تَصَدَّقgive charity عَلىto الأَعمىthe blind man بِأَخذِby taking يَمينِهِhis right hand
تَصَدَّق عَلى الأَعمى بِأَخذِ يَمينِهِ
لِتَهدِيَهُto guide him وَاِمنُنand do a kindness بِإِفهامِكَthrough your explanation الصُمّاthe deaf
لِتَهدِيَهُ وَاِمنُن بِإِفهامِكَ الصُمّا
Give charity to the blind man by taking his right hand,
Be charitable to the blind by taking his right hand
to guide him; and do the deaf a kindness by making them understand.
To guide him, and have faith in making the deaf hear,
وَإِنشادُكَand your seeking by calling العَودَthe old camel الَّذيthat ضَلَّstrayed نَعيُهُits announcement
وَإِنشادُكَ العَودَ الَّذي ضَلَّ نَعيُهُ
عَلَيكَincumbent upon you فَماthen what بالُthe plight of اِمرِئٍa man حَيثَماwherever أَمّاhe headed
عَلَيكَ فَما بالُ اِمرِئٍ حَيثَما أَمّا
And seeking the old camel that strayed—announcing it
And your singing to the lute that its loss was lamented
is incumbent on you; what then of a man, wherever he goes?
Is upon you, so why does man complain wherever he goes?
وَأَعطِand give أَباكَyour father النَصفَfair treatment حَيّاًalive وَمَيِّتاًand dead
وَأَعطِ أَباكَ النَصفَ حَيّاً وَمَيِّتاً
وَفَضِّلand favor عَلَيهِover him مِنout of كَرامَتِهاher dignity الأُمّاthe mother
وَفَضِّل عَلَيهِ مِن كَرامَتِها الأُمّا
Give your father his due, alive and dead,
And give your father half while he's alive and dead,
and honor your mother above him, in recognition of her dignity.
And prefer him with the highest of his mother's honor.
أَقَلَّكَhe bore you خِفّاًas a light burden إِذاwhen أَقَلَّتكَshe bore you مُثقِلاًas a heavy burden
أَقَلَّكَ خِفّاً إِذا أَقَلَّتكَ مُثقِلاً
وَأَرضَعَتِand she breastfed الحَولَينِthe two years وَاِحتَمَلَتand carried تِمّاa full term
وَأَرضَعَتِ الحَولَينِ وَاِحتَمَلَت تِمّا
He bore you lightly, while she bore you as a heavy burden,
She carried you lightly when heaviness burdened you,
and she nursed you for two years, and carried you to full term.
And suckled you two years bearing you completely.
وَأَلقَتكَand she brought you forth عَنthrough جَهدٍhardship وَأَلقاكَand he cast you forth لِذَّةًin pleasure
وَأَلقَتكَ عَن جَهدٍ وَأَلقاكَ لِذَّةً
وَضَمَّتand she embraced وَشَمَّتand she smelled مِثلَماjust as ضَمَّhe embraced أَوor شَمّاhe smelled
وَضَمَّت وَشَمَّت مِثلَما ضَمَّ أَو شَمّا
She brought you forth through hardship; he cast you forth in pleasure,
She cast you off with effort and cast you for pleasure,
and she embraced you and breathed your scent, as he embraced you or breathed your scent.
She held you and smelled you as any mother would hold or smell.
وَأَحمَدُand Ahmad سَمّانيhe named me كَبيريmy elder وَقَلَّماand seldom
وَأَحمَدُ سَمّاني كَبيري وَقَلَّما
فَعَلتُI did سِوىexcept ماwhat أَستَحِقُّI deserve بِهِbecause of it الذَمّاblame
فَعَلتُ سِوى ما أَستَحِقُّ بِهِ الذَمّا
My elder named me Ahmad, yet seldom
I thank my elders who raised me though I have rarely
have I done anything but what earns me blame.
Done anything but what deserves blame.
