كَيفَhow بِهِwith it وَالزَمانُand Time يَهرُبُflees بِهwith it
كَيفَ بِهِ وَالزَمانُ يَهرُبُ بِه
ماضيbygone شَبابٍyouth أَغذَذتَyou hastened فيin طَلَبِهpursuit of it
ماضي شَبابٍ أَغذَذتَ في طَلَبِه
How can you reach it, when Time flees with it—
How is he when time flees with him,
that bygone youth you hastened to pursue?
The past of a youth you sought in its pursuit.
مُقتَرِبُrecent العَهدِin time إِنif أَرُمهُI seek it أَجِدI find
مُقتَرِبُ العَهدِ إِن أَرُمهُ أَجِد
مَسافَةَthe distance النَجمِto a star دونَshort of مُقتَرَبِهreaching it
مَسافَةَ النَجمِ دونَ مُقتَرَبِه
So recently gone—yet if I seek it, I find
If I intend the time that is nearing, I find
the distance to a star shorter than the way to it.
The distance of a star less than its approach.
يَرفَضُّdisperses عَنaway from ساطِعِthe gleam المَشيبِof gray hair كَماjust as اِbeginning of 'dispersed'
يَرفَضُّ عَن ساطِعِ المَشيبِ كَما اِ
رفَضَّdispersed (continued) خانُsmoke (reading uncertain) الضَرامِof the fire عَنfrom لَهَبِهits flame
رفَضَّ خانُ الضَرامِ عَن لَهَبِه
It disperses before the gleam of gray hair, just as
It rejects the shining old age, as the sieve
the fire's [smoke] disperses from its flame.
Rejected the bran from its flames.
قَدindeed دَأَبَhas persisted العاذِلُthe reprover اللَجوجُthe obstinate فَلَمyet did not
قَد دَأَبَ العاذِلُ اللَجوجُ فَلَم
أُصغِI listen لِفَرطِbecause of excessive الإِكثارِrepetition مِنof دَأَبِهhis persistence
أُصغِ لِفَرطِ الإِكثارِ مِن دَأَبِه
The stubborn reprover has persisted, yet I have not
The stubborn blamer has grown accustomed, so I
listened, so excessive is his persistent harping.
Do not listen to his excessive habit.
إِنif كانَis صِدقُthe truth الحَديثِof speech يُحزِنُنيsaddens me
إِن كانَ صِدقُ الحَديثِ يُحزِنُني
فَعاطِنيthen offer me ماwhatever يَسِرُّpleases مِنof كَذِبِهits falsehood
فَعاطِني ما يَسِرُّ مِن كَذِبِه
If truthful speech saddens me,
If the true speech saddens me,
then offer me whatever pleases in its lies.
Then give me what pleases me of his lies.
دامَجتُهُI humored him القَولَin speech فيin مُعاتَبَةٍreproach
دامَجتُهُ القَولَ في مُعاتَبَةٍ
أَهرُبُI flee مِنfrom صِدقِهِhis truth إِلىto كَذِبِهhis falsehood
أَهرُبُ مِن صِدقِهِ إِلى كَذِبِه
I humored him in an exchange of reproaches;
I flee from the sincerity of his blame
I flee from his truth to his lies.
To the refuge of his lies.
رَأيَكَyour opinion فيof قارِبٍa water-seeker يُريدُكَhe asks you أَنto
رَأيَكَ في قارِبٍ يُريدُكَ أَن
تَنصُرَhelp أَحشاءَهُhis inward parts عَلىagainst قَرَبِهhis thirst for water
تَنصُرَ أَحشاءَهُ عَلى قَرَبِه
What say you of a water-seeker who asks you
Your view is in a boat that wants you
to defend his heart against his thirst?
To help its intestines against its wits.
صَبُّa lovesick man تُداويهِyou heal him مِنof صَبابَتِهِhis passionate longing
صَبُّ تُداويهِ مِن صَبابَتِهِ
أَوor وَصِبٍan ailing man تَفتَديهِyou rescue him مِنfrom وَصَبِهhis illness
أَو وَصِبٍ تَفتَديهِ مِن وَصَبِه
A lovesick man whom you heal of his longing,
A morning draught that heals him of his tipsiness,
or an ailing man whom you rescue from his illness.
