فَكانَthen was قَولthe speech الصادِحَهthe singer (al-Ṣādiḥa)
فَكانَ قَول الصادِحَه
لاmay not فضbe broken فوكyour mouth ناصِحَهO adviser (Nāṣiḥa)
لا فض فوك ناصِحَه
Then al-Ṣādiḥa said:
The wise woman spoke,
May your mouth never be broken, Nāṣiḥa!
Giving sincere advice.
لَقَدindeed أَتيتyou came بِالعَجَبwith wonders
لَقَد أَتيت بِالعَجَب
مِنfrom كُلِّevery علمknowledge وَأَدَبand literature
مِن كُلِّ علم وَأَدَب
You have indeed brought wonders
You've amazed me,
From every branch of knowledge and literature.
With all your knowledge and refinement.
لَكنَّنيbut I أَقولsay
لَكنَّني أَقول
لَيستthere are not لَناfor us عُقولintellects
لَيست لَنا عُقول
But I say:
But I say,
We have no understanding.
We have no mind,
لاdo not تَصحَبkeep company with السلطاناthe sultan
لا تَصحَب السلطانا
لاdo not تَعرفget to know الإخواناfriends
لا تَعرف الإخوانا
Do not keep company with the sultan;
That befriends rulers,
Do not make friends;
Or knows true brothers.
اجتنبshun الأَناماhumankind
اجتنب الأَناما
عدّregard الوَرىhumankind سواماgrazing livestock
عدّ الوَرى سواما
Shun humankind;
Shun mankind,
Regard people as grazing livestock.
Seeing all as wild beasts.
كَمhow much راحَةease فيin العزلهseclusion
كَم راحَة في العزله
وَعَملand work فيin العطلهidleness
وَعَمل في العطله
How much ease lies in seclusion!
What comfort in seclusion!
And work in idleness!
What work in leisure!
كَمhow much كَثرةabundance فيin الوحدهsolitude
كَم كَثرة في الوحده
كَمhow much سهرsleeplessness فيin رَقدهslumber
كَم سهر في رَقده
How much abundance lies in solitude!
What abundance in solitude!
How much sleeplessness lies in slumber!
What wakefulness in sleep!
كَمhow much ضعةabasement مِنfrom رفعهelevation
كَم ضعة مِن رفعه
كَمhow much جوعةhunger مِنfrom شبعهsatiety
كَم جوعة مِن شبعه
How much abasement comes from elevation!
What weakness from power!
How much hunger comes from satiety!
What hunger from satiety!
كَمhow much عَطشthirst مِنfrom ريdrinking one's fill
كَم عَطش مِن ري
كَمhow much لسنeloquence منfrom عيinarticulacy
كَم لسن من عي
How much thirst comes from drinking one's fill!
What thirst from drink!
How much eloquence comes from inarticulacy!
What mute silence from speech!
كَمhow much تَعَبtoil منfrom راحهrest
كَم تَعَب من راحه
قَدmay تغرقcause drowning السِّباحهswimming
قَد تغرق السِّباحه
How much toil comes from rest!
What weariness from rest!
Swimming may cause drowning.
Swimming itself can drown.
كَمhow many غصةa choking pang مِنfrom لذةpleasure
كَم غصة مِن لذة
كَمhow many صلةa bond مِنfrom جبذهa tug
كَم صلة مِن جبذه
How many choking pangs come from pleasure!
What misery from joy!
How many bonds come from a tug!
What kinship from estrangement!
كَمhow many نعمةa blessing مِنfrom نقمهaffliction
كَم نعمة مِن نقمه
كَمhow many نقمةan affliction مِنfrom نعمةa blessing
كَم نقمة مِن نعمة
How many blessings come from affliction!
What blessing from curse!
How many afflictions come from a blessing!
What curse from blessing!
كَمhow much قَسوةharshness مِنfrom هزهa thrill
كَم قَسوة مِن هزه
كَمhow much ذلةhumiliation مِنfrom عزهhonor
كَم ذلة مِن عزه
How much harshness comes from a thrill!
What harshness from gentleness!
How much humiliation comes from honor!
What humiliation from honor!
كَمhow much علةٍillness مِنfrom صحهhealth
كَم علةٍ مِن صحه
كَمhow much ترحةsorrow مِنfrom فَرحهjoy
كَم ترحة مِن فَرحه
How much illness comes from health!
What sickness from health!
How much sorrow comes from joy!
What sadness from happiness!
تكسرaching weariness الخِمارthe hangover
تكسر الخِمار
مِنfrom طَرَبrapture العقارwine
مِن طَرَب العقار
A hangover's aching weariness
Wine breaks fasts
Comes from wine's rapture;
In grapes' rapture.
وَلَوعةand anguish الفراقparting
وَلَوعة الفراق
مِنfrom فَرَحjoy التلاقيmeeting
مِن فَرَح التلاقي
And the anguish of parting
While parting's anguish
From the joy of meeting.
Comes from union's joy.
كَمhow many مَأتمa funeral مِنfrom عرسa wedding
كَم مَأتم مِن عرس
وَوحشةand loneliness مِنfrom أنسcompanionship
وَوحشة مِن أنس
How many funerals come from a wedding!
What grief comes from weddings!
And loneliness from companionship!
What loneliness from company!
غرbeguiled جَهولاa fool أملهhis hope
غر جَهولا أمله
خانَتbetrayed لَبيباًa wise man حيلهhis schemes
خانَت لَبيباً حيله
A fool was beguiled by his hope;
Hope fools the ignorant.
A wise man was betrayed by his schemes.
Wisdom fails the cunning.
أَمmother النِّفاقhypocrisy حاملpregnant
أَم النِّفاق حامل
كُلevery ولودchildbearing woman ثاكلbereaved of a child
كُل ولود ثاكل
The mother of hypocrisy is pregnant;
Is hypocrisy fertile?
Every childbearing woman is bereaved.
Every womb miscarries.
أَمmother الوَفاءloyalty عاقرbarren
أَم الوَفاء عاقر
كُلevery خَليلintimate friend غادرtreacherous
كُل خَليل غادر
The mother of loyalty is barren;
Is loyalty barren?
Every intimate friend is treacherous.
Every friend betrays.
ماthere is no للملوكfor kings صاحبfriend
ما للملوك صاحب
وَجهface الصَّفاءsincerity شاحبpale
وَجه الصَّفاء شاحب
Kings have no friend;
Kings have no companion
The face of sincerity is pale.
Whose face is radiant.
Sol 6.1