تَرَكَhe left السَوادَblackness لِلابِسيهِfor its wearers وَبَيَّضاand turned white
تَرَكَ السَوادَ لِلابِسيهِ وَبَيَّضا
وَنَضاand stripped away مِنَthrough السِتّينَsixty years عَنهُfrom him ماwhat نَضاstripped away
وَنَضا مِنَ السِتّينَ عَنهُ ما نَضا
He left black to those who wear it, and turned white,
and sixty years stripped from him what they stripped away.
وَشآهُand outstripped him أَغيَدُa supple youth فيin تَصَرُّفِthe turning of لَحظِهِhis glance
وَشآهُ أَغيَدُ في تَصَرُّفِ لَحظِهِ
مَرَضٌlanguor أَعَلَّmade sick بِهِwith it القُلوبَthe hearts وَأَمرَضاand made ill
مَرَضٌ أَعَلَّ بِهِ القُلوبَ وَأَمرَضا
A supple youth outstripped him; in his shifting glance
lies a languor with which he sickened hearts and made them ill.
وَكَأَنَّهُand as though he أَلفىfound الصِباyouth وَجَديدَهُand its freshness
وَكَأَنَّهُ أَلفى الصِبا وَجَديدَهُ
دَيناًa debt دَناdrew near ميقاتُهُits appointed time أَنto يُقتَضىbe collected
دَيناً دَنا ميقاتُهُ أَن يُقتَضى
And it is as though he found youth and its freshness
a debt whose appointed time for collection had drawn near.
أَسيانَsorrowful أَثرىgrew rich مِنin جَوىًburning heartache وَصَبابَةٍand ardent longing
أَسيانَ أَثرى مِن جَوىً وَصَبابَةٍ
وَأَسافَand grew poor مِنin وَصلِunion with الحِسانِthe beautiful women وَأَنفَضاand became destitute
وَأَسافَ مِن وَصلِ الحِسانِ وَأَنفَضا
Sorrowful, he grew rich in heartache and longing,
but poor and penniless in union with beautiful women.
كَلِفٌlove-stricken يُكَفكِفُwipes away عَبرَةًa tear مُهراقَةًpoured forth
كَلِفٌ يُكَفكِفُ عَبرَةً مُهراقَةً
أَسَفاًgrieving عَلىover عَهدِthe days of الشَبابِyouth وَماand what اِنقَضىhas passed
أَسَفاً عَلى عَهدِ الشَبابِ وَما اِنقَضى
Love-stricken, he wipes away a flowing tear,
grieving for the days of youth and all that has passed.
عَدَدٌa tally تَكامَلَreached completion لِلذَهابِfor departure مَجيئُهُits coming
عَدَدٌ تَكامَلَ لِلذَهابِ مَجيئُهُ
وَإِذاand when مُضِيُّthe passing of الشَيءِthe thing حانَis due فَقَدthen already مَضىit has passed
وَإِذا مُضِيُّ الشَيءِ حانَ فَقَد مَضى
A tally of years, their coming completed only to depart;
and when a thing's time to pass has come, it is already gone.
خَفِّضlighten عَلَيكَfor yourself مِنَsome of الهُمومِthe cares فَإِنَّماfor only
خَفِّض عَلَيكَ مِنَ الهُمومِ فَإِنَّما
يَحظىis blessed بِراحَةِwith the ease of دَهرِهِhis lifetime مَنwhoever خَفَّضاlightens his cares
يَحظى بِراحَةِ دَهرِهِ مَن خَفَّضا
Lighten your burden of cares, for only
he who lightens them enjoys repose in life.
وَارفُضand reject دَنِيّاتِthe basest of المَطامِعِcravings إِنَّهاfor they
وَارفُض دَنِيّاتِ المَطامِعِ إِنَّها
شَينٌa disgrace يَعُرُّthat shames وَحَقُّهاand their due أَنto تُرفَضاbe rejected
شَينٌ يَعُرُّ وَحَقُّها أَن تُرفَضا
And reject ignoble cravings, for they
are a staining disgrace and deserve rejection.
