قَدnow أَصبَحَتit has become وَنُعاتُهاand its death-heralds نُعّاتُهاits describers
قَد أَصبَحَت وَنُعاتُها نُعّاتُها
وَكَذَلِكَand so الدُنياthe world تَخيبُfail سُعاتُهاits pursuers
وَكَذَلِكَ الدُنيا تَخيبُ سُعاتُها
It has come to this: its describers are its death-heralds;
so it is with the world: those who pursue it fail.
كَرّارَةٌever recurring أَحزانُهاits sorrows ضَرّارَةٌever harming
كَرّارَةٌ أَحزانُها ضَرّارَةٌ
سُكّانَهاits inhabitants مَرّارَةٌdeeply bitter ساعاتُهاits hours
سُكّانَها مَرّارَةٌ ساعاتُها
Its sorrows return again and again; it grievously harms
its dwellers, and bitter are its hours.
نامَتslept دُعاةُthe champions of الدَولَتَينِthe two dynasties فَضاعَتاso both were lost
نامَت دُعاةُ الدَولَتَينِ فَضاعَتا
وَهِيَand it is المَنِيَّةُdeath لاnot تَخيبُfail دُعاتُهاits summoners
وَهِيَ المَنِيَّةُ لا تَخيبُ دُعاتُها
The two dynasties' champions slept, and both were lost;
but death—those who summon it never fail.
ذَرهاleave it وَتِلكَand that نَصيحَةٌadvice مَعروفَةٌwell known
ذَرها وَتِلكَ نَصيحَةٌ مَعروفَةٌ
عَظُمَتwere great مَنافِعُهاits benefits وَقَلَّand few were وُعاتُهاthose who heed it
عَظُمَت مَنافِعُها وَقَلَّ وُعاتُها
Leave it alone: that is well-known counsel,
great in its benefits, yet few are those who heed it.
لاdo not تَتبَعَنَّever follow الغانِياتِbeautiful women مُماشِياًwalking alongside
لا تَتبَعَنَّ الغانِياتِ مُماشِياً
إِنَّindeed الغَوانِيَbeautiful women جَمَّةٌnumerous تَبِعاتُهاtheir consequences
إِنَّ الغَوانِيَ جَمَّةٌ تَبِعاتُها
Never follow beautiful women, walking at their side;
for the troubles beauties bring are many.
وَإِذاand when اِطَّلَعنَthey peer out مِنَfrom المَناظِرِthe balconies فَالهُدىthen right guidance is
وَإِذا اِطَّلَعنَ مِنَ المَناظِرِ فَالهُدى
أَنthat لاnot تَراكَsee you الدَهرَever مُطَّلِعاتُهاthose peering from them
أَن لا تَراكَ الدَهرَ مُطَّلِعاتُها
And when they peer out from balconies, right conduct is
that the women peering from them should never see you.
وَاِحذَرand beware مَقالَthe saying of الناسِpeople إِنَّكَthat you are بَينَهاamong them
وَاِحذَر مَقالَ الناسِ إِنَّكَ بَينَها
سِرحانُa wolf ضَأنٍsheep حينَwhen غابَwere absent رُعاتُهاtheir shepherds
سِرحانُ ضَأنٍ حينَ غابَ رُعاتُها
And beware of people's saying that among them you are
a wolf among sheep when their shepherds are absent.
وَدَعِand leave off القِراءَةَrecitation إِنif ظَنَنتَyou think جَهيرَهاits loud delivery
وَدَعِ القِراءَةَ إِن ظَنَنتَ جَهيرَها
ذَكَرَتrecalled بِهِthrough it الحاجاتِdesires مُستَمِعاتُهاits female listeners
ذَكَرَت بِهِ الحاجاتِ مُستَمِعاتُها
Give up recitation if you think its ringing voice
has made its women listeners recall their desires.
فَالصَوتُfor the voice هَدرُthe bellowing of الفَحلِthe camel stallion تُؤنَسُis heard رِكزَهُhis low sound
فَالصَوتُ هَدرُ الفَحلِ تُؤنَسُ رِكزَهُ
أُلّافُهُhis familiar mates فَتُجيبُso answer مُمتَنِعاتُهاtheir reluctant ones
أُلّافُهُ فَتُجيبُ مُمتَنِعاتُها
For the voice is a camel stallion's bellow; his low sound is heard
by his familiar mates, and the reluctant ones among them answer.
