قَدindeed أَصبَحَتhas become وَنُعاتُهاand its death-announcers نُعّاتُهاits describers
قَد أَصبَحَت وَنُعاتُها نُعّاتُها
وَكَذَلِكَand likewise الدُنياworldly life تَخيبُfail سُعاتُهاits pursuers
وَكَذَلِكَ الدُنيا تَخيبُ سُعاتُها
It has come to this: its death-announcers are its describers;
And such is the world: those who pursue it fail.
كَرّارَةٌever recurring أَحزانُهاits sorrows ضَرّارَةٌsorely harming
كَرّارَةٌ أَحزانُها ضَرّارَةٌ
سُكّانَهاits inhabitants مَرّارَةٌever passing ساعاتُهاits hours
سُكّانَها مَرّارَةٌ ساعاتُها
Its sorrows keep returning; it sorely harms
Its inhabitants, and its hours keep passing.
نامَتslept دُعاةُadvocates الدَولَتَينِthe two states فَضاعَتاso both were lost
نامَت دُعاةُ الدَولَتَينِ فَضاعَتا
وَهِيَand it is المَنِيَّةُdeath لاnot تَخيبُfail دُعاتُهاits summoners
وَهِيَ المَنِيَّةُ لا تَخيبُ دُعاتُها
The advocates of the two states slept, and both were lost;
But death's summoners never fail.
ذَرهاleave it وَتِلكَand that نَصيحَةٌcounsel مَعروفَةٌwell known
ذَرها وَتِلكَ نَصيحَةٌ مَعروفَةٌ
عَظُمَتhave grown great مَنافِعُهاits benefits وَقَلَّand few are وُعاتُهاthose who heed it
عَظُمَت مَنافِعُها وَقَلَّ وُعاتُها
Leave it; that is well-known counsel,
Great are its benefits, and few are those who heed it.
لاdo not تَتبَعَنَّever follow الغانِياتِbeautiful women مُماشِياًwalking alongside
لا تَتبَعَنَّ الغانِياتِ مُماشِياً
إِنَّindeed الغَوانِيَfair women جَمَّةٌnumerous تَبِعاتُهاtheir repercussions
إِنَّ الغَوانِيَ جَمَّةٌ تَبِعاتُها
Do not follow beautiful women, walking alongside them;
For many are the troubles that attend fair women.
وَإِذاand when اِطَّلَعنَthey look out مِنَfrom المَناظِرِviewing windows فَالهُدىthen right guidance
وَإِذا اِطَّلَعنَ مِنَ المَناظِرِ فَالهُدى
أَنthat لاnot تَراكَsee you الدَهرَever مُطَّلِعاتُهاthe women peering from them
أَن لا تَراكَ الدَهرَ مُطَّلِعاتُها
And when they look out from the viewing windows, wisdom is
That the women peering out should never see you.
وَاِحذَرand beware مَقالَthe saying الناسِof people إِنَّكَthat you بَينَهاamong them
وَاِحذَر مَقالَ الناسِ إِنَّكَ بَينَها
سِرحانُa wolf ضَأنٍsheep حينَwhen غابَwere absent رُعاتُهاtheir shepherds
سِرحانُ ضَأنٍ حينَ غابَ رُعاتُها
And beware of people saying that among them you are
A wolf amid sheep when their shepherds are away.
وَدَعِand abandon القِراءَةَrecitation إِنif ظَنَنتَyou think جَهيرَهاits loud delivery
وَدَعِ القِراءَةَ إِن ظَنَنتَ جَهيرَها
ذَكَرَتrecalled بِهِthrough it الحاجاتِdesires مُستَمِعاتُهاits female listeners
ذَكَرَت بِهِ الحاجاتِ مُستَمِعاتُها
And abandon recitation if you think its loud sound
Has made its female listeners recall their desires.
فَالصَوتُfor the voice هَدرُrumbling الفَحلِthe bull camel تُؤنَسُis perceived رِكزَهُhis faint sound
فَالصَوتُ هَدرُ الفَحلِ تُؤنَسُ رِكزَهُ
أُلّافُهُhis mates فَتُجيبُso respond مُمتَنِعاتُهاtheir reluctant ones
أُلّافُهُ فَتُجيبُ مُمتَنِعاتُها
For the voice is a bull camel's rumble, its faint sound heard
By his mates, and their reluctant ones respond.