قَعقَعتُI rattled threats لِلبُخَلاءِat the misers أَذعَرُI terrify جَأشَهُمtheir hearts
قَعقَعتُ لِلبُخَلاءِ أَذعَرُ جَأشَهُم
وَنَذيرَةٌand a warning مِنfrom باتِكٍa keen blade أَنthat يُنتَضىit be drawn
وَنَذيرَةٌ مِن باتِكٍ أَن يُنتَضى
I rattled threats at misers, terrifying their hearts;
and a keen blade gives warning merely by being drawn.
وَكَفاكَand suffices you مِنfrom حَنَشِthe serpent of الصَريمِthe sands تَهَدُّداًas a threat
وَكَفاكَ مِن حَنَشِ الصَريمِ تَهَدُّداً
أَنthat مَدَّit extended فَضلَthe tip of لِسانِهِits tongue أَوor نَضنَضاflicked it
أَن مَدَّ فَضلَ لِسانِهِ أَو نَضنَضا
And the serpent of the sands gives you threat enough
by stretching out its tongue-tip or flicking it.
لَمdid not يَنتَهِضrise لِلمَكرُماتِto noble deeds مُشَيَّعٌa dauntless man
لَم يَنتَهِض لِلمَكرُماتِ مُشَيَّعٌ
مِثلَlike الوَزيرِthe vizier إِذاwhen الوَزيرُthe vizier اِستَنهِضاwas called upon to rise
مِثلَ الوَزيرِ إِذا الوَزيرُ اِستَنهِضا
No dauntless man has risen to noble deeds
like the vizier, when the vizier is called upon to rise.
غَمرٌbountiful مَتىwhenever سَخِطَwas displeased with الخَلائِقَpeople's characters ساخِطٌa fault-finder
غَمرٌ مَتى سَخِطَ الخَلائِقَ ساخِطٌ
كانَwas الخَليقُthe worthy one خَليقَةًin character أَنto تُرتَضىbe approved
كانَ الخَليقُ خَليقَةً أَن تُرتَضى
Bountiful—whenever a critic condemns people's characters,
his is the character that deserves approval.
لَوif جاوَدَvied in generosity with الغَيثُthe rain المُثَجَّجُpouring abundantly كَفَّهُhis palm
لَو جاوَدَ الغَيثُ المُثَجَّجُ كَفَّهُ
لَأَتَتit would surely bring بِأَطوَلَwith farther-reaching bounty مِنthan نَداهُits bounty وَأَعرَضاand broader
لَأَتَت بِأَطوَلَ مِن نَداهُ وَأَعرَضا
Were pouring rain to vie in bounty with his hand,
his hand would bring bounty farther-reaching and broader than the rain's.
ماnot كانَwas مَورِدُناour watering place أُجاجاًbrackish عِندَهُwith him
ما كانَ مَورِدُنا أُجاجاً عِندَهُ
ثَمَداًscant of water وَلاnor المَرعىthe pasture الخَصيبُlush تَبَرُّضاscant pickings
ثَمَداً وَلا المَرعى الخَصيبُ تَبَرُّضا
Our watering place with him was neither brackish
nor scant; nor was the lush pasture meager pickings.
كَمhow many مِنof يَدٍa hand بَيضاءَwhite مِنهُfrom him ثَنىhe paired بِهاwith it
كَم مِن يَدٍ بَيضاءَ مِنهُ ثَنى بِها
وَجهاًa face تَلَألَأَgleamed لِلبَشاشَةِwith cheerful welcome أَبيَضاwhite
وَجهاً تَلَألَأَ لِلبَشاشَةِ أَبيَضا
How often he paired a white hand of bounty
with a face gleaming white with cheerful welcome!
وَمَعاشِرٍand groups of people رَدَّturned العُبوسُscowling وُجوهَهُمtheir faces
وَمَعاشِرٍ رَدَّ العُبوسُ وُجوهَهُم
أَوقابَhollows مَحنِيَةٍa valley bend لَبِسنَthey wore العَرمَضاwaterweed
أَوقابَ مَحنِيَةٍ لَبِسنَ العَرمَضا
And others whose scowling turned their faces
into hollows at a valley bend, clothed in waterweed.