Or an evening cup that redeems him from his intoxication.
وَقَدand sometimes يُرينيshows me الحَبيبُthe beloved مُبتَسِماًsmiling
وَقَد يُريني الحَبيبُ مُبتَسِماً
يَروىis quenched غَليلُthe burning thirst الهَيمانِof the love-distraught عَنfrom شَنَبِهhis cool teeth
يَروى غَليلُ الهَيمانِ عَن شَنَبِه
And the beloved, smiling, sometimes shows me—
And the beloved may show me smiling,
his cool teeth quench the love-distraught man's burning thirst—
The thirst of ardour quenched from his moustache.
بَردَthe coolness رُضابٍof saliva إِذاwhen تَرَشَّفَهُhe sips it الـthe (word continues)
بَردَ رُضابٍ إِذا تَرَشَّفَهُ الـ
ـمَتبولُlove-stricken one خالَhe imagines الضَريبَfrost فيin ضَرَبِهits white honey
ـمَتبولُ خالَ الضَريبَ في ضَرَبِه
cool saliva which, when sipped by the
The coolness of acceptance when the urinator
love-stricken, seems to him frost within its honey.
Wets his robe and strikes in his hitting.
أَضيعُI go unvalued فيamong مَعشَرٍa people وَكَمand how many بَلَدٍa land
أَضيعُ في مَعشَرٍ وَكَم بَلَدٍ
يُعَدُّis counted عودُwood الكِباءِfor incense مِنamong حَطَبِهits firewood
يُعَدُّ عودُ الكِباءِ مِن حَطَبِه
I go unvalued among a people; how many a land
I wander amongst a group and many lands,
counts incense-wood among its firewood!
Where the crooked staff is counted as its firewood.
لَنwill not يَنصُرَuphold المَجدَglory حَقَّas befits نُصرَتِهِupholding it
لَن يَنصُرَ المَجدَ حَقَّ نُصرَتِهِ
إِلّاexcept المَكينُthe firmly established المَكانِin position مِنamong رُتَبِهits ranks
إِلّا المَكينُ المَكانِ مِن رُتَبِه
None will uphold glory as it deserves
Glory will not be helped in its aid
except one firmly established among its ranks.
Except by the established in his rank.
يُخدَعُis cheated عَنout of عِرضِهِhis honor البَخيلُthe miser وَلاbut not
يُخدَعُ عَن عِرضِهِ البَخيلُ وَلا
يُخدَعُis cheated وَهُوَthough he is الغَنِيُّwealthy عَنout of نَشَبِهhis possessions
يُخدَعُ وَهُوَ الغَنِيُّ عَن نَشَبِه
The miser can be cheated out of his honor, but not
The stingy man is deceived about his honour, but not
out of his possessions, wealthy though he is.
The rich man, beyond his need.
أَوثَقُmost trustworthy مَنof those تُصطَفىyou choose عُراهُtheir bonds فَإِنeven if
أَوثَقُ مَن تُصطَفى عُراهُ فَإِن
حَلَّhe dwells بَعيداًfar away شَرواكَyour equal فيin حَسَبِهhis honor
حَلَّ بَعيداً شَرواكَ في حَسَبِه
Most trustworthy of those whose bonds you choose, even if
The most loyal of those chosen are the bare, so if
he dwells far away, is your peer in honor.
He settles far off, your partner in his reckoning.
لاnot يُصرَمُcuts المُحدَثُthe newly forged blade الكَهامُblunt وَإِنeven if
لا يُصرَمُ المُحدَثُ الكَهامُ وَإِن
أَخلَصَهُhas cleansed it الهالِكِيُّthe smith مِنof جَرَبِهits rust
أَخلَصَهُ الهالِكِيُّ مِن جَرَبِه
A new-forged, blunted blade will not cut, even if
The talkative boaster is not broken, even if
the smith has cleansed it of its rust.
The destroyer purified him of his fleas.
نَنسىwe forget أَياديthe favors الزَمانِof Time فيناtoward us فَماand so not
نَنسى أَيادي الزَمانِ فينا فَما
نَذكُرُwe remember مِنof دَهرِناour lifetime سِوىexcept نُوَبِهits calamities
نَذكُرُ مِن دَهرِنا سِوى نُوَبِه
We forget Time's favors toward us, and so
We forget the days’ hands on us, so we
remember nothing of our lifetime but its calamities.
