إِذاwhen جَلَستُI sit عَلىupon أَقتادِsaddle timbers ناجِيَةٍa swift she-camel
إِذا جَلَستُ عَلى أَقتادِ ناجِيَةٍ
فَماthen not أُباليI care أَغارَwent down to the lowlands القَومُthe people أَمor جَلَسواthey went up to the highlands
فَما أُبالي أَغارَ القَومُ أَم جَلَسوا
When I sit upon the saddle-frame of a swift she-camel,
When I sit by a companion beloved
then I care not whether the people go down to the lowlands or up to the highlands.
I care not if the people disapprove or sit still
أَنَسلُare they offspring of اِبليسَIblis أَمor حَوّاءَEve وَيحَكُمُwoe to you all
أَنَسلُ اِبليسَ أَم حَوّاءَ وَيحَكُمُ
هَذاthis الأَنامُhumankind فَفيfor in أَفعالِهِمtheir deeds دَلَسُdarkness
هَذا الأَنامُ فَفي أَفعالِهِم دَلَسُ
Are they offspring of Iblis or Eve—woe to you—
Whether Satan or Eve led them astray
these mortals? For darkness lies in their deeds.
These people, in their deeds are deceitful
إِنif يُؤَمَنواthey are trusted لاnot يُؤَدّواthey fulfill their trust أَوor يَكُنthere is لَهُمfor them
إِن يُؤَمَنوا لا يُؤَدّوا أَو يَكُن لَهُم
عِزٌّpower يَضيمواthey oppress وَإِنand if أَعياهُمُit eludes them اِختَلَسواthey pilfer
عِزٌّ يَضيموا وَإِن أَعياهُمُ اِختَلَسوا
If trusted, they do not honor their trust; or if they have
If trusted they will not fulfill or if
power, they oppress; and if it eludes them, they pilfer.
Honored, they oppress, and if tired, they steal
ذادَdrove away المَكارِمَnoble virtues عَنfrom كَرَمٍa grapevine وَذاتِand one bearing جِنىًfruit
ذادَ المَكارِمَ عَن كَرَمٍ وَذاتِ جِنىً
فيamong النَخلِdate palms شِربٌa drink أَبىrefused إِخراجَهُto produce it البَلَسُthe fig
في النَخلِ شِربٌ أَبى إِخراجَهُ البَلَسُ
Noble virtues were driven from the vine and a fruit-bearing tree
Protection of dignity from generosity and crime
among the date palms by a drink the fig refused to yield.
In the palm tree is drink it refused to yield from the miser
لاdo not تَحفَظِcare for الشَربَthe drinkers مِثلَlike الطَيرِbirds وارِدَةًcoming to water
لا تَحفَظِ الشَربَ مِثلَ الطَيرِ وارِدَةً
أَجناًstagnant water إِذاwhen ماever (emphatic) أَصابواthey attain رَيَّهُمtheir fill of drink قَلَسواthey regurgitate
أَجناً إِذا ما أَصابوا رَيَّهُم قَلَسوا
Do not care for drinkers, like birds coming
Do not guard drink like a visiting bird
to stagnant water: when they have drunk their fill, they regurgitate.
Who when finding water greedily gorging until filled
ياسِرdeal gently with أَخاكَyour brother وَلاand do not تَهجُمinvade لَهُof his حَرَماًa sanctuary
ياسِر أَخاكَ وَلا تَهجُم لَهُ حَرَماً
مِنfrom قَبلُbefore زُكِّيَwas deemed pure فيwithin أَكمامِهِits husks العَلَسُemmer wheat
مِن قَبلُ زُكِّيَ في أَكمامِهِ العَلَسُ
Deal gently with your brother, and do not invade his sanctuary.
Go easy on your brother and do not pounce on his sanctuary
Previously, emmer wheat was deemed pure within its husks.
Formerly commended in his unjust sleeves
قَدindeed أَظلَمَhas darkened الدَهرُthe age وَالصُبحُand the dawn الجَليُّclear نَأَتhave receded
قَد أَظلَمَ الدَهرُ وَالصُبحُ الجَليُّ نَأَت
عَنهُfrom it المَطامِعُhopes فَلِيُرفَعso let it be raised لَناfor us الغَلَسُthe predawn twilight
عَنهُ المَطامِعُ فَلِيُرفَع لَنا الغَلَسُ
The age has darkened, and from the clear dawn have receded
The time has darkened and dawn distinct draws near
all hopes; so let the predawn twilight rise for us.
From it hopes have turned so lift from us this veil of fear
Sol 6.1