أقولُI say لِخِلٍّto a close friend سامَنيrequired of me فَهْمَunderstanding ماwhat حَوَىhe gathered
أقولُ لِخِلٍّ سامَني فَهْمَ ما حَوَى
ولاand not عِوَجاًcrookedness قدْalready ظَنّhe suspected فيّin me ولاnor أمْتَاunevenness
ولا عِوَجاً قدْ ظَنّ فيّ ولا أمْتَا
I say to a close friend who asked me to grasp what he had gathered,
I say to the one who reproached me, do not pretend to understand what I have concealed
and had suspected neither crookedness nor unevenness in me:
Nor think I am crooked when I am straight
نَظَرْتُI examined فلَمْbut did not أفْهَمI understand وحُقَّand it is fitting لناظِرٍfor one who examines
نَظَرْتُ فلَمْ أفْهَم وحُقَّ لناظِرٍ
إذاif لمْdid not يَجِدْhe find فَهْماًunderstanding بأنْto يَلْزَمَhe keep to الصّمْتاsilence
إذا لمْ يَجِدْ فَهْماً بأنْ يَلْزَمَ الصّمْتا
I examined it but did not understand; and it is fitting for one who examines,
I looked but did not understand, and it is right for one who does not find understanding
if he finds no understanding, to keep silent.
To remain silent
وعِنْديand in my view أنّthat العُذْرَthe excuse أوضَحُthe clearest واضِحٍclear thing
وعِنْدي أنّ العُذْرَ أوضَحُ واضِحٍ
إذاif كُنتَyou were فيin بَحْرِthe sea of المَعارِفِknowledge قدalready عُمْتَاyou swam
إذا كُنتَ في بَحْرِ المَعارِفِ قد عُمْتَا
And to my mind, the excuse is as clear as can be,
And I believe the excuse is clearest
if you have already swum in the sea of knowledge.
When you are blind in the sea of knowledge
Sol 6.1