نضحتكI sprinkled you لوif only طاوعتyou heeded منone who لكto you ينصحgives advice
نضحتك لو طاوعت من لك ينصح
وكلand every إِناءvessel بالَّذيwith what فيهis in it يرشحseeps
وكل إِناء بالَّذي فيه يرشح
I sprinkled you with counsel—if only you had heeded one who advises you.
Had you obeyed me when I gave you advice,
And every vessel seeps what it contains.
For every vessel leaks what is inside it.
وحذرتكand I warned you الدهياءthe dire calamity قبلbefore وقوعهاits occurrence
وحذرتك الدهياء قبل وقوعها
وأَوضحتهاand I made it clear والحازمand the resolute one الرأيin judgment الَّذيwho يوضحclarifies
وأَوضحتها والحازم الرأي الَّذي يوضح
And I warned you of the dire calamity before its occurrence.
The cunning warned you before it happened,
And I made it plain; the man of firm judgment is one who makes things clear.
And made clear the wise opinion that clarifies.
فحقرتso you belittled أَفعالdeeds الرجالof men استهانةin contempt
فحقرت أَفعال الرجال استهانة
وطببتand you practiced medicine آنwhen السمthe poison فيin الماءthe water ينفحdiffuses
وطببت آن السم في الماء ينفح
Yet you belittled men's deeds in contempt.
You belittled the deeds of men out of arrogance,
And you practiced medicine while poison spread through the water.
And considered that poison in water exhales fragrance.
ولمand did not تدرyou know أَنمthat (uncertain reading) السدthe dam هدتهbrought it down فارةa mouse
ولم تدر أَنم السد هدته فارة
ومنand from غصنa branch بانof the bān tree جمرةan ember النارof fire تقدحis struck
ومن غصن بان جمرة النار تقدح
And you did not know that a mouse had brought down the dam.
You did not know that the dam guided its torrents,
And from a bān-tree branch, an ember of fire is struck.
And that from a branch the embers of fire are lit.
بجيدكaround your neck أَصلthe base الحبلof the rope صارhas come to be وطرفهand its end
بجيدك أَصل الحبل صار وطرفه
عدوكyour enemy يجريهsets it moving عليكagainst you ويمتحand hauls upward
عدوك يجريه عليك ويمتح
One end of the rope is now around your neck; its other end—
With your own hands you made the rope at its root,
your enemy works it against you and hauls it up.
Your enemy runs it over you and grabs it.
وقدand indeed قتلkilled الكنديal-Kindi فيin حيthe abode of قيصرCaesar
وقد قتل الكندي في حي قيصر
بخدعتهthrough his deceit الطماحal-Tammah والخبand the schemer يطمحaspires
بخدعته الطماح والخب يطمح
And al-Kindi was indeed killed in Caesar's abode,
Al-Kindi was killed in Caesar's district
through al-Tammah's deceit—and the schemer aspires.
By the scheming of the ambitious and the cunning.
وكلand every امرئperson يعصيdisobeys المحبthe loving one ويرعويand yields
وكل امرئ يعصي المحب ويرعوي
لشانيهto his hater يلقىmeets ماwhat يسوءdistresses ويترحand grieves
لشانيه يلقى ما يسوء ويترح
And whoever disobeys the one who loves him, yet yields
And everyone who disobeys the loving one and cuddles
to his hater, meets what distresses him and grieves.
His foe will encounter what pains him and saddens him.
أَناشدكI adjure you اللَهGod الَّذيwho جلis exalted ذكرهHis remembrance
أَناشدك اللَه الَّذي جل ذكره
لتسمعthat you may hear منيfrom me ماwhat أَقولI say وأَشرحand I explain
لتسمع مني ما أَقول وأَشرح
I adjure you by God, whose remembrance is exalted,
I adjure you by Allah the Almighty,
to hear from me what I say and explain.
To listen to what I am saying and explaining.
فلاso do not تأمنtrust الأَفعىthe viper وَإِنand even if لانis soft جلدهاits skin
فلا تأمن الأَفعى وَإِن لان جلدها
ففيfor in نابهاits fang سمvenom وداءand illness مُبرحagonizing
ففي نابها سم وداء مُبرح
So do not trust the viper, even if its skin is soft,
Do not feel safe from the viper even if its skin is soft,
for in its fang are venom and agonizing illness.
For in its fangs is lethal poison and a fatal illness.
Sol 6.1