إِنَّindeed دَمعيmy tears نَبعٌa spring وَماand not العودُthe wood نَبعُnabʿ, a bow-wood tree
إِنَّ دَمعي نَبعٌ وَما العودُ نَبعُ
وَحَوانيand enclosed me مِنfrom مَنزِلِthe abode الهَمِّof sorrow رَبعُa dwelling
وَحَواني مِن مَنزِلِ الهَمِّ رَبعُ
My tears are a spring, though the wood is not nabʿ wood.
My tears are a spring, though the lute is no spring,
And a dwelling in sorrow's abode has enclosed me.
And my ribs are a house for the pain's visitings.
خُذtake hold بِضَبعيby my upper arm إِذاif أَطَقتَyou are able غِياثاًaid
خُذ بِضَبعي إِذا أَطَقتَ غِياثاً
فَمَسيرُfor the movement الأَيّامِof the days تَحتِيَbeneath me ضَبعُa swift gait
فَمَسيرُ الأَيّامِ تَحتِيَ ضَبعُ
Take me by the upper arm, if you can offer aid,
When able, give aid, though my ribs you should break,
For the days move beneath me at a swift gait.
For the days' journey is long, and all ribs ache.
نَلobtain يَسيراًa little مِنّيfrom me وَلاand do not تَسبَعَنّيprey upon me
نَل يَسيراً مِنّي وَلا تَسبَعَنّي
فيin نَواليmy bounty فَإِنَّfor indeed ظمَئِيَmy thirst سِبعُa seven-day interval between drinks
في نَوالي فَإِنَّ ظمَئِيَ سِبعُ
Take a little from me, and do not prey upon me
Go gently with me, do not hasten my cup,
In seeking my bounty, for my thirst lasts seven days.
For my thirst is already too much built up.
وَالسَجاياand dispositions شَتّىvaried فَلاso does not يَقنِصُhunt اللَيthe lion (first fragment)
وَالسَجايا شَتّى فَلا يَقنِصُ اللَي
ثُcompletion of 'the lion' هِزَبراًa mighty lion وَالهِرُّand the cat لِلفارِto the mouse سَبعُa beast of prey
ثُ هِزَبراً وَالهِرُّ لِلفارِ سَبعُ
And dispositions differ: the lion does not hunt
The nights have all woven their webs of deceit,
A mighty lion; to the mouse, the cat is a beast of prey.
So the hyena of mind finds no flesh left to eat,
وَتَدانيand the approach الأَيّامِof the days يُحدِثُbrings about نَقصاًdecrease
وَتَداني الأَيّامِ يُحدِثُ نَقصاً
وَاِزدِياداًand increase وَالجِسمُand the body لِلنَفسِto the soul تِبعُsubordinate
وَاِزدِياداً وَالجِسمُ لِلنَفسِ تِبعُ
And the days' approach brings decrease
And Time drawing near adds its subtractings,
And increase; the body is subject to the soul.
While the body's a mote blown about by the soul's flingings.
خَمسَةَfive فيmultiplied by نَظيرِهاits equal خَمسُfive خَمساتٍgroups of five
خَمسَةَ في نَظيرِها خَمسُ خَمساتٍ
تَنَمَّتhave grown وَالنِصفُand a half فيmultiplied by النِصفِa half رُبعُa quarter
تَنَمَّت وَالنِصفُ في النِصفِ رُبعُ
Five times its like is five fives,
Five and five make ten, and ten is twice five,
Grown in number; and half times half is a quarter.
And the half of the whole is the whole's jibe.
يَغدُرُbetrays الخِلُّthe close friend إِنif تَكَفَّلَhe pledged يَوماًone day
يَغدُرُ الخِلُّ إِن تَكَفَّلَ يَوماً
بِوَفاءٍto fidelity وَالغَدرُand treachery فيin الناسِpeople طَبعُan innate disposition
بِوَفاءٍ وَالغَدرُ في الناسِ طَبعُ
A friend betrays, even if he once pledged
Bitterness feigning sweetness awhile, betrays,
Fidelity; treachery is human nature.
For betrayal lurks, spite of vows, in man's ways.
Sol 6.1