Recall of our days only its shifts.
هَلّاwhy not شَكَرناwe thanked الأَيّامَthe days جودَfor the generosity أَبيof Abu
هَلّا شَكَرنا الأَيّامَ جودَ أَبي
عيسىIsa وَماand what قَدindeed أَرَتهُthey have revealed مِنof عَجَبِهhis marvels
عيسى وَما قَد أَرَتهُ مِن عَجَبِه
Why not thank the days for the generosity of Abu
Why don’t we thank the days for the generosity of my father Isa
Isa, and the marvels they have revealed of him?
And what wonders he has shown in his marvels?
يَبتَدِرُhasten الراغِبونَthe eager seekers مِنfrom يَدِهِhis hand
يَبتَدِرُ الراغِبونَ مِن يَدِهِ
وَقائِعَwater-holding hollows الغَيثِof rain غِبَّafter مُنسَكَبِهits pouring
وَقائِعَ الغَيثِ غِبَّ مُنسَكَبِه
The eager seekers rush toward what flows from his hand:
The hopeful anticipate in his hand
rain-filled hollows after the downpour.
Occurrences of rain absent from its pour.
يَغشَونَthey flock to جَمّاتَهاtheir gathered waters كَأَنَّهُمُas though they were
يَغشَونَ جَمّاتَها كَأَنَّهُمُ
نُزّاعُwater-drawers جَوٍّof Jaww يَسنونَdraw water مِنfrom قُلُبِهits wells
نُزّاعُ جَوٍّ يَسنونَ مِن قُلُبِه
They flock to their gathered waters, as though they were
They cover its droplets as if they were
the water-drawers of Jaww, drawing from its wells.
Snatchers of air biting from its heart.
كَأَنَّماas though يَفصِلونَthey take away مِنfrom فِلَقِbroken slabs الـthe (word continues)
كَأَنَّما يَفصِلونَ مِن فِلَقِ الـ
ـحَرَّةِlava-field ماwhatever يَفصِلونَthey take away مِنfrom ذَهَبِهhis gold
ـحَرَّةِ ما يَفصِلونَ مِن ذَهَبِه
They seem to take from broken slabs of the
As if they distinguish from the cleft of
lava-field whatever they take from his gold.
The cave what they distinguish of its gold.
تُبرَمare settled فيin جَدِّهِhis earnestness الأُمورُaffairs وَقَدand indeed
تُبرَم في جَدِّهِ الأُمورُ وَقَد
تَتوىperish رِقابُthe necks الأَموالِof riches فيin لَعِبِهhis play
تَتوى رِقابُ الأَموالِ في لَعِبِه
Affairs are settled in his earnest work, and
Matters are concluded in his seriousness when
the necks of riches perish in his play.
The necks of properties twist in his play.
وَالحَمدُand praise لاnot يَكتَسيهِclothes himself in it غَيرُother than فَتىًa man
وَالحَمدُ لا يَكتَسيهِ غَيرُ فَتىً
يَنزِعُstrips off فيهِfor its sake الخَطيرَthe costly portion مِنof سَلَبِهhis raiment
يَنزِعُ فيهِ الخَطيرَ مِن سَلَبِه
And none clothes himself in praise but a man
And praise is worn by none but the young man
who strips off costly raiment for its sake.
Who snatches the precious from its plunder.
أَسرَعَhe hastened عُلواًupward فيin المَكرُماتِnoble deeds كَماjust as
أَسرَعَ عُلواً في المَكرُماتِ كَما
أَسرَعَrushes فَيضُthe flood الأَتِيِّof the oncoming torrent فيdown صَبَبِهits slope
أَسرَعَ فَيضُ الأَتِيِّ في صَبَبِه
He rose swiftly through noble deeds, just as
He rose high in gifts like the outpour
an oncoming flood rushes down its slope.
Of gifts in its cascade.
