جالِسsit with عَدُوَّكَyour enemy تَعرِفyou will know مَنwhom تُكاتِمُهُyou keep secrets from him
جالِس عَدُوَّكَ تَعرِف مَن تُكاتِمُهُ
يَبدوappears القِلىhatred فيin حَديثِthe speech of القَومِthe people وَالمُقَلِand the eyes
يَبدو القِلى في حَديثِ القَومِ وَالمُقَلِ
Sit with your enemy: you will learn whom to keep your secrets from.
You know who you are confiding in when sitting with your enemy
Hatred shows in people's speech and eyes.
Ill-will appears in people's talk though they pretend
وَالشَرُّand evil فيamong حَيوانِthe living creatures of الأَرضِthe earth مُفتَرِقٌdispersed
وَالشَرُّ في حَيوانِ الأَرضِ مُفتَرِقٌ
وَالإِنسِand humankind كَالوَحشِlike wild beasts مِنof ضارٍa predator وَمُبتَقِلِand a grazer
وَالإِنسِ كَالوَحشِ مِن ضارٍ وَمُبتَقِلِ
And evil is dispersed among the earth's living creatures,
Evil in earth's creatures is widespread
And among humankind, as with wild beasts—predators and grazers.
And humans are like beasts, some harmful, some docile
يَجريruns its course القَضاءُfate فَيُهديso it offers العيسَthe pale camels كارِهَةًunwilling
يَجري القَضاءُ فَيُهدي العيسَ كارِهَةً
إِلىto الضَراغِمِthe lions فيin الأَقيادِthe fetters وَالعُقُلِand the hobbles
إِلى الضَراغِمِ في الأَقيادِ وَالعُقُلِ
Fate takes its course, offering pale camels unwillingly
Fate takes its course, dragging the reluctant stallion
To lions, in fetters and hobbles.
To shackles and reins against its will
فَخالِفِso oppose الناسَthe people تَرشُدyou will be rightly guided كُلَّماwhenever نَطَقواthey speak
فَخالِفِ الناسَ تَرشُد كُلَّما نَطَقوا
فَاِصمُتthen be silent حَميداًpraiseworthy وَإِنand if هُمthey أَنصَتواlisten in silence فَقُلِthen speak
فَاِصمُت حَميداً وَإِن هُم أَنصَتوا فَقُلِ
So oppose people and you will be rightly guided: whenever they speak,
So disagree with people and you will be rightly guided whenever they speak
Then be silent, worthy of praise; and if they fall silent, speak.
Stay silent with dignity even if they are quiet, then say:
وَاِطلُبand seek رِضاكَyour satisfaction مِنَfrom الخِلَّينِthe two close friends ذيpossessing شُطَبٍblade grooves
وَاِطلُب رِضاكَ مِنَ الخِلَّينِ ذي شُطَبٍ
وَمُطلَقِand unfettered الحَدِّthe point فيamong الأَبطالِthe champions مُعتَقَلُheld under the arm
وَمُطلَقِ الحَدِّ في الأَبطالِ مُعتَقَلُ
And seek your satisfaction from the two friends: the grooved sword,
Seek your own approval from ignoble backbiters
And the spear with its point unfettered, held under champions' arms.
And those who attack heroes while shackled
أَماdo you not تَرىsee الشُهبَthe bright stars فيin أَفلاكِهاtheir orbits اِنتَقَلَتhave moved
أَما تَرى الشُهبَ في أَفلاكِها اِنتَقَلَت
بِقُدرَةٍby power مِنfrom مَليكٍa sovereign غَيرِnot مُنتَقِلِmoving
بِقُدرَةٍ مِن مَليكٍ غَيرِ مُنتَقِلِ
Do you not see how the bright stars have moved in their orbits,
Don't you see how the meteors in their orbits have moved
By the power of a Sovereign who does not move?
By the power of a King who is unmoving?
Sol 6.1