تَلَفُloss البَصائِرِinsight وَالزَمانُand time مُفَجَّعٌfraught with grief
تَلَفُ البَصائِرِ وَالزَمانُ مُفَجَّعٌ
أَدهىmore calamitous وَأَفجَعُand more grievous مَنthan تَوىthe loss of الأَبصارِeyesight
أَدهى وَأَفجَعُ مَن تَوى الأَبصارِ
The loss of insight—and time is fraught with grief—
The eyes and time are devastated
Is graver and more grievous than the loss of sight.
More devastating and grievous than twisted eyes
بَلَغَreached الفَتىthe young man هَرَماًold age فَظَنَّso he thought زَمانَهُhis time
بَلَغَ الفَتى هَرَماً فَظَنَّ زَمانَهُ
هَرِماًaged وَذَمَّand blamed تَقادُمَthe aging of الأَعصارِthe eras
هَرِماً وَذَمَّ تَقادُمَ الأَعصارِ
The young man reached old age, then thought his time
The youth reached old age and thought his time
Aged too, and blamed the aging of the eras.
Was old and blamed the passing of eras
كَمhow often عايَنَhe saw الفَتَياتِthe young women بَعدَafter شَبيبَةٍyouth
كَم عايَنَ الفَتَياتِ بَعدَ شَبيبَةٍ
عُجُزاًold women وَدُنياهُنَّand their world فيin الأَعصارِthe ages
عُجُزاً وَدُنياهُنَّ في الأَعصارِ
How often he saw young women, after their youth,
How many young women after youth
Become old women, while their world lived on through the ages.
He saw in their weakness through the eras
وَرُميتُand I was assailed بِالهِمَمِwith ambitions الطَوالِfar-reaching وَغالَهاand ravaged them
وَرُميتُ بِالهِمَمِ الطَوالِ وَغالَها
كَرُّthe repeated assault of الخَطوبِmisfortunes فَعَوَّضَتso they substituted بِقِصارِwith shorter ones
كَرُّ الخَطوبِ فَعَوَّضَت بِقِصارِ
And I was assailed by far-reaching ambitions, which were ravaged
And I was cast with high ambitions though arduous
By misfortunes’ repeated assaults, which gave me shorter ones instead.
The bitterness of events made up for with brevity
وَالوَحشُand wild beasts فيin الفَلَواتِthe deserts أَجمَلُmore pleasant عِشرَةٍcompanionship
وَالوَحشُ في الفَلَواتِ أَجمَلُ عِشرَةٍ
لِلمَرءِfor a man مِنthan أَهليهِhis own kin فيin الأَمصارِthe cities
لِلمَرءِ مِن أَهليهِ في الأَمصارِ
And wild beasts in the deserts are pleasanter company
And solitude in the deserts is a better company
For a man than his own kin in the cities.
For a man than his family in the settlements
وَإِذاand if حَصَلتَyou find yourself مُراقِباًwatching فيin مَنزِلٍa dwelling
وَإِذا حَصَلتَ مُراقِباً في مَنزِلٍ
سُكّانَهُits inhabitants أُلفيتَyou are found خِدَنَa close companion of حِصارِsiege
سُكّانَهُ أُلفيتَ خِدَنَ حِصارِ
And if you find yourself in a dwelling, watching
And if you become an observer in a home
Its inhabitants, you prove a close companion of siege.
You befriend the inmates under siege
وَالحِلمُand forbearance أَفضَلُthe best ناصِرٍhelper تَدعونَهُyou call upon him
وَالحِلمُ أَفضَلُ ناصِرٍ تَدعونَهُ
فَاِلزَمهُso cling to it يَكفِكَit will suffice you against قِلَّةَa lack of الأَصارِkinship ties
فَاِلزَمهُ يَكفِكَ قِلَّةَ الأَصارِ
And forbearance is the best helper you call upon;
Wisdom is the best supporter you call upon
So cling to it: it will make up for a lack of kinship ties.
So stick to it, it will suffice your few resources
وَتَفَكُّرُand reflection of الإِنسانِa person يَثنيchecks غَربَهُhis sharp edge
وَتَفَكُّرُ الإِنسانِ يَثني غَربَهُ
وَيَرُدُّand brings back جامِحَهُhis unruly spirit إِلىto الإِقصارِrestraint
وَيَرُدُّ جامِحَهُ إِلى الإِقصارِ
And a person’s reflection checks his sharp edge
And man's contemplation makes his setting sun slope
And brings his unruly spirit back to restraint.
And holds back his recklessness into descent
Sol 6.1