تُلِمُّgather up اللَياليthe nights شَأنَthe affairs of قَومٍa people وَإِنand even if عَفَواthey flourished
تُلِمُّ اللَيالي شَأنَ قَومٍ وَإِن عَفَوا
زَماناًfor a time فَإِنَّfor indeed الأَرضَthe earth تَأكُلُهُمdevours them لَمّاaltogether
زَماناً فَإِنَّ الأَرضَ تَأكُلُهُم لَمّا
The nights gather up a people's affairs; though they flourish
Nights blame a people's condition even if they pardon
for a time, the earth devours them altogether.
For a time, for the earth swallows them up eventually.
يَموتونَthey die بِالحُمّىof fever وَغَرقىand by drowning وَفيand in الوَغىbattle
يَموتونَ بِالحُمّى وَغَرقى وَفي الوَغى
وَشَتّىand various مَناياdeaths صادَفَتencountered قَدَراًa fate حُمّاdecreed
وَشَتّى مَنايا صادَفَت قَدَراً حُمّا
They die of fever, by drowning, and in battle,
They die of fever, drowning, in tumult and war,
and by sundry deaths that meet a fate decreed.
And various deaths that met an appointed fate.
وَسَهلٌand easy عَلىfor نَفسيmy soul الَّتيwhose رُمتُI sought حُزنَهاits sorrow
وَسَهلٌ عَلى نَفسي الَّتي رُمتُ حُزنَها
مَبيتُthe night-long stay of سُهَيلٍSuhayl لِلرَكائِبِfor the riding camels مُؤتَمّاtaken as a guide
مَبيتُ سُهَيلٍ لِلرَكائِبِ مُؤتَمّا
And easy for my soul, whose sorrow I sought,
It is easy for my soul that I have saddened with sorrow
is Suhayl's passing the night as a guide to the riding camels.
To pass the night with Suhail for the riders in gloom.
وَماand not أَناI بِالمَحزونِone who is saddened لِلدارِfor the dwelling أَوحَشَتit became deserted
وَما أَنا بِالمَحزونِ لِلدارِ أَوحَشَت
وَلاand not آسِفٌsorrowful إِثرَafter المَطِيِّthe riding camels إِذاwhen زُمّاthey were haltered
وَلا آسِفٌ إِثرَ المَطِيِّ إِذا زُمّا
I am not saddened by the dwelling when it falls deserted,
I am not saddened for a house that has become desolate
nor sorrowful after the riding camels when they are haltered.
Nor grieving the departure of a mount if it became unsaddled.
فَإِنso if شِئتُمyou wish فَاِرمواthen make for سُهوباًplains رَحيبَةًspacious
فَإِن شِئتُم فَاِرموا سُهوباً رَحيبَةً
وَإِنand if شِئتُمyou wish فَاِعلواthen climb مَناكِبَهاits shoulders الشَمّاlofty
وَإِن شِئتُم فَاِعلوا مَناكِبَها الشَمّا
So if you wish, make for spacious plains,
If you wish then traverse the open plains,
and if you wish, climb the earth's lofty shoulders.
And if you wish then traverse its lofty summits.
وَزاكٍand a pious man تَرَدّىdraped himself بِالطَيالِسِin mantles وَاِدَّعىand made claims
وَزاكٍ تَرَدّى بِالطَيالِسِ وَاِدَّعى
كَذِمرٍlike a brave warrior تَرَدّىdraped himself بِالصَوارِمِin sharp swords وَاِعتَمّاand donned a turban
كَذِمرٍ تَرَدّى بِالصَوارِمِ وَاِعتَمّا
And a pious man who wraps himself in mantles and makes claims
A spurious man attacked with swords and claimed
is like a brave warrior who wraps himself in sharp swords and dons a turban.
Like a piercing darkness that attacked with blades.