أَولىmore worthy مِنَthan البيضِfair women الأَوانِسِcompanionable بِالعُلىof high honor
أَولى مِنَ البيضِ الأَوانِسِ بِالعُلى
قُلُصٌyoung she-camels تَجوبُtraverse اللَيلَthe night مُدَّرَعاتُهاtheir armored ones
قُلُصٌ تَجوبُ اللَيلَ مُدَّرَعاتُها
More worthy of high honor than fair, companionable women
are young she-camels, their armored ones traversing the night.
جُمِعَتwere assembled جُسومٌbodies مِنfrom غَرائِزَelements أَربَعٍfour
جُمِعَت جُسومٌ مِن غَرائِزَ أَربَعٍ
وَتَفَرَّقَتand dispersed مِنfrom بَعدُafterward مُجتَمَعاتُهاtheir assembled parts
وَتَفَرَّقَت مِن بَعدُ مُجتَمَعاتُها
Bodies were compounded from four elements,
and afterward their assembled parts dispersed.
وَهِيَand they are النُفوسُsouls إِذاwhen تُمَيِّزُyou distinguish بَينَهاamong them
وَهِيَ النُفوسُ إِذا تُمَيِّزُ بَينَها
فَأَعَزُّهاthen their noblest فيin العَيشِlife مُقتَنِعاتُهاtheir contented ones
فَأَعَزُّها في العَيشِ مُقتَنِعاتُها
As for souls, when you distinguish among them,
the most honored in life are the contented ones.
وَمَتىand whenever طَرَدتَyou pursue consistently أُمورَهاtheir affairs بِقِياسِهاby their measure
وَمَتى طَرَدتَ أُمورَها بِقِياسِها
فَأَحَقُّهاthen their most deserving بِمَذَلَّةٍof abasement طَمِعاتُهاtheir greedy ones
فَأَحَقُّها بِمَذَلَّةٍ طَمِعاتُها
And when you reason through their affairs by analogy,
the greedy among them most deserve abasement.
وَكَأَنَand as though آمالَthe hopes of الفَتىthe young man وَحُتوفَهُand his mortal fates
وَكَأَنَ آمالَ الفَتى وَحُتوفَهُ
فِئَتانِtwo factions تَهزَأُmock مِنهُat him مُصطَرِعاتُهاtheir grappling combatants
فِئَتانِ تَهزَأُ مِنهُ مُصطَرِعاتُها
And a young man's hopes and his mortal fates seem
two factions whose grappling combatants mock him.
أَوقاتُthe times of عاجِلَةٍa fleeting life كَأَنَّas though مُضِيَّهاtheir passing
أَوقاتُ عاجِلَةٍ كَأَنَّ مُضِيَّها
وَمضُthe flashing of البُروقِlightning bolts خَواطِفاًdarting swiftly لَمَعاتُهاtheir gleams
وَمضُ البُروقِ خَواطِفاً لَمَعاتُها
The hours of this fleeting life—their passing is like
the flashing of lightning, its gleams darting past.
وَيُخالِفُand runs counter to الأَيّامَthe days حُكمٌa decree واقِعٌtaking effect
وَيُخالِفُ الأَيّامَ حُكمٌ واقِعٌ
فيهاwithin them وَمِثلُand like سُبوتِهاtheir Saturdays جُمُعاتُهاtheir Fridays
فيها وَمِثلُ سُبوتِها جُمُعاتُها
A decree runs counter to the days, taking effect
within them; their Fridays are like their Saturdays.
كَمhow many أوقِدَتwas kindled لِشُموعِهاby its candles صُبحِيَّةٌa dawnlike glow
كَم أوقِدَت لِشُموعِها صُبحِيَّةٌ
فيin اللَيلِthe night ثُمَّتَthen أُطفِئَتwere extinguished شَمَعاتُهاits candles
في اللَيلِ ثُمَّتَ أُطفِئَت شَمَعاتُها
How many a dawnlike glow was kindled by its candles
in the night, then its candles were extinguished!
