سَلask سَبيلَthe road of الحَياةِlife عَنabout سَلسَبيلِSalsabil
سَل سَبيلَ الحَياةِ عَن سَلسَبيلِ
لاnot تُخَبَّرyou will be told عَنabout غَيرِanything other than وِردٍa watering place وَبيلِbaleful
لا تُخَبَّر عَن غَيرِ وِردٍ وَبيلِ
Ask life's road about Salsabil;
Ask the path of life about the smooth path
you will be told of nothing but a baleful watering place.
Be not informed of other than roses and nightingales
وَالمَناياand deaths لَقَينَmet بِالجَندَلِwith stones الفَthe harsh (word begins)
وَالمَنايا لَقَينَ بِالجَندَلِ الفَ
ظِّharsh (word ends) ثَناياfront teeth لُقينَwere met بِالتَقبيلِwith kissing
ظِّ ثَنايا لُقينَ بِالتَقبيلِ
Deaths have greeted with harsh stones
And the cups met with intense kisses
teeth once greeted with kisses.
Met with kisses intense
هَلdo تَرىyou see سَيِّدَthe chief of القَرابَةِthe kinfolk أَضحىbecame
هَل تَرى سَيِّدَ القَرابَةِ أَضحى
مُفرَدَsolitary in الشَخصِperson ماnot لَهُhe has مِنany قَبيلِclan
مُفرَدَ الشَخصِ ما لَهُ مِن قَبيلِ
Do you see the chief of his kin become
Do you see the master of kinship has become
a solitary figure, with no clan?
A lone person with no tribe
قَوَّضَتهُtoppled him وَطالَماand how often قَوَّضَتهُtoppled him
قَوَّضَتهُ وَطالَما قَوَّضَتهُ
مُخبِلاتٌmaddening afflictions أَعقَبنَleft in their wake بِالتَخبيلِderangement
مُخبِلاتٌ أَعقَبنَ بِالتَخبيلِ
They toppled him—how often they toppled him—
It undermined him and how often undermined him
maddening afflictions that left derangement behind.
Feeble things followed by feebleness
لَمdid not تَحِدswerve نَبلُthe arrows of دَهرِناour age بِرِماحٍby spears
لَم تَحِد نَبلُ دَهرِنا بِرِماحٍ
أَوor سُيوفٍswords عَنaway from ساقِطٍa lowly person أَوor نَبيلِa noble person
أَو سُيوفٍ عَن ساقِطٍ أَو نَبيلِ
Our age's arrows have not been deflected by spears
The nobility of our time did not contend with spears
or swords from the lowly or the noble.
Or swords over a fallen or noble one
وَبَنيand the sons of الأَشعَثِal-Ash'ath اِستَباحَتravaged رَزاياcalamities
وَبَني الأَشعَثِ اِستَباحَت رَزايا
هاits وَأَلقَتand cast كَلّاًa burden عَلىupon رِتبيلِRitbil
ها وَأَلقَت كَلّاً عَلى رِتبيلِ
Its calamities ravaged the sons of al-Ash'ath,
And the sons of Ash'ath took liberties with my sustenance
and laid a burden upon Ritbil.
And cast all on the Ritebil
ياO طَبيبَphysician of المِصرِthe city اِجتَهَدتَyou have striven وَماand not الجُلthe julep (word begins)
يا طَبيبَ المِصرِ اِجتَهَدتَ وَما الجُل
لابُjulep (word ends) جَلابَa bringer of راحَةٍrelief لِنَبيلِto a noble person
لابُ جَلابَ راحَةٍ لِنَبيلِ
O physician of the city, you have tried; yet julep
O doctor of Egypt, you have tried hard but the medicines
brings no relief to a noble man.
Are no medicines of comfort for the noble one
وَإِذاand when وُقِّرَتwere made heavy جِبالُthe mountains of الرَدىdeath جَلgrew mighty (word begins)
وَإِذا وُقِّرَت جِبالُ الرَدى جَل
لَتgrew mighty (word ends) فَلَمand did not تَندَفِعget driven back بِجُلِّby the bulk of جَبيلِa throng
لَت فَلَم تَندَفِع بِجُلِّ جَبيلِ
When the mountains of death grow heavy, they loom mighty,
And if the mountains of misery melted they would not rush
and cannot be repelled by the mass of a throng.
