هُنَّthey are الأَمانِيwishes مُدْمِنَاتُpersistently given to حِرَانِbalking
هُنَّ الأَمانِي مُدْمِنَاتُ حِرَانِ
فَصِلِso sustain اعتِزَاماًresolve لاَتَit is not حيِيْنَa time for تَوّانِslackness
فَصِلِ اعتِزَاماً لاَتَ حيِيْنَ تَوّانِ
Such are wishes, ever stubbornly balking;
so sustain your resolve: this is no time for slackness.
وإِذاand when انقَضَىhas passed زَمنُthe time of الفَتَاءِyouth عنfrom الفَتَىthe young man
وإِذا انقَضَى زَمنُ الفَتَاءِ عن الفَتَى
فَبَقَاؤُهُthen his survival وَفَنَاؤُهُand his extinction سِيَّانِare alike
فَبَقَاؤُهُ وَفَنَاؤُهُ سِيَّانِ
And when the time of youth has passed from a man,
his survival and his extinction are alike.
لاdo not تُخْدَعَنَّbe deceived فماfor there is no لإِحْسَانِfor the bounty of الصِّبَاyouth
لا تُخْدَعَنَّ فما لإِحْسَانِ الصِّبَا
عِوَضٌsubstitute ولاnor لِرُوَائِهِfor its freshness الحُسَّانِexceedingly fair
عِوَضٌ ولا لِرُوَائِهِ الحُسَّانِ
Do not be deceived: for youth's bounty
there is no substitute, nor for its lovely freshness.
واخْلَعْand bestow علىupon رَيْعَانِهِits prime حُلَلَthe robes of المُنَىhopes
واخْلَعْ على رَيْعَانِهِ حُلَلَ المُنَى
فَمَحاسِنُfor the beauties of الأشياءِthings فيin الرَّيْعَانِtheir prime
فَمَحاسِنُ الأشياءِ في الرَّيْعَانِ
And clothe its prime in the robes of hope,
for things are loveliest in their prime.
وزيادَةُand the waxing of الأَقْمَارِthe moons بَدْءُthe beginning of شُهُوْرِهَاtheir months
وزيادَةُ الأَقْمَارِ بَدْءُ شُهُوْرِهَا
وتَعَقُّبُand the succession of الأَعْقَابِlatter stages بالنُّقْصَانِwith waning
وتَعَقُّبُ الأَعْقَابِ بالنُّقْصَانِ
The moons wax as their months begin,
and waning follows in their latter days.
والشَّمْسُand the sun فيin الحَمَلِAries الذيwhich هوit أَوَّلٌfirst
والشَّمْسُ في الحَمَلِ الذي هو أَوَّلٌ
تَسْمُوrises high كماjust as تَنْحَطُّsinks فيin المِيْزانِLibra
تَسْمُو كما تَنْحَطُّ في المِيْزانِ
And the sun in Aries, which comes first,
is exalted, just as it falls in Libra.
ليسis not الصِّباَyouth زَمَنَa time for الصِّبَاdalliance لكنَّهُbut it is
ليس الصِّباَ زَمَنَ الصِّبَا لكنَّهُ
قَمْعُsubduing العِدَىfoes ورَعَايَةُand caring for الخُلاَّنِclose friends
قَمْعُ العِدَى ورَعَايَةُ الخُلاَّنِ
Youth is no time for dalliance; rather, it is
subduing foes and caring for friends.
حالٌa state يَحُوْلُbecomes الهِمُّthe aged man فيهاin it يافعاًa youth
حالٌ يَحُوْلُ الهِمُّ فيها يافعاً
والخَمْرُand wine تَثْنِيsways والشِّيْبَand the gray-haired كالشُّبَانِlike young men
والخَمْرُ تَثْنِي والشِّيْبَ كالشُّبَانِ
A state in which the aged man becomes a youth,
and wine sways them, while the gray-haired are like the young.
فَيَرَىso he sees تَيَمُّمَهُhis aim وتَقْلِبُand turns قَلْبَهُhis heart
فَيَرَى تَيَمُّمَهُ وتَقْلِبُ قَلْبَهُ
حَدَقُthe eyes of المَهَاoryxes وسَوَالِفُand the necks of الغِزْلاَنِgazelles
حَدَقُ المَهَا وسَوَالِفُ الغِزْلاَنِ
So he sees his goal, and his heart is swayed
by the eyes of oryxes and the necks of gazelles.
