يلومfinds fault أبوAbu (father of) العباسal-Abbas جهلاًin ignorance بطبعهof his own nature
يلوم أبو العباس جهلاً بطبعه
كماjust as عيرtaunted الحوتthe fish النعامةthe ostrich بالصدىfor thirst
كما عير الحوت النعامة بالصدى
Abu al-Abbas finds fault, ignorant of his own nature,
Abu al-Abbas blames in ignorance his nature,
as the fish taunted the ostrich for thirst.
As the whale reproached the ostrich for echoing,
وكمand many a صاحبٍcompanion أكرمتهI honored him غيرnot طائعٍwilling
وكم صاحبٍ أكرمته غير طائعٍ
ولاnor مكرهcompelled إلاexcept لأمرfor a purpose تعمداdeliberately
ولا مكره إلا لأمر تعمدا
And many a companion I honored, not willingly,
And how many a friend I honored, yet he disobeyed,
nor under compulsion, but for a deliberate purpose.
None rebel save by deliberate intent.
وماand not كانwas ذاكthat البرkindness إلاexcept لغيرهfor someone other than him
وما كان ذاك البر إلا لغيره
كماjust as نصبواthey set للطيرfor the birds بالحبwith grain مصيداa trap
كما نصبوا للطير بالحب مصيدا
And that kindness was only for someone else's sake,
That kindness was not for his sake, but another's,
just as they set a trap for birds with grain.
As they set up snares of grain to trap birds.
Sol 6.1