With the melting of Jabal Jaleel
أَيُّهاO you الجامِعُwho gathers الكُنوزَtreasures أَذَرٌّis it dust?
أَيُّها الجامِعُ الكُنوزَ أَذَرٌّ
أَمor زِبالٌa tiny mouthful مِنfrom نَملَةٍan ant فيin زَبيلِa basket
أَم زِبالٌ مِن نَملَةٍ في زَبيلِ
O gatherer of treasures—is it dust,
O you who gather wealth, is it rubbish
or an ant's mouthful in a basket?
Or garbage from an ant in a bucket
صَدَقاتٌalms مِنَfrom المَليكِthe Sovereign عَلىto الحَتdeath (word begins)
صَدَقاتٌ مِنَ المَليكِ عَلى الحَت
فِdeath (word ends) جُسومٌbodies عُرِفنَwere known بِالتَسبيلِfor charitable dedication
فِ جُسومٌ عُرِفنَ بِالتَسبيلِ
Alms from the Sovereign to death:
Charities from the King to the guard
bodies known to be dedicated as gifts.
Are bodies known for fawning
لاdo not تُؤَبِّلeulogize أَخاكَyour brother يَوماًone day إِذاif ماdies (word begins)
لا تُؤَبِّل أَخاكَ يَوماً إِذا ما
تَdies (word ends) فَماfor not كانَhe was مَوضِعَworthy of التَأبيلِeulogizing
تَ فَما كانَ مَوضِعَ التَأبيلِ
Do not eulogize your brother if one day he should
Do not blame your brother one day if you
die: he was never worthy of a eulogy.
Pass away, for that was not a place for blame
وَاِرتَقِبand expect مِنfrom مُؤَذِّنِthe muezzin of القَومِthe people فَتكاًa murderous assault
وَاِرتَقِب مِن مُؤَذِّنِ القَومِ فَتكاً
فَالنَصارىfor the Christians يَشكونَcomplain of فِعلَthe deeds of الأَبيلِthe monk
فَالنَصارى يَشكونَ فِعلَ الأَبيلِ
Expect a murderous assault from the people's muezzin,
And beware of getting killed by the caller of the people
for Christians complain of the monk's deeds.
For the Christians complain of the act of the bell
وَلِحَبرِand for the scholar of اليَهودِthe Jews فيin دَرسِهِhis study of التَوthe Torah (word begins)
وَلِحَبرِ اليَهودِ في دَرسِهِ التَو
راةَTorah (word ends) فَنٌّan art وَالهَمُّand the concern فيis with التَدبيلِmaking large mouthfuls
راةَ فَنٌّ وَالهَمُّ في التَدبيلِ
The Jewish scholar has an art in studying the Torah,
And for the Jewish priest in his study of the
but his concern is making great mouthfuls.
Torah, it is an art and the matter is in the interpretation
رَبَلَتهُfattened him أَسفارُهاits books وَحَمَتهُand protected him
رَبَلَتهُ أَسفارُها وَحَمَتهُ
طولَthroughout أَسفارِهِhis journeys مِنَfrom التَربيلِtarbīl (sense uncertain)
طولَ أَسفارِهِ مِنَ التَربيلِ
Its books have fattened him and protected him
Its books have made him senile and the
throughout his journeys from tarbīl (sense uncertain).
Length of its books has made him ramble
حَسَّنَbeautified القَولَspeech يَبتَغيseeking نَضرَةَthe freshness of العَيlife (word begins)
حَسَّنَ القَولَ يَبتَغي نَضرَةَ العَي
شِlife (word ends) بِغِشِّthrough the deceit of الإِذواءِcausing withering وَالتَذبيلِand causing wilting
شِ بِغِشِّ الإِذواءِ وَالتَذبيلِ
He has polished his speech, seeking life's freshness
He makes good speech seeking the freshness of living
through deceit that withers and wilts.
