وَجَدْتُI found وَخَيْرُand the best of الْقَوْلِspeech فِيin الْحُكْمِjudgment نَافِعٌuseful
وَجَدْتُ وَخَيْرُ الْقَوْلِ فِي الْحُكْمِ نَافِعٌ
ذَوِيmen of الطُّولِtall stature مِمَّاamong what قَدْmay يُعَمُّis turbaned وَيُلْبَسُand is clothed
ذَوِي الطُّولِ مِمَّا قَدْ يُعَمُّ وَيُلْبَسُ
I have found—and the best words of judgment are useful—
I found the best words in wise judgment useful
tall men to be mere things that can be turbaned and clothed.
To those of great experience from what may be ambiguous and confusing
وَلَيْسَand is not الْفَتَىthe young man عِنْدِيin my estimation بِشَيْءٍof any worth أَعُدُّهُI count him
وَلَيْسَ الْفَتَى عِنْدِي بِشَيْءٍ أَعُدُّهُ
إِذَاif كَانَhe is ذَاpossessing مَالٍwealth مِنَin respect of الْعَقْلِintellect مُفْلِسُbankrupt
إِذَا كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ مِنَ الْعَقْلِ مُفْلِسُ
And in my eyes a young man is of no account
And in my view the youth is nothing I value
if he possesses wealth but is bankrupt in intellect.
If, though wealthy, he lacks intelligence and is bankrupt
وَذُوand one possessing الْجُبْنِcowardice مِمَّاamong what يُسَعِّرُkindles الْحَرْبَwar نَفْخُهُhis blowing
وَذُو الْجُبْنِ مِمَّا يُسَعِّرُ الْحَرْبَ نَفْخُهُ
يُهَيِّجُstirs up مِنْهَاfrom it نَارَهَاits fire ثُمَّthen يُخْنِسُslinks away
يُهَيِّجُ مِنْهَا نَارَهَا ثُمَّ يُخْنِسُ
And the coward, whose breath helps kindle war,
He whose cowardice fans the flames of war with his panting
rouses the fire within it, then slinks away.
Kindling its fire then retreating in fear
وَكَمْand how many مِنْof كَثِيرِmuch الْمَالِwealth يَقْبِضُclenches كَفَّهُhis hand
وَكَمْ مِنْ كَثِيرِ الْمَالِ يَقْبِضُ كَفَّهُ
وَكَمْand how many مِنْof قَلِيلِlittle الْمَالِwealth يُعْطِيgives وَيُسْلِسُand yields readily
وَكَمْ مِنْ قَلِيلِ الْمَالِ يُعْطِي وَيُسْلِسُ
And how many a wealthy man clenches his hand,
How many a man of ample means tightens his fist
and how many a man of little wealth gives, and does so readily.
While one of meager means gives openly and flows
وَكَمْand how many مِنْof صَغِيرٍa small one نَزْدَرِيهِwe disdain him لَعَلَّهُperhaps he
وَكَمْ مِنْ صَغِيرٍ نَزْدَرِيهِ لَعَلَّهُ
يُهَيِّجُrouses كَبِيراًa great one شَرُّهُhis evil مُتَبَجِّسُgushing forth
يُهَيِّجُ كَبِيراً شَرُّهُ مُتَبَجِّسُ
And how many a small one we disdain—perhaps he
How many a little one we disparage, perhaps
rouses a great one, his evil gushing forth.
He may rouse a elder whose evil is more vile and stinking
وَكَمْand how many مِنْof مُرَاءٍone acting for show ذِيpossessing صَلاحٍrighteousness وَعِفَّةٍand chastity
وَكَمْ مِنْ مُرَاءٍ ذِي صَلاحٍ وَعِفَّةٍ
يُخَاتِلُdeceives بِالتَّقْوَىthrough piety هُوَhe الذِّئْبُthe wolf الَامْلَسُsleek
يُخَاتِلُ بِالتَّقْوَى هُوَ الذِّئْبُ الَامْلَسُ
And how many a hypocrite, outwardly righteous and chaste,
And many a pretender of righteousness and decency
deceives through piety—he is the sleek wolf.
Deceives with piety—he is the smooth wolf
وَآخَرَand another ذِيpossessing طِمْرَيْنِtwo ragged garments صَاحِبِpossessor of نِيَّةٍintent
وَآخَرَ ذِي طِمْرَيْنِ صَاحِبِ نِيَّةٍ
يَجُودُgives generously بِأَعْمَالِwith deeds of التُّقَىpiety ثُمَّthen يُنْفِسُgives precious things
يَجُودُ بِأَعْمَالِ التُّقَى ثُمَّ يُنْفِسُ
And another, in two ragged garments, with sincere intent,
And another of dubious nature with corrupt intentions
is generous with deeds of piety, then gives precious things.
Feigns acts of devotion then breathes easy
وَكَمْand how many مِنْof سَفِيهٍa fool لِلْجَمَاعَةِto the community مُفْسِدٍcorrupting
وَكَمْ مِنْ سَفِيهٍ لِلْجَمَاعَةِ مُفْسِدٍ
يَدِبُّcreeps لِشَّرٍّfor evil بَيْنَهُمْamong them وَيُوَسْوِسُand whispers
يَدِبُّ لِشَّرٍّ بَيْنَهُمْ وَيُوَسْوِسُ
And how many a fool, corrupting the community,
How many a foolish corrupter of the community
creeps among them to do evil and whispers.
Schemes evil among them and whispers
وَذُوand one possessing الظُّلْمِinjustice مَذْمُومٌcondemned الثَّنَاrepute ظَاهِرُmanifest الْخَنَاindecency
وَذُو الظُّلْمِ مَذْمُومٌ الثَّنَا ظَاهِرُ الْخَنَا
غَنِيٌّhaving no need عَنِof الْحُسْنَىgoodness وَبِالشَّرِّand with evil يَعْرِسُlodges
غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْحُسْنَى وَبِالشَّرِّ يَعْرِسُ
And the unjust man is of ill repute, his indecency plain;
He of injustice is blameworthy, his praise exposed as flattery
he has no need of goodness, and makes his home with evil.
Needing no good deeds but reveling in wrong
Sol 6.1