إِذاif ابتليتyou are afflicted فَاِصبرthen be patient
إِذا ابتليت فَاِصبر
الدَّهرtime مثلlike المعبرthe passageway
الدَّهر مثل المعبر
If you are afflicted, be patient.
When afflicted, be patient,
Time is like a passageway.
Time is like a passage,
لَيسَnot يَدومendures حالa condition
لَيسَ يَدوم حال
شَحمfat المنىwishes هزالleanness
شَحم المنى هزال
No condition endures.
No state endures,
The fat of wishes is leanness.
The fat of good fortune becomes lean.
ماno للياليfor the nights ذَنبguilt
ما لليالي ذَنب
وَلاnor عَلَيهاupon them عَتبreproach
وَلا عَلَيها عَتب
The nights bear no guilt,
The nights bear no sin,
nor are they to be reproached.
And deserve no reproach.
الدَّهرtime ذوpossessed of اِغتِيالtreacherous killing
الدَّهر ذو اِغتِيال
وَالمَرءand man ذوpossessed of احتِيالguile
وَالمَرء ذو احتِيال
Time is a treacherous killer,
Time betrays and kills,
and man a cunning schemer.
While man schemes and deceives.
قَدmay تَفتكdeal a deadly blow اللياليthe nights
قَد تَفتك الليالي
بِحيلةto the stratagem المُحتالthe schemer
بِحيلة المُحتال
The nights may deal a deadly blow
The nights can undo
to the schemer's stratagem.
The schemes of the deceiver.
لَيسَis not احتِمالbearing العارdisgrace
لَيسَ احتِمال العار
مِنamong شيَمtraits الأَحرارfree men
مِن شيَم الأَحرار
Bearing disgrace is not
Bearing dishonor is not
among the traits of free men.
The way of the noble.
احملbear إِذاif احتمَلتاyou took on a burden
احمل إِذا احتمَلتا
تممcomplete إِذاif فَعلتاyou acted
تمم إِذا فَعلتا
If you take on a burden, bear it.
Uphold if you bear,
If you act, bring it to completion.
Complete if you act,
انجزfulfill إِذاif وَعَدتاyou promised
انجز إِذا وَعَدتا
ابرمmake firm إِذاif عَقدتاyou tied a bond
ابرم إِذا عَقدتا
If you promise, fulfill it.
Fulfill if you promise,
If you tie a bond, make it firm.
Conclude if you tie the knot.
تَغابfeign foolishness فَالتغابيfor feigning foolishness
تَغاب فَالتغابي
دينcreed ذَويpossessors of الأَلبابunderstanding
دين ذَوي الأَلباب
Feign foolishness, for feigned foolishness
Be absent if absent,
is the creed of those with understanding.
The creed of the wise.
عَلَيكَupon you بِالتغافلwith feigned heedlessness
عَلَيكَ بِالتغافل
للكيدfor guile وَالتَّجاهلand feigned ignorance
للكيد وَالتَّجاهل
Take to feigned heedlessness
Turn a blind eye,
as a stratagem, and to feigned ignorance.
To plotting and ignorance.
الحيلةthe stratagem الخفيهhidden
الحيلة الخفيه
كَالصعدةlike a straight spear الخَطيهfrom al-Khatt
كَالصعدة الخَطيه
The hidden stratagem
Subtle cunning,
is like a straight spear from al-Khatt
Like hidden poison.
فيin الحَربwar لاno بَلrather أَمضىsharper
في الحَرب لا بَل أَمضى
العمرlife دينa debt يقضىis repaid
العمر دين يقضى
in war—no, rather, sharper still.
In war no, but more binding -
Life is a debt to be repaid.
A life’s debt to be paid.
لاdo not تُكثرoverdo الدلالاcoyness
لا تُكثر الدلالا
فَتورثand so you cause الملالاboredom
فَتورث الملالا
Do not overdo coyness,
Too much sweetness
lest you cause boredom.
Breeds boredom.
وَكَثرةand excess التَّحليself-adornment
وَكَثرة التَّحلي
تَدعوinvites إِلىto التَّسليemotional detachment
تَدعو إِلى التَّسلي
And excessive self-adornment
Excess ornamentation
invites detachment.
Invites laxity.
Sol 6.1