ومَنand whoever ركبَsails upon العجوزَthe sea فَلاthen should not يُباليcare
ومَن ركبَ العجوزَ فَلا يُبالي
إذاif ماemphatic particle اِضطرَّis driven by necessity منabout أَكلِeating العجوزِthe dry bread
إذا ما اِضطرَّ من أَكلِ العجوزِ
And whoever sails the sea should not mind
He who rides the old woman cares not
Eating dry bread if necessity compels him.
If he is forced to eat the old woman
ولاand do not تُخلِleave empty عجوزَكَyour quiver منof سهامٍarrows
ولا تُخلِ عجوزَكَ من سهامٍ
إذاif ماemphatic particle اسطَعتَyou are able إِعمالَwielding العجوزِthe bow
إذا ما اسطَعتَ إِعمالَ العجوزِ
And do not leave your quiver empty of arrows
Do not neglect your old woman of arrows
If you are able to wield the bow.
When you are adept in wielding the old woman
وَكَمand many a أَمسىhas become عجوزٌan old man فيin عجوزٍearth
وَكَم أَمسى عجوزٌ في عجوزٍ
بمرتبةٍin a station أَجلَّmore exalted منthan العَجوزِthe sun
بمرتبةٍ أَجلَّ من العَجوزِ
And many an old man on earth has attained
How often an old woman in an old woman
A station more exalted than the sun.
Attains a rank higher than the old woman
وربَّand many a فتىًyoung man يَرىconsiders نَقعdust العجوزِthe battle
وربَّ فتىً يَرى نَقع العجوزِ
بمَفرقِهupon his hair's parting أَجلَّnobler منthan العَجوزِthe crown
بمَفرقِه أَجلَّ من العَجوزِ
And many a young man deems the dust of battle
And how often a lad sees the urine of the old woman
Upon his hair's parting nobler than the crown.
In his lap, more precious than the old woman
ولاand do not ترجُput your hopes in الجسيمَthe bulky فكمfor many a عجوزٍneedle
ولا ترجُ الجسيمَ فكم عجوزٍ
لعمرُby the life of اللَهGod أَجدىmore useful منthan عَجوزِa sword
لعمرُ اللَه أَجدى من عَجوزِ
And do not put your hopes in bulk: many a needle,
Do not spurn the heavy, for how many an old woman
By God's life, is more useful than a sword.
By God's life, is more useful than an old woman
ولاand do not تَرمِdiscard الصَغيرَthe small فكُلُّfor every عضبٍkeen blade
ولا تَرمِ الصَغيرَ فكُلُّ عضبٍ
لقبضتِهِfor gripping it اِفتقارٌa need للعَجوزِfor the thumb
لقبضتِهِ اِفتقارٌ للعَجوزِ
And do not discard the small, for every keen blade
And do not discard the small, for every sprout
Needs the thumb for its grip.
For its clutch, needs the old woman
عَسىmay there be عدلٌjustice يَزولُvanishes الجورُoppression منهthrough it
عَسى عدلٌ يَزولُ الجورُ منه
وَتَرعىand grazes الشاةُthe sheep فيهin it معalongside العَجوزِthe wolf
وَتَرعى الشاةُ فيه مع العَجوزِ
May justice arise through which oppression vanishes,
Mayhap justice will remove wrong from it
And under it the sheep graze alongside the wolf.
And the ewe will graze in it with the old woman
Sol 6.1