عَجِبتُI marveled لِوَرقاءِat a gray dove الجَناحَينِthe two wings شَأنُهاher lot
عَجِبتُ لِوَرقاءِ الجَناحَينِ شَأنُها
إِذاwhen غَنِيَgrew rich الأَقوامُthe people بِالمالِwith wealth فَقرُهاher poverty
إِذا غَنِيَ الأَقوامُ بِالمالِ فَقرُها
I marveled at a gray-winged dove, whose lot,
when people grow rich with wealth, is poverty.
غَدَتshe went out in the morning أَمسِyesterday فيin قُرِّيَّةٍcold weather صَفَرِيَّةٍautumnal
غَدَت أَمسِ في قُرِّيَّةٍ صَفَرِيَّةٍ
بَقِرِّيَّةٍwith a crop يوعىstores بِهاin it الزادَprovisions نَقرُهاher pecking
بَقِرِّيَّةٍ يوعى بِها الزادَ نَقرُها
Yesterday morning she set out in the autumn chill,
with a crop where her pecking stores provisions.
فَماso not أَخَذَتshe took إِلّاexcept ثَلاثاًthree وَنَحوَهاand about that many
فَما أَخَذَت إِلّا ثَلاثاً وَنَحوَها
مِنَof الحُبِّgrain حَتّىuntil جاءَcame بِالحَتفِwith death صَقرُهاher falcon
مِنَ الحُبِّ حَتّى جاءَ بِالحَتفِ صَقرُها
She took no more than three or so
grains before her falcon came bearing death.
وَماand not رَجَعَتshe returned يَوماًever إِلىto عُقرِthe heart of دارِهاher home
وَما رَجَعَت يَوماً إِلى عُقرِ دارِها
وَكانَand was بِكَفَّيby the two hands of ذَلِكَthat السَهمِthe arrow عَقرُهاher killing
وَكانَ بِكَفَّي ذَلِكَ السَهمِ عَقرُها
And she never returned to the heart of her home,
and she was slain at the hands of that arrow.
أَرىI see أَدهَمَthe black steed of الظَلماءِthe dark night يَعقُبُfollows شُقرَةًa chestnut hue
أَرى أَدهَمَ الظَلماءِ يَعقُبُ شُقرَةً
فَتوديso bring ruin بِهاupon her دُهمُthe black ones among الجِيادِthe steeds وَشُقرُهاand their chestnut ones
فَتودي بِها دُهمُ الجِيادِ وَشُقرُها
I see the black steed of night follow a chestnut one;
so the black and chestnut steeds bring her to ruin.
فَعَظِّمso honor أَخاthe man of النَسكِdevotion التَقِيَّthe pious لِدينِهِfor his faith
فَعَظِّم أَخا النَسكِ التَقِيَّ لِدينِهِ
وَنَفسَكَand your own self فَاِحقَرthen despise نافِعٌbeneficial لَكَto you حَقرُهاdespising it
وَنَفسَكَ فَاِحقَر نافِعٌ لَكَ حَقرُها
So honor the devout, pious man for his faith,
and despise your own self: despising it benefits you.
وَلاand do not تَقرَإِread الكُتُبَthe books المُضَلِّلَmisleading دَرسُهاtheir study
وَلا تَقرَإِ الكُتُبَ المُضَلِّلَ دَرسُها
وَقَدand indeed وَضُحَتhave become clear طُرقُthe paths of الهِدايَةِguidance فَاِقرُهاso follow them
وَقَد وَضُحَت طُرقُ الهِدايَةِ فَاِقرُها
And do not read books whose study leads astray;
the paths of guidance have become clear, so follow them.
فَياso O مُهجَةًsoul كَالعَودِlike an aged camel أَمسَتhas become مُناخَةًmade to kneel
فَيا مُهجَةً كَالعَودِ أَمسَت مُناخَةً
إِذاwhen شَكَتit complained of الأَثقالَthe burdens ضوعِفَwas doubled وِقرُهاits load
إِذا شَكَت الأَثقالَ ضوعِفَ وِقرُها
So, O soul, now made to kneel like an aged camel,
whenever it complains of burdens, its load is doubled.
مَتىwhenever سَمِعَتheard أُذنيmy ear مَقالَةَthe words of ناصِحٍan adviser
مَتى سَمِعَت أُذني مَقالَةَ ناصِحٍ
أُتيحَwas granted لَهاto it عَنagainst قاتِلِdeath-dealing النُصحِcounsel وَقرُهاits deafness
أُتيحَ لَها عَن قاتِلِ النُصحِ وَقرُها
Whenever my ear hears an adviser's words,
it is granted deafness to death-dealing counsel.
Sol 6.1