يُنزِلُhe places أَهلَpeople الآدابِof letters مَنزِلَةَat the rank الـthe (word continues)
يُنزِلُ أَهلَ الآدابِ مَنزِلَةَ الـ
ـأَكفاءِequals أَنbecause شارَكوهُthey share with him فيin أَدَبِهhis learning
ـأَكفاءِ أَن شارَكوهُ في أَدَبِه
He accords men of letters the standing of
He gives people of manners the status of
equals, because they share his learning.
The peers if they shared his manners.
لَمdid not يُزهِهِmake him haughty فيهِمِtoward them وَهُمthough they are سُوَقٌcommoners
لَم يُزهِهِ فيهِمِ وَهُم سُوَقٌ
فيin العَينِthe eye وَطءُthe tread المُلوكِof kings فيat عَقِبِهhis heels
في العَينِ وَطءُ المُلوكِ في عَقِبِه
He has not been made haughty toward them—though they are common folk
It did not disturb them that the strut of kings
to the eye—by the tread of kings at his heels.
In the eye and tread upon heels.
غَيرُnot المُضيعِthe careless الناسيthe forgetful وَلاnor الوَكَthe dependent (word continues)
غَيرُ المُضيعِ الناسي وَلا الوَكَ
لِend of 'dependent' المُحيلِthe one who refers فيfor عِلمِهِhis knowledge عَلىto كُتُبِهhis books
لِ المُحيلِ في عِلمِهِ عَلى كُتُبِه
He is neither careless nor forgetful, nor a dependent
Other than the neglectful of people, nor the agent
man who relies on his books for his learning.
Reliant in his knowledge upon his books.
إِحاطَةًcomprehensive knowledge بِالصَوابِof what is right تُؤمِنُgives assurance مِنagainst
إِحاطَةً بِالصَوابِ تُؤمِنُ مِن
لَجاجِهِhis obstinacy فيin المِحالِsophistry أَوor شَغَبِهhis contentiousness
لَجاجِهِ في المِحالِ أَو شَغَبِه
His encompassing grasp of truth gives assurance against
Circling correctness, secured from
his obstinacy in sophistry or contentious wrangling.
His obstinacy in the impossible, or his chaos.
لاnot يَهضِمُhe slights العُجمَthe non-Arabs مِنamong خُؤولَتِهِhis maternal kin
لا يَهضِمُ العُجمَ مِن خُؤولَتِهِ
تَمايُلاًout of partiality لِلعُمومِto paternal uncles مِنamong عَرَبِهhis Arab kin
تَمايُلاً لِلعُمومِ مِن عَرَبِه
He does not slight the non-Arabs among his maternal kin
He does not slight the non-Arabs in his disdain
through favoring the paternal uncles among his Arab kin.
Leaning to the generality from his Arabs.
تَزدادُgrows أُكرومَةًin nobility أُبُوَّتُهُhis paternal ancestry
تَزدادُ أُكرومَةً أُبُوَّتُهُ
إِذاwhen اِعتَزىhe claims descent شاهِداًpresent إِلىto غَيَبِهhis absent forebears
إِذا اِعتَزى شاهِداً إِلى غَيَبِه
His paternal ancestry grows more honorable
His prestige increases when he calls
when he, present, claims descent from his absent forebears.
To witness his absence to his unknown.
وَخَيرُand the best ساداتِكَof your lords الأَكابِرُthe great ones مَنis one who
وَخَيرُ ساداتِكَ الأَكابِرُ مَن
يَرفَعُهُraises him الإِرتِفاعُthe loftiness فيof نَسَبِهhis lineage
يَرفَعُهُ الإِرتِفاعُ في نَسَبِه
And the best among your great lords is one
The best of your chiefs are the greatest
whom the height of his lineage lifts high.
Whom elevation elevates in his lineage.
جَمَعتُI gathered شَمليmy scattered affairs إِلَيهِto him مُتَّخِذاًtaking
جَمَعتُ شَملي إِلَيهِ مُتَّخِذاً
مِنfrom طُنُبيmy tent-rope قُربَةًa means of nearness إِلىto طُنُبِهhis tent-rope
مِن طُنُبي قُربَةً إِلى طُنُبِه
I gathered my scattered affairs around him, making
I gathered my group to him, taking
my tent-rope a means of nearness to his.
My staff as a vessel to his staff.