فالنَّفْسُfor the soul تَزْدَادُincreases in النَّفاسَةَpreciousness والهَوَىwhile passion
فالنَّفْسُ تَزْدَادُ النَّفاسَةَ والهَوَى
هُوْنٌabasement وماand not أَرْضَىI consent لهاfor her بِهَوَانِto humiliation
هُوْنٌ وما أَرْضَى لها بِهَوَانِ
For the soul grows ever more precious, while passion
is abasement; I will not accept abasement for her.
وَلَرُبَّand many a ذيpossessor of أَيْدٍstrength سَعَىstrove لِيَضُمَّهَاto embrace her
وَلَرُبَّ ذي أَيْدٍ سَعَى لِيَضُمَّهَا
فَرَمَتْهُthen she struck him بالإِيْهاءِwith enfeeblement والإِيْهَانِand weakening
فَرَمَتْهُ بالإِيْهاءِ والإِيْهَانِ
And many a mighty man has striven to embrace her,
but she struck him with weakness and frailty.
وَوَعِيْدُand the threats of أَقْوَامٍpeople صَمَمْتُI made myself deaf لِسَمْعِهِto hearing it
وَوَعِيْدُ أَقْوَامٍ صَمَمْتُ لِسَمْعِهِ
سَمْعُhearing الأَذَىabuse منamong آفَةِthe afflictions of الآذانِthe ears
سَمْعُ الأَذَى من آفَةِ الآذانِ
And to certain people's threats I turned a deaf ear;
hearing abuse is an affliction of the ears.
وتَغَطْرُسٌand arrogance منfrom مَعْشَرٍa people قدindeed أَنْبَأُواhave proclaimed
وتَغَطْرُسٌ من مَعْشَرٍ قد أَنْبَأُوا
أنَّthat الوِهَادَthe hollows تَعُوْدُbecome شُمَّlofty رِعَانِmountain crests
أنَّ الوِهَادَ تَعُوْدُ شُمَّ رِعَانِ
And arrogance from people who have proclaimed
that hollows become lofty mountain crests.
قَلَبَhas transformed الزمانُtime عِيَانَهُمْtheir outward state وعِيَالَهُمْand their dependents
قَلَبَ الزمانُ عِيَانَهُمْ وعِيَالَهُمْ
وكَذَاand so الزَّمانُtime مُغَيِّرُchanges الأَعْيَانِthe substance of things
وكَذَا الزَّمانُ مُغَيِّرُ الأَعْيَانِ
Time has transformed their outward state and their households;
and so time changes the substance of things.
ياO سَائِلِيyou who ask me عمَّاabout what زَكِنْتُI have discerned منof الوَرَىmankind
يا سَائِلِي عمَّا زَكِنْتُ من الوَرَى
والسِّرُّand the secret قدmay يُفْضِيlead إلىto الإِعْلانِdisclosure
والسِّرُّ قد يُفْضِي إلى الإِعْلانِ
O you who ask me what I have discerned of mankind—
and a secret may end in disclosure—
إيْهاgo on سَقَطْتَyou have alighted علىupon الخَبِيْرِthe expert بِحَالِهِمْabout their condition
إيْها سَقَطْتَ على الخَبِيْرِ بِحَالِهِمْ
عندwith العَرُوْضِprosody حَقَائِقُthe realities of الأَوْزَانِmeters
عند العَرُوْضِ حَقَائِقُ الأَوْزَانِ
well then, you have found one who knows their condition:
the true nature of meters is known through prosody.
هُمْthey كالقَرِيْضِlike poetry وَكَسْرُهُand its metrical break منfrom وَزْنِهِits meter
هُمْ كالقَرِيْضِ وَكَسْرُهُ من وَزْنِهِ
يَبْدوappears منthrough التَّحْرِيْكِvowelization والإِسْكانِand leaving consonants vowelless
يَبْدو من التَّحْرِيْكِ والإِسْكانِ
They are like verse: a break in its meter
appears in its vowelled and vowelless letters.
