إِذاwhen سَكَتَkeeps silent الإِنسانُthe person قَلَّتgrow fewer خُصومُهُhis adversaries
إِذا سَكَتَ الإِنسانُ قَلَّت خُصومُهُ
وَإِنand even if أَضجَعَتهُlaid him down الحادِثاتُmisfortunes لِجَنبِهِon his side
وَإِن أَضجَعَتهُ الحادِثاتُ لِجَنبِهِ
When a person keeps silent, his adversaries grow fewer,
When a man is silent, his foes are few
Even if misfortunes lay him on his side.
Though events confine him bed-ridden awhile
حَساsipped طامِرٌa leaper (a flea) فيin صَمتِهِits silence مِنsome of دَمِthe blood of الفَتىthe young man
حَسا طامِرٌ في صَمتِهِ مِن دَمِ الفَتى
فَصَغَّرَso diminished ذاكَthat الصَمتُsilence مُعظَمَthe greater part of ذَنبِهِits guilt
فَصَغَّرَ ذاكَ الصَمتُ مُعظَمَ ذَنبِهِ
A flea silently sipped some of the young man's blood,
Yet he tastes life’s blood in his quietude
So that silence diminished the greater part of its guilt.
As silence thus lessens his major sin
وَلَمand not يَكُwas فيin حالِthe condition of البَعوضِthe mosquito إِذاwhen شَداit sang
وَلَم يَكُ في حالِ البَعوضِ إِذا شَدا
لَهُit has نَغَمٌa note عالٍloud وَأَنتَand you أَذٍannoyed بِهِby it
لَهُ نَغَمٌ عالٍ وَأَنتَ أَذٍ بِهِ
Nor was it like the mosquito when it sings:
A gnat’s buzz, when it stings, has no melody
Its note is loud, and you are annoyed by it.
While you are pained by its vicious sting
وَإِنand if سَلَّdrew سَيفاًa sword مِنof كَلامٍwords مُسَفَّهٌone deemed foolish
وَإِن سَلَّ سَيفاً مِن كَلامٍ مُسَفَّهٌ
عَلَيكَagainst you فَقابِلهُthen meet him بِصَبرِكَwith your patience تُنبِهِyou will deflect it
عَلَيكَ فَقابِلهُ بِصَبرِكَ تُنبِهِ
And if one deemed foolish draws a sword of words
If a fool assails you with blabbering blade
Against you, meet him with your patience: you will deflect it.
Counter it with your patience, give him no heed
Sol 6.1