فَمَتىso when يُنَبَّهُwill be roused مِنfrom رُقادٍsleep مُهلِكٍdeadly
فَمَتى يُنَبَّهُ مِن رُقادٍ مُهلِكٍ
مَنone who قَدalready أَضَرَّhas done harm بِعَينِهِto his eye هَجَعاتُهاits slumbers
مَن قَد أَضَرَّ بِعَينِهِ هَجَعاتُها
When will he be roused from a deadly sleep—
he whose eye has been harmed by its own slumbers?
وَتَرادَفَتand followed one another هَذيthese الجُدوبُdroughts وَلَمand did not تَلُحappear
وَتَرادَفَت هَذي الجُدوبُ وَلَم تَلُح
غَرّاءُa bright, fertile year تَبغيseek الرَوضَthe meadows مُنتَجِعاتُهاits pasture-seekers
غَرّاءُ تَبغي الرَوضَ مُنتَجِعاتُها
These droughts have followed one another, and there has not appeared
a bright, fertile year whose pasture-seekers seek the meadows.
وَكَأَنَّand as though تَسبيحاًa hymn of praise هَديلُthe cooing of حَمامَةٍa dove
وَكَأَنَّ تَسبيحاً هَديلُ حَمامَةٍ
فيin مَجدِthe glory of رَبِّكَyour Lord أُلِّفَتwere composed سَجَعاتُهاits rhymed phrases
في مَجدِ رَبِّكَ أُلِّفَت سَجَعاتُها
A dove's cooing seems a hymn of praise,
its rhymed phrases composed in praise of your Lord's glory.
مَنwhoever يَغتَبِطrejoices بِمَعيشَةٍin a livelihood فَأَمامَهُthen ahead of him
مَن يَغتَبِط بِمَعيشَةٍ فَأَمامَهُ
نُوَبٌcalamities تُطيلُprolong عَناءَهُhis suffering فَجَعاتُهاtheir grievous shocks
نُوَبٌ تُطيلُ عَناءَهُ فَجَعاتُها
Whoever delights in his life has ahead of him
calamities whose shocks prolong his suffering.
وَإِذاand if رَجَعتَyou return إِلىto النُهىreason فَذَواهِبُthen the bygone ones of
وَإِذا رَجَعتَ إِلى النُهى فَذَواهِبُ
الأَيّامِthe days غَيرَnot مُؤَمَّلٍhoped for رَجَعاتُهاtheir returns
الأَيّامِ غَيرَ مُؤَمَّلٍ رَجَعاتُها
And if you return to reason, the bygone
days offer no hope of return.
تَهوىyou desire السَلامَةَsafety وَالقُبورُand graves مَضاجِعٌresting places
تَهوى السَلامَةَ وَالقُبورُ مَضاجِعٌ
سَلَبَتhave deprived عَنِof اليَقَظاتِwakefulness مُضطَجِعاتُهاthose lying in them
سَلَبَت عَنِ اليَقَظاتِ مُضطَجِعاتُها
You long for safety, yet graves are resting places
that have deprived those lying in them of wakefulness.
دُنياكَyour world مُشبِهَةُresembling السَرابِthe mirage فَلاso let not تَزُلcarry away
دُنياكَ مُشبِهَةُ السَرابِ فَلا تَزُل
بِرَزينِthe steadiness of حِلمِكَyour judgment موشِكاًsoon خُدَعاتُهاits deceptions
بِرَزينِ حِلمِكَ موشِكاً خُدَعاتُها
Your world resembles a mirage; do not let
its deceptions soon carry off your sober judgment.
رَقشاءُa speckled serpent فيهاwithin it لَيلُهاits night وَنَهارُهاand its day
رَقشاءُ فيها لَيلُها وَنَهارُها
تِلكَthat الضَئيلَةُslender creature شَأنَهاits business لَسَعاتُهاits stings
تِلكَ الضَئيلَةُ شَأنَها لَسَعاتُها
A speckled serpent, its night and day within it—
that slender creature's business is to sting.
