahbahani اِستَقَلَّتset off
رَأَيتُ البَحبَحانِيَّ اِستَقَلَّت
رَكائِبُهُhis riding camels بِحِرمانٍwith disappointment عَظيمِgreat
رَكائِبُهُ بِحِرمانٍ عَظيمِ
I saw al-Bahbahani—off went
I saw the clown had lost
his riding camels, bearing great disappointment.
His means of conveyance through dire deprivation
إِذاwhenever رامَhe sought التَخَلُّقَadopting good manners جاذَبَتهُpulled him
إِذا رامَ التَخَلُّقَ جاذَبَتهُ
خَلائِقُهُhis character traits إِلىto الطَبعِthe natural disposition القَديمِold
خَلائِقُهُ إِلى الطَبعِ القَديمِ
Whenever he tried to assume good manners, he was dragged
When he would feign refinement, his
by his own traits back to his old nature.
Nature pulled him back toward the old habit
بَكىhe mourned آمالَهُhis hopes لَمّاwhen رَآهاhe saw them
بَكى آمالَهُ لَمّا رَآها
عِياناًplainly وَهيَwhile they were دارِسَةُeffaced الرُسومِthe traces
عِياناً وَهيَ دارِسَةُ الرُسومِ
He mourned his hopes when he saw them
He wept for his hopes when he saw them
plainly, their traces effaced.
Plainly lying fallow
وَتَرتَyou wronged القَومَthe people ثُمَّthen ظَنَنتَyou supposed فيهِمabout them
وَتَرتَ القَومَ ثُمَّ ظَنَنتَ فيهِم
ظُنوناًassumptions لَستَyou are not فيهاin them بِالحَكيمِwise
ظُنوناً لَستَ فيها بِالحَكيمِ
You wronged the people, then made assumptions about them—
You blamed the people, then supposed about them
assumptions that showed you were not wise.
Conjectures in which you were not wise
تُعَربِدُyou rant drunkenly غَيرَnot مُحتَشِمٍrestrained وَتَشدوand you sing
تُعَربِدُ غَيرَ مُحتَشِمٍ وَتَشدو
فَلاyet not تَأتيyou come بِلَحنٍwith a tune مُستَقيمِproper
فَلا تَأتي بِلَحنٍ مُستَقيمِ
You rant drunkenly, unashamed, and sing,
You act indecently without modesty, and you chant
yet produce no proper tune.
But you make no proper musical measure
فَتُخطِئُso you wrong فيin الغِناءِsinging عَلىagainst المُغَنّيthe singer
فَتُخطِئُ في الغِناءِ عَلى المُغَنّي
وَتُخطِئُand you wrong فيin النِدامِconvivial drinking عَلىagainst النَديمِthe drinking companion
وَتُخطِئُ في النِدامِ عَلى النَديمِ
So you wrong the singer in song,
Thus you err singing for the singer
and wrong the drinking companion over drink.
And err consoling the boon companion
نَهَيتُكَI forbade you عَنfrom تَعَرُّضِassailing عِرضِthe honor of حُرٍّa noble man
نَهَيتُكَ عَن تَعَرُّضِ عِرضِ حُرٍّ
فَإِنَّfor indeed الذَمَّreviling مِنof شَأنِthe ways الذَميمِthe vile man
فَإِنَّ الذَمَّ مِن شَأنِ الذَميمِ
I forbade you to assail a noble man's honor,
I warned you against violating the honor of a freeman
for reviling is the way of the vile.
For blame is the habit of the blamer
وَقُلتُand I said تَوَقَّbeware مُحتَمِلاًa forbearing man يُرَوّيhe holds back
وَقُلتُ تَوَقَّ مُحتَمِلاً يُرَوّي
عَنِfrom الأَضغانِgrudges بِالخُلُقِthrough character الكَريمِnoble
عَنِ الأَضغانِ بِالخُلُقِ الكَريمِ
And I said: beware a forbearing man who holds back
And I said: Be careful and forebearing; quench
from rancor through his noble character.
Rancor through noble manners
فَماfor not خُرقُthe rashness السَفيهِof the fool وَإِنand even if تَعَدّىhe transgresses
فَما خُرقُ السَفيهِ وَإِن تَعَدّى
بِأَبلَغَmore harmful فيكَto you مِنthan حِقدِthe rancor of الحَليمِthe forbearing man
بِأَبلَغَ فيكَ مِن حِقدِ الحَليمِ
For a fool's rashness, however far he goes,
Yet the breach of the fool, be he aggressive,
hurts you no more than a forbearing man's rancor.
Is no subtler toward you than the hatred of the forbearing
مَتىwhenever أَحرَجتَyou sorely provoke ذاone possessing كَرَمٍnobility تَخَطّىhe advances
مَتى أَحرَجتَ ذا كَرَمٍ تَخَطّى
إِلَيكَtoward you بِبَعضِwith some of أَخلاقِthe traits of اللَئيمِthe base man
إِلَيكَ بِبَعضِ أَخلاقِ اللَئيمِ
Whenever you push a noble man too far, he advances
When you put to shame a noble one who stepped
toward you with some of a base man's ways.
Toward you with some of the traits of the wretch
Sol 6.1