لاmay not بورِكَتbe blessed تِلكَthose الخِلالُtraits وَلاnor زَكَتflourish
لا بورِكَت تِلكَ الخِلالُ وَلا زَكَت
تِلكَthose الطَرائِقُways ماhow أَدَقَّnarrow وَأَغمَضاand obscure
تِلكَ الطَرائِقُ ما أَدَقَّ وَأَغمَضا
No blessing on those traits, nor any flourishing
for those ways—how narrow and obscure!
مازالَhas always been ليfor me مِنfrom عَزمَتيmy resolve وَصَريمَتيand my determination
مازالَ لي مِن عَزمَتي وَصَريمَتي
سَنَداًa support يُثَبِّتُthat steadies وَطأَتيmy footing أَنlest تُدحَضاit slip
سَنَداً يُثَبِّتُ وَطأَتي أَن تُدحَضا
I have always had, in my resolve and determination,
a support that steadies my footing lest it slip.
لَستُI am not الَّذيone who إِنif عارَضَتهُconfronted him مُلِمَّةٌa calamity
لَستُ الَّذي إِن عارَضَتهُ مُلِمَّةٌ
أَلقىyielded إِلىto حُكمِthe judgment of الزَمانِtime وَفَوَّضاand entrusted his affairs
أَلقى إِلى حُكمِ الزَمانِ وَفَوَّضا
I am not one who, if calamity confronts him,
yields to time's judgment and leaves matters to it.
لاnot يَستَفِزُّنيstirs me الطَفيفُthe trifling وَلاnor أَرىI am seen
لا يَستَفِزُّني الطَفيفُ وَلا أَرى
تَبَعاًa follower لِبارِقِof lightning خُلَّبٍrainless إِنif أَومَضاit flashed
تَبَعاً لِبارِقِ خُلَّبٍ إِن أَومَضا
Trifles do not stir me, nor am I seen
following rainless lightning if it flashes.
وَأَعُدُّand I reckon عُدميmy poverty لِلكِرامِfor the noble وَخَلَّتيand my need
وَأَعُدُّ عُدمي لِلكِرامِ وَخَلَّتي
شَرَفاًan honor أُتيحَmade available لَهُمto them وَمَجداًand glory قُيِّضاallotted
شَرَفاً أُتيحَ لَهُم وَمَجداً قُيِّضا
And I count my poverty and need, for the noble,
an honor offered them and a glory allotted.
وَالحَمدُand praise أَنفَسُmost precious ماwhat تَعَوَّضُهُhe receives it as recompense اِمرُؤٌa man
وَالحَمدُ أَنفَسُ ما تَعَوَّضُهُ اِمرُؤٌ
رُزِئَwas deprived of التِلادَancestral wealth إِذاwhen المُرَزَّأُthe one suffering loss عُوِّضاwas compensated
رُزِئَ التِلادَ إِذا المُرَزَّأُ عُوِّضا
And praise is the most precious recompense a man can gain
for ancestral wealth he has lost, when he is compensated.
قَدalready قُلتُI said لِابنِto the son of الشَلمَغانِal-Shalmaghan وَرابَنيand troubled me
قَد قُلتُ لِابنِ الشَلمَغانِ وَرابَني
مِنfrom ظُلمِهِhis injustice ليto me ماwhat أَمَضَّstung وَأَرمَضاand scorched
مِن ظُلمِهِ لي ما أَمَضَّ وَأَرمَضا
I have said to Ibn al-Shalmaghan, troubled as I was
by his injustice toward me, which stung and scorched:
لاdo not تُنكِرَنtake amiss مِنfrom جارِthe neighbor of بَيتِكَyour home أَنthat طَوىhe folded up
لا تُنكِرَن مِن جارِ بَيتِكَ أَن طَوى
أَطنابَthe guy ropes of جانِبِthe side of بَيتِهِhis tent أَوor قَوَّضاstruck camp
أَطنابَ جانِبِ بَيتِهِ أَو قَوَّضا
Do not resent your neighbor if he folds up
the ropes along his tent's side, or strikes it.