By deceitful coaxing and interpretation
فَاِقدُرواso cook in a pot مِنfrom بَناتِthe daughters of ضَأنٍsheep عَبوراًa ewe
فَاِقدُروا مِن بَناتِ ضَأنٍ عَبوراً
سَرَّهُpleased him أَنthat تَكونَit should be كَالزَندَبيلِlike an elephant
سَرَّهُ أَن تَكونَ كَالزَندَبيلِ
Cook, from the daughters of sheep, a ewe;
So take a crossing from the daughters of sheep, he was happy
he would like it to be as large as an elephant.
That it would be like the hornet
وَاِصنَعواand make مِنfrom حَلاوَةٍsweetness ذاتِpossessing طيبٍa pleasant fragrance
وَاِصنَعوا مِن حَلاوَةٍ ذاتِ طيبٍ
لاnot بِرِطلَيwith two ratls of بَغدادَBaghdad بَلbut أَردَبيلِArdabil
لا بِرِطلَي بَغدادَ بَل أَردَبيلِ
And make a sweet confection, pleasantly fragrant,
And make something sweet of good scent
not with two Baghdad ratls, but Ardabil's.
Not two pounds of Baghdad but Ordobol
وَاِحذَرواand beware أَنof تُواكِلوهُsharing a meal with him فَماfor not يَأtrusts (word begins)
وَاِحذَروا أَن تُواكِلوهُ فَما يَأ
مَنُtrusts (word ends) دَيّانُكُمyour religious judge يَدَthe hand of الجَردَبيلِthe food-hoarder
مَنُ دَيّانُكُم يَدَ الجَردَبيلِ
Beware of dining with him, for your religious judge
And beware entrusting him for your judge does not
does not trust the hand of the food-hoarder.
Trust the hand of the coward
إِنif تَحُلّواyou settle in شاماًSyria فَخَمرُthen wine from جِبالٍmountains
إِن تَحُلّوا شاماً فَخَمرُ جِبالٍ
أَوor عِراقاًIraq فَالشُربُthen drinking مِنfrom نَهرِthe river بيلِBil
أَو عِراقاً فَالشُربُ مِن نَهرِ بيلِ
If you settle in Syria, then wine from the mountains;
If you resolve on Damascus then it is the wine of mountains
or in Iraq, then drink from the river Bil.
Or Iraq then drinking from the river Bel
وَهيَand she رومِيَّةٌa Roman woman لِزِنجِيَّةِborn to a black African mother الأَعthe grapes (word begins)
وَهيَ رومِيَّةٌ لِزِنجِيَّةِ الأَع
نابِgrapes (word ends) فيهاin her طَعمٌa taste مِنَof الزَنجَبيلِginger
نابِ فيها طَعمٌ مِنَ الزَنجَبيلِ
She is a Roman maid, born to a black African mother—
And it is Roman to the African with tusks
the grapes; in her is a taste of ginger.
In it is a taste of ginger
ذاتُpossessing خَرسٍmuteness تُرَدِّدُrepeats النُطقَspeech أَخmute (word begins)
ذاتُ خَرسٍ تُرَدِّدُ النُطقَ أَخ
رَسَmute (word ends) يَشكوcomplains عَلىupon اللِسانِthe tongue الخَبيلِderanged
رَسَ يَشكو عَلى اللِسانِ الخَبيلِ
Mute herself, she repeats speech that is itself mute,
One who is mute reiterating speech, muted
complaining on a deranged tongue.
Complaining of the ineloquent tongue
قَدhas indeed أَراكُمshown you تَلَطُّفاًcourtesy وَهوَyet he فيin الغِلharshness (word begins)
قَد أَراكُم تَلَطُّفاً وَهوَ في الغِل
ظَةِharshness (word ends) مِنis of جُرهُمٍJurhum وَآلِand the family of عَبيلِAbil
ظَةِ مِن جُرهُمٍ وَآلِ عَبيلِ
He has shown you courtesy; yet in his harshness
I have seen you being genteel while he is in the
he is of Jurhum and the house of Abil.