أَولىmore deserving مِنَthan البيضِfair women الأَوانِسِcompanionable بِالعُلىof eminence
أَولى مِنَ البيضِ الأَوانِسِ بِالعُلى
قُلُصٌyoung she-camels تَجوبُtraverse اللَيلَthe night مُدَّرَعاتُهاtheir cloaked ones
قُلُصٌ تَجوبُ اللَيلَ مُدَّرَعاتُها
More worthy of glory than fair, companionable women
Are young she-camels, whose cloaked ones traverse the night.
جُمِعَتwere assembled جُسومٌbodies مِنfrom غَرائِزَelemental natures أَربَعٍfour
جُمِعَت جُسومٌ مِن غَرائِزَ أَربَعٍ
وَتَفَرَّقَتand scattered مِنfrom بَعدُafterward مُجتَمَعاتُهاtheir joined parts
وَتَفَرَّقَت مِن بَعدُ مُجتَمَعاتُها
Bodies were assembled from four elemental natures,
And later their assembled parts fell apart.
وَهِيَand they are النُفوسُsouls إِذاwhen تُمَيِّزُyou distinguish بَينَهاamong them
وَهِيَ النُفوسُ إِذا تُمَيِّزُ بَينَها
فَأَعَزُّهاthen their most dignified فيin العَيشِlife مُقتَنِعاتُهاtheir contented ones
فَأَعَزُّها في العَيشِ مُقتَنِعاتُها
And as for souls, when you distinguish among them,
Their contented ones are the most dignified in life.
وَمَتىand whenever طَرَدتَreasoned through أُمورَهاtheir affairs بِقِياسِهاby their analogy
وَمَتى طَرَدتَ أُمورَها بِقِياسِها
فَأَحَقُّهاthen their most deserving بِمَذَلَّةٍof abasement طَمِعاتُهاtheir covetous ones
فَأَحَقُّها بِمَذَلَّةٍ طَمِعاتُها
And when you reason through their affairs by analogy,
Their covetous ones most deserve abasement.
وَكَأَنَand as though آمالَhopes الفَتىthe young man وَحُتوفَهُand his dooms
وَكَأَنَ آمالَ الفَتى وَحُتوفَهُ
فِئَتانِtwo factions تَهزَأُmock مِنهُhim مُصطَرِعاتُهاtheir battling ones
فِئَتانِ تَهزَأُ مِنهُ مُصطَرِعاتُها
And a young man's hopes and his dooms seem like
Two factions, whose battling members mock him.
أَوقاتُtimes عاجِلَةٍfleeting life كَأَنَّas though مُضِيَّهاits passing
أَوقاتُ عاجِلَةٍ كَأَنَّ مُضِيَّها
وَمضُflashing البُروقِlightning خَواطِفاًdarting لَمَعاتُهاtheir gleams
وَمضُ البُروقِ خَواطِفاً لَمَعاتُها
The times of fleeting life—their passing is like
Lightning flashes, their gleams darting away.
وَيُخالِفُand contradicts الأَيّامَthe days حُكمٌa judgment واقِعٌtaking effect
وَيُخالِفُ الأَيّامَ حُكمٌ واقِعٌ
فيهاwithin them وَمِثلُand like سُبوتِهاtheir Saturdays جُمُعاتُهاtheir Fridays
فيها وَمِثلُ سُبوتِها جُمُعاتُها
The days are contradicted by a judgment at work
Within them; their Fridays are like their Saturdays.
كَمhow often أوقِدَتwas kindled لِشُموعِهاfor its candles صُبحِيَّةٌa morning glow
كَم أوقِدَت لِشُموعِها صُبحِيَّةٌ
فيin اللَيلِthe night ثُمَّتَthen أُطفِئَتwere extinguished شَمَعاتُهاits candles
في اللَيلِ ثُمَّتَ أُطفِئَت شَمَعاتُها
How often a morning glow was kindled for its candles
At night, and then its candles were extinguished.
