إِنَّindeed شَرخَprime الشَبابِyouth وَالشَعَرَand the hair الأَسthe black (word beginning)
إِنَّ شَرخَ الشَبابِ وَالشَعَرَ الأَس
وَدَblack (word ending) ماas long as لَمnot يُعاصَis resisted كانَwas جُنوناmadness
وَدَ ما لَم يُعاصَ كانَ جُنونا
Indeed, the prime of youth and black hair—
The madness of youth and of jet-black hair and the prime of life,
Unless resisted, were madness.
When not immoderate, but still untamed, is but folly.
ماwhy التَصابيplaying at youth عَلىdespite المَشيبِgray hair وَقَدand already قَلturned over (word beginning)
ما التَصابي عَلى المَشيبِ وَقَد قَل
لَبتُI turned over (word ending) مِنof ذاكَthat أَظهُراًbacks وَبُطوناand bellies
لَبتُ مِن ذاكَ أَظهُراً وَبُطونا
Why play at youth despite gray hair, when I have
Why blame the frosts of Time? For I have gained
Turned that over, its backs and bellies alike?
In wisdom what I've lost in locks of hair.
إِنif يَكُنbe رَثَّhas grown threadbare مِنfrom رَقاشِRaqash حَديثٌa tale
إِن يَكُن رَثَّ مِن رَقاشِ حَديثٌ
فَبِماyet often نَأكُلُwe eat الحَديثَthe tale سَميناfat
فَبِما نَأكُلُ الحَديثَ سَمينا
If a tale from Raqash has grown threadbare,
If talking is but loosely frivolous,
Yet often we have eaten a tale while it was fat.
We eat the tasty trifles that we talk.
وَاِنتَصَيناand we seized نَواصِيَthe forelocks of اللَهوِpleasure يَوماًone day
وَاِنتَصَينا نَواصِيَ اللَهوِ يَوماً
وَبَعَثناand we sent جُناتَناour fruit-gatherers يَجتَنوناthey gather fruit (poetic ending)
وَبَعَثنا جُناتَنا يَجتَنونا
And one day we seized pleasure by its forelocks,
And when we toyed with necklaces of pleasure
And sent our gatherers out to gather.
And sent our little ones to gather fruit,
فَجَنَوناso they gathered for us جَنىًfruit شَهِيّاًdelicious حَلِيّاًsweet
فَجَنَونا جَنىً شَهِيّاً حَلِيّاً
وَقَضَواand they satisfied جوعَهُمtheir hunger وَماyet not يَأكُلوناthey eat (poetic ending)
وَقَضَوا جوعَهُم وَما يَأكُلونا
So they gathered for us fruit, delicious and sweet,
Then shared the loot we reaped with kith and kin,
And satisfied their hunger, though they did not eat.
Till all their hunger pangs were satisfied.
وَأَمينٍand many a confidant حَديثُهُhis talk سِرُّthe secret of نَفسيmy soul
وَأَمينٍ حَديثُهُ سِرُّ نَفسي
فَوَعاهُso he preserved it حِفظَthe safeguarding of الأَمينِthe faithful man الأَميناthe faithful man
فَوَعاهُ حِفظَ الأَمينِ الأَمينا
And many a confidant whose talk was my soul's secret—
A trusted friend who does not spread his secrets,
He guarded it as one faithful man guards another.
Keeps fast the trust vouchsafed as was his duty.
مُخمِرٍconcealing سِرَّهُhis secret إِذاwhen ماever (emphatic particle) اِلتَقَيناwe met
مُخمِرٍ سِرَّهُ إِذا ما اِلتَقَينا
ثَلِجَتgrew cool; was reassured نَفسُهُhis soul بِأَنby the fact that لاnot أَخوناI betray (poetic ending)
ثَلِجَت نَفسُهُ بِأَن لا أَخونا
He kept his secret hidden; whenever we met,
A comrade, when we meet, whose soul is frozen
His soul grew cool, assured that I would not betray him.
Lest talk spills forth to shame a trusted crony.
Sol 6.1