وَتَرِثُّand grow threadbare أَغراضُthe aims of الشَبابِyouth وَيَنطَويand is folded away
وَتَرِثُّ أَغراضُ الشَبابِ وَيَنطَوي
إِبّانُهاtheir season فَتَنيبُso turn back مُرتَدَعاتُهاtheir chastened ones
إِبّانُها فَتَنيبُ مُرتَدَعاتُها
Youth's ambitions grow threadbare, and folded away is
their season; the chastened among them then turn back.
وَيُنَهِنِهُand restrains الرَجُلُthe man الحَصيفُprudent بِسِنِّهِthrough his age
وَيُنَهِنِهُ الرَجُلُ الحَصيفُ بِسِنِّهِ
أَوطارَهُhis desires فَتَضيقُso narrow مُتَّسِعاتُهاtheir wide expanses
أَوطارَهُ فَتَضيقُ مُتَّسِعاتُها
A prudent man, as he ages, restrains
his desires, and their wide expanses narrow.
وَتَقارَعَتand clashed شوسُthe fierce ones of الخُطوبِcalamities فَكُشِّفَتthen were unveiled
وَتَقارَعَت شوسُ الخُطوبِ فَكُشِّفَت
عَنconcerning مَهلَكِthe destruction of الحَيوانِliving creatures مُقتَرَعاتُهاthose of them drawn by lot
عَن مَهلَكِ الحَيوانِ مُقتَرَعاتُها
Fierce calamities clashed, and disclosed were
their drawn lots: the destruction of living things.
تَستَعذِبُfind sweet المُهجاتُsouls وِردَthe draught of بَقائِهاtheir survival
تَستَعذِبُ المُهجاتُ وِردَ بَقائِها
فَتَلَذُّهُso they relish it وَتُغِصُّهاyet choke them جُرُعاتُهاtheir draughts
فَتَلَذُّهُ وَتُغِصُّها جُرُعاتُها
Souls find the draught of their survival sweet,
and savor it, though their sips choke them.
وَتَظَلُّand remain حَبّاتُthe kernels of القُلوبِhearts زَرائِعاًsown seeds
وَتَظَلُّ حَبّاتُ القُلوبِ زَرائِعاً
كَالأَرضِlike the earth وَالصَهَواتُand the horses' backs مُزدَرَعاتُهاtheir sowing grounds
كَالأَرضِ وَالصَهَواتُ مُزدَرَعاتُها
And the kernels of hearts remain as seeds,
horsebacks, like the earth, their fields for sowing.
إِنif كانَit was قَدalready عَتَمَdeepened الظَلامُthe darkness فَطالَماthen how often
إِن كانَ قَد عَتَمَ الظَلامُ فَطالَما
مَتَعَrose high النَهارُthe day فَماand not وَنَتweakened مُتُعاتُهاits pleasures
مَتَعَ النَهارُ فَما وَنَت مُتُعاتُها
If darkness has grown deep, how often
daylight has risen high; its pleasures have not waned.
نُظِمَتwere composed قَصائِدُpoems مِنof أَذىsuffering مَثُلاتُهاtheir exemplary punishments
نُظِمَت قَصائِدُ مِن أَذى مَثُلاتُها
أَمثالُهاtheir parables فاتَتكَhave escaped you مُنتَزَعاتُهاtheir extracted lessons
أَمثالُها فاتَتكَ مُنتَزَعاتُها
Poems were composed of suffering; their chastisements
are their parables; the lessons drawn from them have escaped you.
وَتُعينُand you strengthen أَسبابَthe means of الحَياةِlife وَيَنتَهيand ends
وَتُعينُ أَسبابَ الحَياةِ وَيَنتَهي
أَمَدٌa term لَهاfor them فَتَخونُso betray مُنقَطَعاتُهاtheir severed strands
أَمَدٌ لَها فَتَخونُ مُنقَطَعاتُها
You strengthen life's supports, yet there comes
an end to their span, and their broken strands betray you.
فَاِخفِضso lower حَديثَكَyour speech لِلمُحَدِّثِto your interlocutor جاهِداًstriving
فَاِخفِض حَديثَكَ لِلمُحَدِّثِ جاهِداً
فَذَميمَةُfor blameworthy are الأَصواتِthe voices مُرتَفَعاتُهاtheir loud ones
فَذَميمَةُ الأَصواتِ مُرتَفَعاتُها
So strive to speak softly to the one you converse with,
for loud voices are blameworthy.