فَمَتىwhen then يُنَبَّهُwill be awakened مِنfrom رُقادٍsleep مُهلِكٍdeadly
فَمَتى يُنَبَّهُ مِن رُقادٍ مُهلِكٍ
مَنone whose قَدalready أَضَرَّharmed بِعَينِهِhis eye هَجَعاتُهاits slumbers
مَن قَد أَضَرَّ بِعَينِهِ هَجَعاتُها
When, then, will he be roused from a deadly sleep,
Whose eye has already been harmed by its slumbers?
وَتَرادَفَتand came in succession هَذيthese الجُدوبُdroughts وَلَمand did not تَلُحappear
وَتَرادَفَت هَذي الجُدوبُ وَلَم تَلُح
غَرّاءُradiant تَبغيseek الرَوضَthe meadow مُنتَجِعاتُهاits pasture-seekers
غَرّاءُ تَبغي الرَوضَ مُنتَجِعاتُها
And these droughts have followed one another, with no sign
Of a bright season whose pasture-seekers seek the meadow.
وَكَأَنَّand as though تَسبيحاًglorification هَديلُcooing حَمامَةٍa dove
وَكَأَنَّ تَسبيحاً هَديلُ حَمامَةٍ
فيin مَجدِthe glory رَبِّكَof your Lord أُلِّفَتwere composed سَجَعاتُهاits rhymed calls
في مَجدِ رَبِّكَ أُلِّفَت سَجَعاتُها
And a dove's cooing seems a hymn of praise,
Its rhymed calls composed for the glory of your Lord.
مَنwhoever يَغتَبِطrejoices بِمَعيشَةٍin a way of life فَأَمامَهُthen before him
مَن يَغتَبِط بِمَعيشَةٍ فَأَمامَهُ
نُوَبٌcalamities تُطيلُprolong عَناءَهُhis suffering فَجَعاتُهاtheir grievous shocks
نُوَبٌ تُطيلُ عَناءَهُ فَجَعاتُها
Whoever rejoices in a way of life has before him
Calamities whose shocks prolong his suffering.
وَإِذاand when رَجَعتَyou turn إِلىto النُهىreason فَذَواهِبُthen the bygone
وَإِذا رَجَعتَ إِلى النُهى فَذَواهِبُ
الأَيّامِdays غَيرَnot مُؤَمَّلٍhoped for رَجَعاتُهاtheir returns
الأَيّامِ غَيرَ مُؤَمَّلٍ رَجَعاتُها
And when you turn to reason, the bygone
Days offer no hope of return.
تَهوىyou desire السَلامَةَsafety وَالقُبورُand graves مَضاجِعٌsleeping places
تَهوى السَلامَةَ وَالقُبورُ مَضاجِعٌ
سَلَبَتhave robbed عَنِfrom اليَقَظاتِwakefulness مُضطَجِعاتُهاtheir sleepers
سَلَبَت عَنِ اليَقَظاتِ مُضطَجِعاتُها
You crave safety, yet graves are sleeping places
That have robbed their sleepers of wakefulness.
دُنياكَyour world مُشبِهَةُresembling السَرابِa mirage فَلاso let not تَزُلsweep away
دُنياكَ مُشبِهَةُ السَرابِ فَلا تَزُل
بِرَزينِwith the steadiness of حِلمِكَyour judgment موشِكاًsoon خُدَعاتُهاits deceits
بِرَزينِ حِلمِكَ موشِكاً خُدَعاتُها
Your world resembles a mirage; do not let
Its deceits soon sweep away your steadfast judgment.
رَقشاءُa speckled serpent فيهاin it لَيلُهاits night وَنَهارُهاand its day
رَقشاءُ فيها لَيلُها وَنَهارُها
تِلكَthat الضَئيلَةُslender one شَأنَهاits business لَسَعاتُهاits stings
تِلكَ الضَئيلَةُ شَأنَها لَسَعاتُها
It is a speckled serpent, bearing its night and day;
That slender creature makes stinging its business.