Darkness of Jurhum and the family of Ebil
مَوعِدٌa promise بِالإِجرامِof wrongdoing يوعِدُthreatens أُمَّthe mother of النَسoffspring (word begins)
مَوعِدٌ بِالإِجرامِ يوعِدُ أُمَّ النَس
لِoffspring (word ends) فيهِin it بِالثُكلِwith loss of a child وَالتَهبيلِand bereavement
لِ فيهِ بِالثُكلِ وَالتَهبيلِ
A promise of crime: he threatens the mother of offspring
A promise of crime that promises the mother of generations
therein with bereavement and the loss of her children.
In it is bereavement and ruin
فَليَحِدهُso let him direct it عَلىagainst قُرىًvillages حَرَّبَتهُthat despoiled him
فَليَحِدهُ عَلى قُرىً حَرَّبَتهُ
كُفرُKafr توتاTuta مِنهُof it وَكُفرُand Kafr تَبيلِTabil
كُفرُ توتا مِنهُ وَكُفرُ تَبيلِ
So let him direct it against villages that despoiled him:
So let it limit him to villages it has ravaged
Kafr Tuta among them, and Kafr Tabil.
The blasphemy of Tuta and the blasphemy of Tebil
يُطلِقُlets loose الخَمسَthe five fingers فيin الحَرامِforbidden things وَأَمّاbut as for اللَفspeech (word begins)
يُطلِقُ الخَمسَ في الحَرامِ وَأَمّا اللَف
ظُspeech (word ends) مِنهُfrom him فَدائِمُthen perpetually التَكبيلِfettered
ظُ مِنهُ فَدائِمُ التَكبيلِ
He lets the five fingers loose in forbidden things; but speech
He permits prostitution but as for the
from him is forever shackled.
Expression from him it is constantly shackled
كَذِبٌfalsehood لاnot يَزالُceases يُطعِمُfeeds خُبزاًbread
كَذِبٌ لا يَزالُ يُطعِمُ خُبزاً
نُصَّwas reported عَنfrom آدَمٍAdam وَعَنand from قابيلِCain
نُصَّ عَن آدَمٍ وَعَن قابيلِ
Falsehood that never ceases to feed him bread,
A liar who does not stop feeding bread
reported from Adam and from Cain.
Text from Adam and from Cain
يَمتَريهِmilks it جَذلانُjoyful مُهتَبِلُexploiting الغِرَّheedlessness (word begins)
يَمتَريهِ جَذلانُ مُهتَبِلُ الغِرَّ
ةِheedlessness (word ends) يُبديdisplays حُزناًsorrow عَلىfor هابيلِAbel
ةِ يُبدي حُزناً عَلى هابيلِ
He milks it joyfully, exploiting heedlessness,
Measuring him is a scabby hyena, the stupidity
while displaying sorrow for Abel.
Shows grief over Habeel
لاnot تُعَرّيspares اللَيثَthe lion المَنونُdeath وَلاnor الشِبthe cub (word begins)
لا تُعَرّي اللَيثَ المَنونُ وَلا الشِب
لَcub (word ends) وَلاnor المُغفِراتِdoes with young فيin إِشبيلِIshbil
لَ وَلا المُغفِراتِ في إِشبيلِ
Death spares neither the lion nor the cub,
Do not strip the dead lion or the old fox
nor the does with young in Ishbil.
Or the forgiving women of Seville
أَناI بِئسَwretched is الإِنسانُthe human وَالناسُand people مِثليare like me
أَنا بِئسَ الإِنسانُ وَالناسُ مِثلي
فَاِعتِبينيso reproach me إِنif شِئتِyou wish أَوor فَاِعتَبيthen reproach ليon my behalf
فَاِعتِبيني إِن شِئتِ أَو فَاِعتَبي لي
I am a wretched human, and people are like me;
I am wretched man and people are like me
so reproach me if you wish, or reproach on my behalf.
So blame me if you wish or excuse me
Sol 6.1