فَالأَرضُfor the earth واسِعَةٌis spacious لِنُقلَةِfor the departure of راغِبٍone wishing to leave
فَالأَرضُ واسِعَةٌ لِنُقلَةِ راغِبٍ
عَمَّنfrom one whose تَنَقَّلَchanged عَهدُهُhis pledge وَتَنَقَّضاand unraveled
عَمَّن تَنَقَّلَ عَهدُهُ وَتَنَقَّضا
For earth is wide enough for one wishing to move
away from someone whose pledge has shifted and unraveled.
لاdo not تَهتَبِلexploit إِغضاءَتيmy forbearance إِذsince كُنتُI had been قَدalready
لا تَهتَبِل إِغضاءَتي إِذ كُنتُ قَد
أَغضَيتُI turned a blind eye مُشتَمِلاًenfolding عَلىaround جَمرِthe embers of الغَضاghada wood
أَغضَيتُ مُشتَمِلاً عَلى جَمرِ الغَضا
Do not exploit my forbearance, for I have
turned a blind eye while enfolding ghada embers.
أَنَI مَنone who أَحَبَّloved مُصَحَّحاًsincerely وَكَأَنَّنيand as though I
أَنَ مَن أَحَبَّ مُصَحَّحاً وَكَأَنَّني
فيماin what أُعانيI suffer مِنكَfrom you مِمَّنamong those who أَبغَضاhated
فيما أُعاني مِنكَ مِمَّن أَبغَضا
I am one who loved sincerely, yet it is as though I,
in what I suffer from you, were one who hated.
أَغبَبتَyou spaced out سَيبَكَyour bounty كَيso that يَجِمَّit may regain strength وَإِنَّماbut only
أَغبَبتَ سَيبَكَ كَي يَجِمَّ وَإِنَّما
غُمِدَwas sheathed الحُسامُthe keen sword المَشرَفِيُّMashrafi لِيُنتَضىto be drawn
غُمِدَ الحُسامُ المَشرَفِيُّ لِيُنتَضى
You spaced out your bounty to let it gather strength; yet
the keen Mashrafi sword is sheathed only to be drawn.
وَسَكَتُّand I kept silent إِلّاexcept أَنto أُعَرِّضَhint قائِلاًsaying
وَسَكَتُّ إِلّا أَن أُعَرِّضَ قائِلاً
نَزراًa little وَصَرَّحَand spoke plainly جُهدَهُto his utmost مَنwhoever عَرَّضاhinted
نَزراً وَصَرَّحَ جُهدَهُ مَن عَرَّضا
And I kept silent, except to hint, saying
little—and one who hints has spoken as plainly as he can.
ماnot صاحَبَstood by الأَقوامَthe people فيin حاجاتِهِمtheir needs
ما صاحَبَ الأَقوامَ في حاجاتِهِم
مَنwhoever ناءَwithdrew عِندَat شُروعِهِنَّtheir onset وَأَعرَضاand turned away
مَن ناءَ عِندَ شُروعِهِنَّ وَأَعرَضا
He has not stood by people in their needs
who withdraws and turns away when they first arise.
إِلّاif not يَكُنthere is كُثرٌabundance فَقُلُّthen a small عَطِيَّةٍgift
إِلّا يَكُن كُثرٌ فَقُلُّ عَطِيَّةٍ
يَبلُغattains بِهاthrough it باغيthe seeker of الرِضاapproval بَعضَsome of الرِضاapproval
يَبلُغ بِها باغي الرِضا بَعضَ الرِضا
If there is no abundance, then a small gift
wins the seeker of approval some measure of approval.
أَوor لاnot تَكُنthere be هِبَةٌa gift فَقَرضٌthen a loan يُسِّرَتwere made easy
أَو لا تَكُن هِبَةٌ فَقَرضٌ يُسِّرَت
أَسبابُهُits arrangements وَكَواهِبٍand like a giver مَنwhoever أَقرَضاlent
أَسبابُهُ وَكَواهِبٍ مَن أَقرَضا
Or, if no gift, then a loan made easy
to obtain; one who lends is like a giver.
Sol 6.1