وَتَرِثُّand grow threadbare أَغراضُdesires الشَبابِyouth وَيَنطَويand is folded away
وَتَرِثُّ أَغراضُ الشَبابِ وَيَنطَوي
إِبّانُهاtheir season فَتَنيبُso repent مُرتَدَعاتُهاtheir chastened ones
إِبّانُها فَتَنيبُ مُرتَدَعاتُها
And youth's desires grow threadbare, and folded away is
Their season; then their chastened ones repent.
وَيُنَهِنِهُand restrains الرَجُلُthe man الحَصيفُprudent بِسِنِّهِwith his age
وَيُنَهِنِهُ الرَجُلُ الحَصيفُ بِسِنِّهِ
أَوطارَهُhis desires فَتَضيقُso narrow مُتَّسِعاتُهاtheir expanses
أَوطارَهُ فَتَضيقُ مُتَّسِعاتُها
And with age the prudent man reins in
His desires, and their wide expanses narrow.
وَتَقارَعَتand clashed شوسُfierce ones الخُطوبِcalamities فَكُشِّفَتso were uncovered
وَتَقارَعَت شوسُ الخُطوبِ فَكُشِّفَت
عَنrevealing مَهلَكِthe doom الحَيوانِof living creatures مُقتَرَعاتُهاtheir drawn lots
عَن مَهلَكِ الحَيوانِ مُقتَرَعاتُها
And the fierce calamities clashed, and uncovered were
Their drawn lots, revealing the doom of living creatures.
تَستَعذِبُfind sweet المُهجاتُsouls وِردَthe draught بَقائِهاof their continued life
تَستَعذِبُ المُهجاتُ وِردَ بَقائِها
فَتَلَذُّهُso savor it وَتُغِصُّهاand choke them جُرُعاتُهاtheir gulps
فَتَلَذُّهُ وَتُغِصُّها جُرُعاتُها
Souls find sweet the draught of continued life,
And savor it, though their gulps choke them.
وَتَظَلُّand remain حَبّاتُcores القُلوبِof hearts زَرائِعاًsown fields
وَتَظَلُّ حَبّاتُ القُلوبِ زَرائِعاً
كَالأَرضِlike the earth وَالصَهَواتُand horsebacks مُزدَرَعاتُهاtheir planting grounds
كَالأَرضِ وَالصَهَواتُ مُزدَرَعاتُها
And the cores of hearts remain fields to be sown,
Like the earth, and horsebacks are their planting grounds.
إِنif كانَwas قَدalready عَتَمَgrew dark الظَلامُthe darkness فَطالَماthen how often
إِن كانَ قَد عَتَمَ الظَلامُ فَطالَما
مَتَعَrose high النَهارُthe day فَماso not وَنَتflagged مُتُعاتُهاits pleasures
مَتَعَ النَهارُ فَما وَنَت مُتُعاتُها
If darkness has already deepened, how often
Daylight rose high, and its pleasures did not flag.
نُظِمَتwere composed قَصائِدُpoems مِنfrom أَذىsuffering مَثُلاتُهاtheir exemplary punishments
نُظِمَت قَصائِدُ مِن أَذى مَثُلاتُها
أَمثالُهاtheir parables فاتَتكَhave eluded you مُنتَزَعاتُهاtheir extracted lessons
أَمثالُها فاتَتكَ مُنتَزَعاتُها
Poems were composed from suffering; their chastisements
Are their parables; their extracted lessons have eluded you.
وَتُعينُand aid أَسبابَmeans الحَياةِof life وَيَنتَهيand comes to an end
وَتُعينُ أَسبابَ الحَياةِ وَيَنتَهي
أَمَدٌa term لَهاfor them فَتَخونُthen betray مُنقَطَعاتُهاtheir severed strands
أَمَدٌ لَها فَتَخونُ مُنقَطَعاتُها
And the means of life lend aid, but there comes an end
To their term, and their severed strands betray.
فَاِخفِضso lower حَديثَكَyour speech لِلمُحَدِّثِfor the speaker جاهِداًstriving
فَاِخفِض حَديثَكَ لِلمُحَدِّثِ جاهِداً
فَذَميمَةُfor blameworthy are الأَصواتِvoices مُرتَفَعاتُهاtheir raised ones
فَذَميمَةُ الأَصواتِ مُرتَفَعاتُها
So strive to speak softly to your fellow speaker,
For raised voices are the blameworthy ones.
