عَجِبتُI marveled لِكَهلٍat a middle-aged man قاعِدٍsitting بَينَamong نُسوَةٍwomen
عَجِبتُ لِكَهلٍ قاعِدٍ بَينَ نُسوَةٍ
يُقاتُis fed بِماon what رَدَّتreturned عَلَيهِto him الرَوادِنُthe spinners
يُقاتُ بِما رَدَّت عَلَيهِ الرَوادِنُ
I marveled at a middle-aged man sitting among women,
I'm amazed at an old man sitting amongst women
Fed on what the spinners return to him.
Quarrelling with what the visitors tell him
يُعالُis supported عَلىwith ذَمٍّreproach وَيُزجَرُand is rebuked عَنout of قِلىًloathing
يُعالُ عَلى ذَمٍّ وَيُزجَرُ عَن قِلىً
كَماjust as زُجِرَتwere rebuked بَينَamong الجِيادِthe fine steeds الكَوادِنُthe plodding workhorses
كَما زُجِرَت بَينَ الجِيادِ الكَوادِنُ
He is supported with reproach and rebuked out of loathing,
He forbids blaming and prevents burning
As plodding workhorses are rebuked among fine steeds.
As war horses were held back from running
يَكادُalmost الوَرىhumankind لاnot يَعرِفُknows الخَيرَgoodness بَعضُهُsome of them
يَكادُ الوَرى لا يَعرِفُ الخَيرَ بَعضُهُ
عَلىdespite أَنَّهُthat it is كَالتُربِlike the soil فيهِin it مَعادِنُmineral deposits
عَلى أَنَّهُ كَالتُربِ فيهِ مَعادِنُ
Some of humankind scarcely know goodness,
People can hardly recognize good in each other
Though, like the soil, it contains mineral deposits.
Though good exists in people like ore exists in mines
تُحارِبُناwage war on us أَيّامُناour days وَلناand we have رِضاًcontentment
تُحارِبُنا أَيّامُنا وَلنا رِضاً
بِذَلِكَwith that لَوif only أَنَّthat المَناياthe fates of death تُهادِنُmake a truce
بِذَلِكَ لَو أَنَّ المَنايا تُهادِنُ
Our days wage war on us, and we would be content
Our days fight us yet we're content
With that, if only death would make a truce.
If only death would make peace
إِذاif كانَis جِسمِيَmy body لِلرَغامِfor the dust أَكيلَةًfood
إِذا كانَ جِسمِيَ لِلرَغامِ أَكيلَةً
فَكَيفَso how يَسُرُّgladdens النَفسَthe soul أَنِّيَthat I am بادِنُcorpulent
فَكَيفَ يَسُرُّ النَفسَ أَنِّيَ بادِنُ
If my body is to be food for the dust,
If my body is for maggots a feast
How, then, can my being stout gladden my soul?
Why would my soul rejoice at being deceased
وَمِنand among شَرِّthe worst أَخدانِcompanions الفَتىthe young man أُمُّUmm (mother of) زَنبَقٍZanbaq
وَمِن شَرِّ أَخدانِ الفَتى أُمُّ زَنبَقٍ
وَتِلكَand she عَجوزٌan old woman أَهلَكَتhas destroyed مَنwhoever تُخادِنُshe befriends
وَتِلكَ عَجوزٌ أَهلَكَت مَن تُخادِنُ
And among a young man's worst companions is Umm Zanbaq (wine),
Of a young man's worst friends, a mother of discord
And she is an old woman who has destroyed those she befriends.
That old woman destroys those close to her hoard
تُخَبَّرُtells (contextual active reading) عَنabout أَسرارِهِhis secrets قُرَناءَهُhis companions
تُخَبَّرُ عَن أَسرارِهِ قُرَناءَهُ
وَمِنand from دونِهاbefore them (his secrets) قفلٌa lock مَنيعٌstrong وَسادِنُand a keeper
وَمِن دونِها قفلٌ مَنيعٌ وَسادِنُ
She tells his companions of his secrets,
She's told his secrets by his peers
Though a strong lock and a keeper guard them.
Without her, a strong lock and iron spear
Sol 6.1