ومتىand whenever تَحُلْdeviate حالاهُماtheir two states عنfrom كُنْهِهاtheir true nature
ومتى تَحُلْ حالاهُما عن كُنْهِها
أَنْكَرْتَyou find unfamiliar منهin it واضِحَthe clear part of العِرْفَانِfamiliar knowledge
أَنْكَرْتَ منه واضِحَ العِرْفَانِ
Whenever their two states depart from their true nature,
you fail to recognize in it what was plainly familiar.
كمhow many منamong خليلٍa friend سَاعَدَتْهُfavored him سَعَادةٌgood fortune
كم من خليلٍ سَاعَدَتْهُ سَعَادةٌ
وَطَوَىand folded بهاwith it كَشْحاًhis flank علىover الأَضْغَانِgrudges
وَطَوَى بها كَشْحاً على الأَضْغَانِ
How many a friend has been favored by fortune,
and, in that fortune, kept grudges folded within his flank,
مِنْamong كلِّevery ذيpossessor of حَسدٍenvy يُشانِئُbears hostility شانئٍa hater
مِنْ كلِّ ذي حَسدٍ يُشانِئُ شانئٍ
إنَّindeed التَّحَاسُدَmutual envy باعِثُarouses الشَّنآنِhatred
إنَّ التَّحَاسُدَ باعِثُ الشَّنآنِ
each an envious man, hostile and full of hate.
Indeed, mutual envy breeds hatred.
هَاجُواthey disturbed سُكُوْنِيmy calm فاستَدَمْتُso I prolonged هِيَاجَهُمْtheir fury
هَاجُوا سُكُوْنِي فاستَدَمْتُ هِيَاجَهُمْ
إنَّindeed الحَرَاكَmovement دَلالَهُa sign of الحَيَوَانِlife
إنَّ الحَرَاكَ دَلالَهُ الحَيَوَانِ
They disturbed my quiet, so I prolonged their fury;
indeed, movement is a sign of life.
فانْجَابَso lifted عنfrom شَمْسِيmy sun دُجَىthe darkness of إجْلاَبِهِمْtheir clamor
فانْجَابَ عن شَمْسِي دُجَى إجْلاَبِهِمْ
وَلَرُبَّand many a بُرْءٍrecovery كانhas been فيin بُحْرَانِa medical crisis
وَلَرُبَّ بُرْءٍ كان في بُحْرَانِ
So the darkness of their clamor lifted from my sun;
and many a recovery has lain within a crisis.
لَمَّاwhen فَضَلْتُI excelled رَمَوْاthey hurled بكلِّwith every عَضِيْهَةٍslander
لَمَّا فَضَلْتُ رَمَوْا بكلِّ عَضِيْهَةٍ
والفَضْلُand excellence مَوضعُthe target of أَسْهُمِthe arrows of البُهْتَانِcalumny
والفَضْلُ مَوضعُ أَسْهُمِ البُهْتَانِ
When I excelled, they hurled every slander at me;
for excellence is the target of calumny's arrows.
ياah ماwhat ails لِدَهْرِيmy age ليسdoes not يَعْدُلُjudge fairly حُكْمُهُits judgment
يا ما لِدَهْرِي ليس يَعْدُلُ حُكْمُهُ
أَتَرَاهُdo you think it خالَimagined العَدْلَjustice فيin العُدْوانِoppression
أَتَرَاهُ خالَ العَدْلَ في العُدْوانِ
Ah, what ails my age? Its judgment is not just.
Do you think it imagined justice lay in oppression?
أوor رَدَّhas relegated حَظِّيmy lot فيamong الحُظُوْظِfortunes مُصَلِّياًa runner-up
أو رَدَّ حَظِّي في الحُظُوْظِ مُصَلِّياً
أنْbecause كانwas ذِهْنِيmy mind سَابِقَforemost among الأّذْهَانِminds
أنْ كان ذِهْنِي سَابِقَ الأّذْهَانِ
Or has it made my lot a runner-up among fortunes,
because my mind was foremost among minds?
هَلاَّwhy not تَنَاءَتْextended far فيin التَّسَابُقُracing حَلْبَةٌa racecourse
هَلاَّ تَنَاءَتْ في التَّسَابُقُ حَلْبَةٌ
حتىuntil يُبَرِّزَpulls ahead رَبُّthe champion of كلِّevery رِهَانِwagered race
حتى يُبَرِّزَ رَبُّ كلِّ رِهَانِ
Why did the racecourse not stretch far enough
for each contest's champion to pull ahead?