مُهَجٌsouls تَخافُfear مِنَof الرَدىdeath وَلَعَلَّهُyet perhaps it
مُهَجٌ تَخافُ مِنَ الرَدى وَلَعَلَّهُ
إِنif جاءَcomes تَأمَنُare safe from صَولَةًan assault هَلِعاتُهاtheir frightened ones
إِن جاءَ تَأمَنُ صَولَةً هَلِعاتُها
Souls fear death, yet perhaps,
If it comes, their frightened ones will be safe from assault.
أَوor ماتَفيقُdo you not recover مِنَfrom الغَرامِinfatuation بِفارِكٍwith a disdainful wife
أَو ماتَفيقُ مِنَ الغَرامِ بِفارِكٍ
مَشهورَةٍwell known مَعَwith غَيرِناothers than us وَقَعاتُهاher encounters
مَشهورَةٍ مَعَ غَيرِنا وَقَعاتُها
Or will you not recover from passion for a disdainful wife,
Whose encounters with others than us are well known?
نَفسٌa soul تُرَقِّعُpatches up أَمرَهاits affairs حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen
نَفسٌ تُرَقِّعُ أَمرَها حَتّى إِذا
أَجَلٌan appointed end تَوَرَّدَarrives أُعجِزَتare rendered helpless رُقُعاتُهاits patches
أَجَلٌ تَوَرَّدَ أُعجِزَت رُقُعاتُها
A soul patches up its affairs until, when
Its appointed end arrives, its patches are rendered helpless.
وَتَرىand you see الصَلاةَprayer عَلىupon الغَوِيِّthe wayward one ثَقيلَةًheavy
وَتَرى الصَلاةَ عَلى الغَوِيِّ ثَقيلَةً
مِثلَlike الهِضابِhills تَؤودُهُburden him رَكَعاتُهاits bowings
مِثلَ الهِضابِ تَؤودُهُ رَكَعاتُها
And you see prayer weighing heavily on the wayward;
Like hills, its bowings burden him.
وَتُضِلُّand lead astray أَفعالُdeeds الشُرورِof evil جُناتَهاtheir perpetrators
وَتُضِلُّ أَفعالُ الشُرورِ جُناتَها
وَتَفوزُand triumph بِالخَيراتِthrough good deeds مُصطَنِعاتُهاthose who practice them
وَتَفوزُ بِالخَيراتِ مُصطَنِعاتُها
And evil deeds lead their perpetrators astray,
And those who practice good deeds triumph through them.
وَمَحاسِنُand beauties الدُوَلof states الَّتيwhich غُرَّتit was beguiled بِهاby them
وَمَحاسِنُ الدُوَل الَّتي غُرَّت بِها
حالَتhave changed فَقَبلَso formerly حِسانُهاtheir beautiful aspects شَنِعاتُهاtheir hideous aspects
حالَت فَقَبلَ حِسانُها شَنِعاتُها
And the charms of states, by which the soul was beguiled,
Have changed: their former beauties are their horrors.
وَالنارُand fire إِنif قَرَّبَتyou bring near كَفَّكَyour palm مَرَّةًonce
وَالنارُ إِن قَرَّبَت كَفَّكَ مَرَّةً
مِنهاnear it ثَنَتturn back عَنfrom قَبضِهاgrasping it لَذَعاتُهاits burns
مِنها ثَنَت عَن قَبضِها لَذَعاتُها
And fire: if once you bring your palm
Near it, its burns turn you back from grasping it.
وَلَعَلَّand perhaps عَكساًa reversal فيin اللَياليthe nights كائِنٌexists
وَلَعَلَّ عَكساً في اللَيالي كائِنٌ
فَتَعودَso may return فيto الشَرَقاتِsunlit places مُتَّضِعاتُهاtheir lowly ones
فَتَعودَ في الشَرَقاتِ مُتَّضِعاتُها
And perhaps a reversal lies within the nights,
So their lowly ones may return to sunlit places.
Sol 6.1