وَقَدand indeed كَفىhas provided for نَفسَهُhimself التَقَدُّمَadvancement مِنthe one who
وَقَد كَفى نَفسَهُ التَقَدُّمَ مِن
كَفَتهُhas sufficed for him أُمُّthe main الطَريقِroad مِنinstead of شُعُبِهits branches
كَفَتهُ أُمُّ الطَريقِ مِن شُعُبِه
And a man has seen to his own advancement if
And he had sufficed himself leadership
the main road serves him instead of its byways.
From the mother of the road from its paths.
يَصونُguards مِنهُof him الحِجابُthe curtain مَنظَرَةًa countenance
يَصونُ مِنهُ الحِجابُ مَنظَرَةً
تَبدوappears بُدُوَّlike the appearance الهِلالِof the crescent مِنfrom حُجُبِهits veils
تَبدو بُدُوَّ الهِلالِ مِن حُجُبِه
The curtain guards his countenance,
The veil protects from it a spectacle
which appears like the crescent emerging from its veils.
That appears like the new moon from its wraps.
وَقَدand sometimes تَفوتُeludes الرائِمينَthose seeking غُرَّتُهُhis unguarded moment
وَقَد تَفوتُ الرائِمينَ غُرَّتُهُ
إِعراسَthe resting لَيثِof a lion العَرينِof the lair فيin أَشَبِهits tangled thicket
إِعراسَ لَيثِ العَرينِ في أَشَبِه
And his unguarded moment may elude those seeking it,
And his pride may escape the blamers
like a lair-lion resting in its tangled thicket.
When the lion of the lair snarls in its thickets.
لاnot نَعدَمُwe lack الطَولَbounty فيin رِضاهُhis favor وَلاnor
لا نَعدَمُ الطَولَ في رِضاهُ وَلا
نَخافُwe fear حَيفَthe injustice الغُلُوِّof excess مِنfrom غَضَبِهhis anger
نَخافُ حَيفَ الغُلُوِّ مِن غَضَبِه
We never lack bounty in his favor, nor
We do not lack length in his consent, nor
fear the injustice of excess in his anger.
Fear the wrong of excess from his anger.
جَنَّبَكَmay He spare you اللَهُGod ماwhat تُحاذِرُyou fear مِنof
جَنَّبَكَ اللَهُ ما تُحاذِرُ مِن
إِبداءِthe onset صَرفِof the reversals الزَمانِof Time أَوor عُقَبِهtheir aftermath
إِبداءِ صَرفِ الزَمانِ أَو عُقَبِه
May God spare you what you fear of
May God protect you from what you fear
the onset of Time's reversals or their aftermath.
Of the vicissitudes of time or its consequence.
أَبَعدَis it after إِعطائِكَyour giving الجَزيلَin abundance وَئيماand safeguarding (word continues)
أَبَعدَ إِعطائِكَ الجَزيلَ وَئيما
نِend of 'safeguarding' مُرَجٍّone who hopes مِنagainst سوءِan evil مُنقَلَبِهhis outcome
نِ مُرَجٍّ مِن سوءِ مُنقَلَبِه
After your lavish giving and your safeguarding
He sent far from your abundant gift a wretched
a hopeful man against an evil outcome,
One from having an evil outcome.
أَبغيI seek شَفيعاًan intercessor إِلَيكَwith you أَوor سَبَباًa connection
أَبغي شَفيعاً إِلَيكَ أَو سَبَباً
عِندَكَin your favor فيamong الناسِpeople أَستَزيدُكَI ask you for more بِهthrough it
عِندَكَ في الناسِ أَستَزيدُكَ بِه
should I seek an intercessor with you, or a connection
I seek an intercessor with you, or a means
among people in your favor, through which to ask you for more?
With you among the people, so I increase you with it.
وَالظُلمُand injustice أَنis that يَبتَغيseeks الفَتىa man سَبَباًa connection
وَالظُلمُ أَن يَبتَغي الفَتى سَبَباً
يَجعَلُهُhe makes it وَصلَةًa link إِلىto سَبَبِهhis own connection
يَجعَلُهُ وَصلَةً إِلى سَبَبِه
And it is wrong for a man to seek a connection
And it is injustice that the young man seek a means
to make it a link to his own connection.
To make it a connection to its means.
Sol 6.1