وَلَمand did not يَكفِsuffice for هَذاthis الدَهرَage ماwhat حَمَلَcarried الفَتىthe young man
وَلَم يَكفِ هَذا الدَهرَ ما حَمَلَ الفَتى
مِنَof الثِقلِburdens حَتّىuntil رَدَّهُit made him يَحمِلُcarry الهَمّاworry
مِنَ الثِقلِ حَتّى رَدَّهُ يَحمِلُ الهَمّا
And this age was not content with what the young man carried
This life does not stop weighing down the young man
of burdens, until it made him carry worry.
With burdens until it makes him carry worries.
وَلَوand if كانَwere عَقلُthe reason of النَفسِthe soul فيin الجِسمِthe body كامِلاًperfect
وَلَو كانَ عَقلُ النَفسِ في الجِسمِ كامِلاً
لَماwould not أَضمَرَتharbor فيماover whatever يُلَمُّis inflicted بِهاupon it غَمّاgrief
لَما أَضمَرَت فيما يُلَمُّ بِها غَمّا
And if the soul's reason were perfect within the body,
If the mind's intellect were complete in the body
it would harbor no grief over whatever befalls it.
It would not harbor within it anything that pains it.
وَليand I have أَمَلٌa hope قَدalready شُبتُI have grown gray وَهوَand it مُصاحِبيmy companion
وَلي أَمَلٌ قَد شُبتُ وَهوَ مُصاحِبي
وَساوَدَنيand it communed with me قَبلَbefore السَوادِthe hair's blackness وَماand not هَمّاit grew old
وَساوَدَني قَبلَ السَوادِ وَما هَمّا
And I have a hope; I have grown gray, and it is still my companion.
I have a hope that grew up with me and accompanied me
It communed with me before my hair grew black, and has not aged.
Before youth, and never worried.
مَتىwhenever يُولِكَgives you المَرءُthe man الغَريبُunfamiliar نَصيحَةًadvice
مَتى يُولِكَ المَرءُ الغَريبُ نَصيحَةً
فَلاthen do not تُقصِهِdrive him away وَأحبُand give generously to الرَفيقَthe companion وَإِنand even if ذَمّاhe censures
فَلا تُقصِهِ وَأحبُ الرَفيقَ وَإِن ذَمّا
Whenever a stranger offers you counsel,
When does an outsider offer you advice
do not drive him away; and be generous to your companion even if he censures you.
And you don't tell it fully? Love the companion even if he is blamed.
وَلاand do not تَكُbe مِمَّنamong those who قَرَّبَbrought close العَبدَthe slave شارِخاًin youthful prime
وَلا تَكُ مِمَّن قَرَّبَ العَبدَ شارِخاً
وَضَيَّعَهُand neglected him إِذwhen صارَhe became مِنfrom كِبَرٍold age هِمّاdecrepit
وَضَيَّعَهُ إِذ صارَ مِن كِبَرٍ هِمّا
Nor be one who brought a slave close in his youthful prime,
Do not be one who draws the servant near only to neglect him
and neglected him when old age made him decrepit.
When he grows old and worries.
فَنِعمَso excellent is الدَفينُthe buried treasure اللَيلُthe night إِنif باتَit spent the night كاتِماًconcealing
فَنِعمَ الدَفينُ اللَيلُ إِن باتَ كاتِماً
هَواكَyour passion وَبُعداًand away with لِلصَباحِthe morning إِذاif نَمّاit divulged secrets
هَواكَ وَبُعداً لِلصَباحِ إِذا نَمّا
What a fine buried treasure the night is, if it keeps
The night is an excellent ship if it passes concealing
your passion hidden; and away with morning if it betrays it!
Your passions, and keep far from the morn if it slept.
ذنَهَيتُكَI forbade you عَنagainst سَهمِthe arrow of الأَذىharm ريشَwas feathered بِالخَنىwith foul speech
ذنَهَيتُكَ عَن سَهمِ الأَذى ريشَ بِالخَنى
وَنَصَّلَهُand tipped it غَيظٌrage فَأُرهِفَthen it was sharpened أَوor سُمّاpoisoned
وَنَصَّلَهُ غَيظٌ فَأُرهِفَ أَو سُمّا
I warned you against the arrow of harm, feathered with foul speech,
I warned you against the arrow of harm whose feathers betrayal
and rage tipped it, then it was sharpened or poisoned.
