لَعَمرُكَby your life ماnot فيon الأَرضِthe earth كَهلٌa middle-aged man مُجَرِّبٌexperienced
لَعَمرُكَ ما في الأَرضِ كَهلٌ مُجَرِّبٌ
وَلاnor ناشِئٌa youth إِلّاexcept لِإِثمٍtoward a sin مُراهِقُdrawing near
وَلا ناشِئٌ إِلّا لِإِثمٍ مُراهِقُ
By your life, there is no seasoned, middle-aged man on earth,
nor any youth, who is not drawing near to sin.
إِذاif بَضَّhe gives sparingly بِالشَيءِwith the thing القَليلِthe little فَإِنَّهُthen indeed he
إِذا بَضَّ بِالشَيءِ القَليلِ فَإِنَّهُ
لِسوءِbecause of badness السَجاياthe dispositions بِالتَبجُّحِwith boasting فاهِقُloud-mouthed
لِسوءِ السَجايا بِالتَبجُّحِ فاهِقُ
If he gives a little something, he is,
through his ill nature, loud-mouthed with boasting.
وَلَوand even if كانَwere مِنamong هَذيthese الشَواهِقِthe towering peaks سَيِّدٌa lord
وَلَو كانَ مِن هَذي الشَواهِقِ سَيِّدٌ
ثَنَتهُbent him المَناياdeaths وَهُوَwhile he بِالنَفسِfor breath شاهِقُgasping
ثَنَتهُ المَنايا وَهُوَ بِالنَفسِ شاهِقُ
And even were a lord one of these towering peaks,
death would bend him down as he gasped for breath.
وَكَمand many مِنof جَوادٍa generous man; a noble steed فيهِمُamong them شَهِدَتtestified لَهُfor him
وَكَم مِن جَوادٍ فيهِمُ شَهِدَت لَهُ
نَواهِقُهُhis braying asses وَالشاحِجاتُand the harsh-voiced mules النَواهِقُthe braying ones
نَواهِقُهُ وَالشاحِجاتُ النَواهِقُ
And many a 'generous man' among them has been vouched for
by his braying asses and the harsh-voiced, braying mules.
Sol 6.1