الخَيرُgoodness كَالعَرفَجِlike the ʿarfaj shrub المَمطورِrain-soaked ضَرَّمَهُhe kindled it
الخَيرُ كَالعَرفَجِ المَمطورِ ضَرَّمَهُ
راعٍa shepherd يَإِطُّhe groans وَلَمّاand when أَنthat (linking particle) ذَكاit blazed خَمَداit died down
راعٍ يَإِطُّ وَلَمّا أَن ذَكا خَمَدا
Goodness is like rain-soaked ʿarfaj brushwood, set alight
Goodness is like a watered palm tree, tended by
by a groaning shepherd; as soon as it blazed, it died down.
A shepherd who protects it, and when forgetful slumbers, it withers not.
وَالشَرُّand evil كَالنارِlike fire شُبَّتwas kindled لَيلَهاduring its night بِغَضاًwith ghaḍā wood
وَالشَرُّ كَالنارِ شُبَّت لَيلَها بِغَضاً
يَأتيpasses عَلىover جَمرِهاits embers دَهرٌan age وَماand not هَمَداdied out
يَأتي عَلى جَمرِها دَهرٌ وَما هَمَدا
And evil is like a fire kindled at night with ghaḍā wood:
Evil is like a fire kindled in the night out of spite
an age passes over its embers, yet they have not gone out.
Whose embers last for ages and are never extinguished.
أَماdo you not تَرىyou see شَجَرَtrees الإِثمارِfruit production مُتعَبَةًwearied
أَما تَرى شَجَرَ الإِثمارِ مُتعَبَةً
لَمdid not تُجنِbear fruit حَتّىuntil أَذاقَتmade taste غارِساًa planter كَمَداanguish
لَم تُجنِ حَتّى أَذاقَت غارِساً كَمَدا
Do you not see fruit-bearing trees, worn with toil,
Do you not see the trees of sinfulness wearied?
that bore no fruit until they made a planter taste anguish?
They bear no fruit until the planter tastes despair.
وَالشاكُand the thornbush فيin كُلِّevery أَرضٍland حانَcame in due season مَنبِتُهُits sprouting
وَالشاكُ في كُلِّ أَرضٍ حانَ مَنبِتُهُ
بِالطَبعِby nature لاnot الغَمَرَdeep, abundant water يَستَسقيseeks water وَلاnor الثَمَداscant standing water
بِالطَبعِ لا الغَمَرَ يَستَسقي وَلا الثَمَدا
And the thornbush sprouts in season in every land,
Thorns grow in every land by their nature
by nature, seeking neither deep waters nor shallow pools.
Seeking neither rain nor irrigation channels.
لاdo not تَشكُرَنَّever thank الَّذيthe one who يُوَلّيكَbestows upon you عارِفَةًa favor
لا تَشكُرَنَّ الَّذي يُوَلّيكَ عارِفَةً
حَتّىuntil يَكونَhe is لِماregarding what أَولاكَhe bestowed upon you مُعتَمِداdeliberately intending it
حَتّى يَكونَ لِما أَولاكَ مُعتَمِدا
Never thank one who bestows a favor on you
Do not thank one who grants you dignity
unless he intended what he bestowed on you.
Until you lean upon the giver for support.
وَلاand do not تُشَيمَنunsheathe حُساماًa keen sword كَيin order to تَريقَyou shed دَماًblood
وَلا تُشَيمَن حُساماً كَي تَريقَ دَماً
كَفاكَsuffices you سَيفٌa sword لِهَذاbelonging to this الدَهرِage ماnot غُمِداwas sheathed
كَفاكَ سَيفٌ لِهَذا الدَهرِ ما غُمِدا
And never draw a keen sword to shed blood;
Wield no swords to shed blood.
the sword of this age suffices you; it has never been sheathed.
Your blades for this age are sheathed enough.
وَشاعَand spread فيamong الناسِpeople قَولٌa saying لَستُI do not أَعهَدُهُknow it
وَشاعَ في الناسِ قَولٌ لَستُ أَعهَدُهُ
وَذاكَand that is أَنَّthat رِجالاًmen ذامَتِreviled الصَمِداthe Eternal Refuge (God)
وَذاكَ أَنَّ رِجالاً ذامَتِ الصَمِدا
And a saying has spread among people that I do not recognize:
And spread among the people is a saying I'm unaccustomed to:
namely, that some men have reviled al-Ṣamad, the Eternal Refuge.
That men of high resolve have become few.
أَيُحمَدُis ... praised? المَرءُa man لَمdid not يَهمُمintend بِمَكرُمَةٍto do a noble deed
أَيُحمَدُ المَرءُ لَم يَهمُم بِمَكرُمَةٍ
يَوماًever وَيُترَكُand is left مَولىthe lord العُرفِkindness ماnot حُمِداwas praised
يَوماً وَيُترَكُ مَولى العُرفِ ما حُمِدا
Is a man praised who never intended a noble deed
Can a man be praised if he never strove
even once, while the Lord of kindness is left unpraised?
For glory, and the noble were left unsung?
Sol 6.1