مُهَجٌsouls تَخافُfear مِنَof الرَدىdeath وَلَعَلَّهُyet perhaps it
مُهَجٌ تَخافُ مِنَ الرَدى وَلَعَلَّهُ
إِنif جاءَit comes تَأمَنُwill be safe from صَولَةًan assault هَلِعاتُهاtheir terrified ones
إِن جاءَ تَأمَنُ صَولَةً هَلِعاتُها
Souls fear death, though perhaps,
if it comes, the terrified among them will be safe from assault.
أَوor ماتَفيقُdo you not recover مِنَfrom الغَرامِpassion بِفارِكٍfor a husband-hating wife
أَو ماتَفيقُ مِنَ الغَرامِ بِفارِكٍ
مَشهورَةٍwell known مَعَwith غَيرِناpeople other than us وَقَعاتُهاher battles
مَشهورَةٍ مَعَ غَيرِنا وَقَعاتُها
Or will you not recover from passion for a scornful wife,
whose battles with people other than us are well known?
نَفسٌa soul تُرَقِّعُpatches up أَمرَهاits affairs حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen
نَفسٌ تُرَقِّعُ أَمرَها حَتّى إِذا
أَجَلٌan appointed end تَوَرَّدَarrives أُعجِزَتare rendered powerless رُقُعاتُهاits patches
أَجَلٌ تَوَرَّدَ أُعجِزَت رُقُعاتُها
A soul keeps patching its affairs, until
its appointed end arrives and its patches prove powerless.
وَتَرىand you see الصَلاةَprayer عَلىupon الغَوِيِّthe wayward man ثَقيلَةًheavy
وَتَرى الصَلاةَ عَلى الغَوِيِّ ثَقيلَةً
مِثلَlike الهِضابِhills تَؤودُهُweigh upon him رَكَعاتُهاits bowings
مِثلَ الهِضابِ تَؤودُهُ رَكَعاتُها
You see prayer heavy upon the wayward man,
its bowings weighing him down like hills.
وَتُضِلُّand lead astray أَفعالُthe deeds of الشُرورِevil جُناتَهاtheir perpetrators
وَتُضِلُّ أَفعالُ الشُرورِ جُناتَها
وَتَفوزُand triumph بِالخَيراتِthrough good deeds مُصطَنِعاتُهاthose who perform them
وَتَفوزُ بِالخَيراتِ مُصطَنِعاتُها
Evil deeds lead their perpetrators astray,
while those who practice good deeds triumph through them.
وَمَحاسِنُand the charms of الدُوَلdynasties الَّتيwhich غُرَّتit was beguiled بِهاby them
وَمَحاسِنُ الدُوَل الَّتي غُرَّت بِها
حالَتhave changed فَقَبلَand formerly حِسانُهاtheir beautiful things شَنِعاتُهاtheir hideous things
حالَت فَقَبلَ حِسانُها شَنِعاتُها
The charms of dynasties, by which the soul was beguiled,
have changed: their present ugliness was once their beauty.
وَالنارُand fire إِنif قَرَّبَتyou bring near كَفَّكَyour palm مَرَّةًonce
وَالنارُ إِن قَرَّبَت كَفَّكَ مَرَّةً
مِنهاto it ثَنَتturn back عَنfrom قَبضِهاgrasping it لَذَعاتُهاits burns
مِنها ثَنَت عَن قَبضِها لَذَعاتُها
And fire—if you once bring your palm close
to it, its burns deter you from grasping it.
وَلَعَلَّand perhaps عَكساًa reversal فيin اللَياليthe nights كائِنٌwill occur
وَلَعَلَّ عَكساً في اللَيالي كائِنٌ
فَتَعودَso may return فيin الشَرَقاتِthe sunlit places مُتَّضِعاتُهاtheir lowly ones
فَتَعودَ في الشَرَقاتِ مُتَّضِعاتُها
Perhaps a reversal will occur in the nights,
so their lowly ones may return to sunlit places.
Sol 6.1