Had trimmed, and anger had notched, or poisoned.
فَأَرسَلتُهُso I loosed it يَستَنهِضُseeking to rouse الماءَthe water سائِحاًflowing
فَأَرسَلتُهُ يَستَنهِضُ الماءَ سائِحاً
وَقَدand already غاضَit had sunk away أَوor يَستَنضِبُseeks to drain البَحرَthe sea إِذwhen طَماit overflowed
وَقَد غاضَ أَو يَستَنضِبُ البَحرَ إِذ طَما
So I loosed it, seeking to rouse water into flowing,
So I sent it to rouse the waters raging
though it had sunk away, or to drain the sea when it overflowed.
Or to drain the sea if it overflowed.
يُغادِرُleaves ظِمأًthirst فيin الحَشاthe breast غَيرَnot نافِعٍbeneficial
يُغادِرُ ظِمأً في الحَشا غَيرَ نافِعٍ
وَلَوand even if غاضَit caused to sink عذباًfresh فيwithin جَوانِحِهِhis ribs اليَمّاthe sea
وَلَو غاضَ عذباً في جَوانِحِهِ اليَمّا
It leaves thirst within the breast, offering no relief,
It leaves thirst in the sands without benefit
even if it sank the sea as fresh water within his ribs.
Even if it overflowed fresh in its midriff with water.
وَقدand may يُشبِهُّresemble الإِنسانُthe person جاءَcame into being لِرُشدِهِin his legitimate birth
وَقد يُشبِهُّ الإِنسانُ جاءَ لِرُشدِهِ
بَعيداًsomeone distant وَيَعدوand bypasses شِبهُهُhis likeness الخالَthe maternal uncle وَالعَمّاand the paternal uncle
بَعيداً وَيَعدو شِبهُهُ الخالَ وَالعَمّا
And a man born in lawful wedlock may resemble
And man might resemble one who came for his guidance
someone distant, his likeness bypassing his maternal and paternal uncles.
From afar, while his likeness is actually the mole and pimple.
وَلَستُand I do not أَرىaccept فيon مَولِدٍa birth حُكمَthe judgment of قائِفٍa lineage-reader
وَلَستُ أَرى في مَولِدٍ حُكمَ قائِفٍ
وَكَمand how many مِنa نَواةٍdate stone أَنبَتَتbrought forth سُحُقاًlofty palms عُمّاfull-grown
وَكَم مِن نَواةٍ أَنبَتَت سُحُقاً عُمّا
And I do not accept a lineage-reader's judgment on a birth;
And I do not see in any birth the judgment of a midwife,
how many a date stone has brought forth tall, full-grown palms!
And how many seeds have produced foolish sprouts?
رَمَيتُI charged بِنَزرٍwith a few مِنof مَعائِبَfaults صادِقاًtruthfully
رَمَيتُ بِنَزرٍ مِن مَعائِبَ صادِقاً
جَزاكَrepaid you بِهاfor them أَربابُهاtheir possessors كَذِباًlies جَمّاabundant
جَزاكَ بِها أَربابُها كَذِباً جَمّا
I truthfully charged them with a few faults;
I have cast forth a bit of the faults of the truthful
those who had them repaid you with abundant lies.
May their people reward them for it with abundant lies.
ضَمِنتُI pledged فُؤاديmy heart لِلمَعشِرِto the company كُلِّهِمall of them
ضَمِنتُ فُؤادي لِلمَعشِرِ كُلِّهِم
وَأَمسَكتُand I held back لَمّاwhen عَظَّمواthey exalted الغارَthe cave أَوor خَمّاKhumm
وَأَمسَكتُ لَمّا عَظَّموا الغارَ أَو خَمّا
I pledged my heart to the entire company,
I entrusted my heart to the whole group of them
and held back when they exalted the cave or Khumm.
And held back when they exaggerated the cave or bent it.
Sol 6.1