ماnot يُحسِنُis skilled in المَرءُa person غَيرَanything but الغِشِّdeceit وَالحَسَدِand envy
ما يُحسِنُ المَرءُ غَيرَ الغِشِّ وَالحَسَدِ
وَماand not أَخوكَyour brother سِوىother than الضُرغامَةِthe fierce lion الأَسَدِthe lion
وَما أَخوكَ سِوى الضُرغامَةِ الأَسَدِ
Man excels at nothing but deceit and envy.
Man is skilled in nothing but deceit and envy,
And your brother is nothing but a fierce lion.
And your brother is none but a roaring lion.
لاno خَيرَgood فيin الناسِpeople إِنif أَلقواthey entrust سِيادَتَهُمtheir leadership
لا خَيرَ في الناسِ إِن أَلقوا سِيادَتَهُم
إِلَيكَto you طَوعاًwillingly فَخالِفهُمthen oppose them وَلاand do not تَسُدِrule
إِلَيكَ طَوعاً فَخالِفهُم وَلا تَسُدِ
There is no good in people; if they entrust their leadership
There is no good in people if they give you
to you willingly, oppose them and do not rule.
Leadership willingly, so oppose them and do not comply.
فَلَيسَfor ... not يَرضَونَthey are content عَنwith والٍa governor وَلاnor مَلِكٍa king
فَلَيسَ يَرضَونَ عَن والٍ وَلا مَلِكٍ
وَلَوand even if أَتَواthey brought بِالأَمانيwith wishes فيin قُوىstrands مَسَدِtwisted rope
وَلَو أَتَوا بِالأَماني في قُوى مَسَدِ
For they are not content with a governor or a king,
For they are not pleased with any ruler or king,
even if they brought wishes bound in strands of twisted rope.
Even if they come with wishes in strongholds.
جَاوُواthey vied الفَخارَglory بِأَموالٍwith wealth لَهُمof theirs نُفُقٍreadily marketable
جَاوُوا الفَخارَ بِأَموالٍ لَهُم نُفُقٍ
وَلَمand did not يَجيئواthey bring بِأَخلاقٍwith morals لَهُمof theirs كُسُدِunsalable
وَلَم يَجيئوا بِأَخلاقٍ لَهُم كُسُدِ
They vied for glory with their wealth, which sells readily,
They sought pottery with wealth they spend,
but did not bring their morals, which lie unsold.
But did not come with morals they fortify.
وَإِنand if تَكُنare هَذِهِthese الأَرواحُsouls خالِصَةًpure
وَإِن تَكُن هَذِهِ الأَرواحُ خالِصَةً
فَهُنَّthen they يَفسُدنَbecome corrupt فيamong أَرواحِناour souls الفُسُدِthe corrupt
فَهُنَّ يَفسُدنَ في أَرواحِنا الفُسُدِ
And if these souls are pure,
If these spirits are pure,
then they grow corrupt among our corrupt souls.
They are corrupted in our souls full of corruption.
وَقَدand indeed رَأَيناwe have seen كَثيراًoften بَينَناamong us جَسَداa body
وَقَد رَأَينا كَثيراً بَينَنا جَسَدا
بِغَيرِwithout رَوحٍa soul فَهَلso is there رَوحٌa soul بِلاwithout جَسَدِa body
بِغَيرِ رَوحٍ فَهَل رَوحٌ بِلا جَسَدِ
And we have often seen a body among us
We have seen much among us a body
without a soul; is there, then, a soul without a body?
Without a soul, so is there a soul without a body?
تَطَهَّرَتpurified itself بِنَبيذِwith an infusion التَمرِof dates طائِفَةٌa sect
تَطَهَّرَت بِنَبيذِ التَمرِ طائِفَةٌ
وَقَدand indeed أَجازواthey permitted طُهوراًpurification بِالدَمِwith blood الجَسَدِdried
وَقَد أَجازوا طُهوراً بِالدَمِ الجَسَدِ
A sect purified itself with an infusion of dates,
A group purified themselves with date wine
and they have permitted purification with dried blood.
And they allowed purification with blood of body.
فَالحَمدُso praise لِلَّهِto God ماnot نَفسيmy soul بِساميَّةٍat all ambitious
فَالحَمدُ لِلَّهِ ما نَفسي بِساميَّةٍ
وَلاnor بَنانيmy fingertips عَلىabove أَيديthe hands العُفاةِof beggars سَدِmoist with bounty
وَلا بَناني عَلى أَيدي العُفاةِ سَدِ
So praise be to God: my soul is not ambitious,
So praise be to Allah, my soul is not noble,
nor are my fingertips moist with bounty above beggars’ hands.
Nor was I raised at the hands of chaste ones.
Sol 6.1