لوif مُدَّwere stretched out مَيْدَانُthe field of التَّنَاظُرِdebate بينناbetween us
لو مُدَّ مَيْدَانُ التَّنَاظُرِ بيننا
عَلِمَwould know الوَرَىmankind مَنْwho فَارِسُthe horseman of المَيْدَانِthe field
عَلِمَ الوَرَى مَنْ فَارِسُ المَيْدَانِ
If the field of debate were spread between us,
mankind would know the true horseman of the field.
ذِكْرُthe renown of الفَتَىa young man يُبْدِيreveals خَفِيُّthe hidden part of سِنَانِهِhis spear-point
ذِكْرُ الفَتَى يُبْدِي خَفِيُّ سِنَانِهِ
والنارُand fire حامِيَةٌis hot بِغَيْرِwithout دُخَانِsmoke
والنارُ حامِيَةٌ بِغَيْرِ دُخَانِ
A man's renown is revealed by his hidden spear-point;
and fire burns hot without smoke.
وعَسَىand perhaps إِثَارَتُهُrousing him تُرِيwill reveal آثارَهُhis deeds
وعَسَى إِثَارَتُهُ تُرِي آثارَهُ
وَلَكَمْand how often تُدَالُis won إدَالَةٌthe upper hand بِطِعَانِby spear-thrusts
وَلَكَمْ تُدَالُ إدَالَةٌ بِطِعَانِ
Perhaps rousing him will reveal his deeds;
and how often the upper hand is won by spear-thrusts!
ومَلاكُand the key to بُغْيَتِكَyour desire المَلِيْكُthe king مُحَمَّدٌMuhammad
ومَلاكُ بُغْيَتِكَ المَلِيْكُ مُحَمَّدٌ
يَمِّمْهُhead toward him تُحْمَدْyou will be praised صَرْفَthrough the turns of كلevery زَمَانِage
يَمِّمْهُ تُحْمَدْ صَرْفَ كل زَمَانِ
And the key to your desire is King Muhammad;
seek him, and you will be praised through every turn of time.
شَادَhas raised ابنُthe son of مَعْنٍMa'n فيamong تُجِيْبَTujib مَكَارِماًnoble glories
شَادَ ابنُ مَعْنٍ في تُجِيْبَ مَكَارِماً
ليستْare not لِمَعْنٍMa'n's فيamong بنيthe sons of شَيْبَانِShayban
ليستْ لِمَعْنٍ في بني شَيْبَانِ
Ibn Ma'n has raised among Tujib noble glories
that Ma'n did not possess among Banu Shayban.
ياO مَنْyou who يُضِيْفُِis compared إليهwith him حاتمُHatim طَيِّءٍof Tayyi
يا مَنْ يُضِيْفُِ إليه حاتمُ طَيِّءٍ
مَرْعىًa pasture ولكنْbut ليسnot كالسَّعْدَانِlike sa'dan herbage
مَرْعىً ولكنْ ليس كالسَّعْدَانِ
O you, beside whom Hatim of Tayyi is reckoned
a pasture, but not like sa'dan.
أَعْطَتْهُhas given him أهواءَthe affections of القلوبِhearts سياسَةٌgovernance
أَعْطَتْهُ أهواءَ القلوبِ سياسَةٌ
خَفِيَتْwere hidden لَطَائِفُهاits subtleties علىfrom سَاسَانِSasan
خَفِيَتْ لَطَائِفُها على سَاسَانِ
His governance has won him the affections of hearts;
its subtleties were hidden from Sasan.
وَبَدَتْand appeared إليناto us منهfrom him صورةُan image of سِيْرَةٍa way of conduct
وَبَدَتْ إلينا منه صورةُ سِيْرَةٍ
تُنْبِيْكَtells you عَمَّاof what سَنَّهُinstituted it العُمَرَانِthe two Umars
تُنْبِيْكَ عَمَّا سَنَّهُ العُمَرَانِ
And from him there appeared to us a pattern of conduct
that tells you what the two Umars instituted.
Sol 6.1