صَارَbecame ظلمُinjustice of الصَّديقِthe friend غيرَnot عَجيبsurprising
صَارَ ظلمُ الصَّديقِ غيرَ عَجيب
وَتَزَيَّاand clothed himself بالغَدْرِin treachery كلُّevery عزيبِone far away
وَتَزَيَّا بالغَدْرِ كلُّ عزيبِ
A friend's injustice has ceased to be surprising.
Injustice from a friend is no surprise,
And every distant one has clothed himself in treachery.
And every weakling is now treacherous.
فتبدلتُso I exchanged منinstead of جِوَارِthe neighborhood of عَدِيٍّAdi
فتبدلتُ من جِوَارِ عَدِيٍّ
مَعْشَرٌa group of people ليسis not جارُهمtheir neighbor بغَريبِa stranger
مَعْشَرٌ ليس جارُهم بغَريبِ
So I exchanged the neighborhood of Adi
So I have parted from wicked neighbors
for people whose neighbor is no stranger.
Whose ilk is rarely seen among the virtuous.
خَلَطُونيthey mingled me بأَهلهمwith their people وحَمونيand protected me
خَلَطُوني بأَهلهم وحَموني
منfrom صُروفِvicissitudes of الزمانِtime والتلقيبِand name-calling
من صُروفِ الزمانِ والتلقيبِ
They mingled me with their own people and protected me
They confused me with their kinsfolk and protected me
from time's vicissitudes and name-calling.
From the vicissitudes of time and changing fortunes,
آخذاًtaking منfrom أَبىAbu (father of) الحسينِal-Husayn حِبَالاًcords; bonds
آخذاً من أَبى الحسينِ حِبَالاً
ضَمِنَتْstood surety للشَّبابِto youth ذَنْبَthe fault of المَشِيبِgray hair
ضَمِنَتْ للشَّبابِ ذَنْبَ المَشِيبِ
Taking bonds from Abu al-Husayn
Grasping the ropes of Abu al-Husayn
that answered to youth for the fault of gray hair,
Which guaranteed my youthful sins when I grew old.
فيamid نَدىًbounty غامرٍoverflowing وخُلقٍand character رفيعٍlofty
في نَدىً غامرٍ وخُلقٍ رفيعٍ
أَناI مِنهُwith him فيin أَكرمِthe noblest of المصحُوبِcompanions
أَنا مِنهُ في أَكرمِ المصحُوبِ
amid overflowing bounty and lofty character,
In generous company and noble character,
I have in him the noblest of companions.
I am the choicest of their companions.
بعتُI sold حظّيmy share منof كلall ماthat which يُتَمَنَّىis wished for
بعتُ حظّي من كل ما يُتَمَنَّى
غيرexcept حَظّىmy share منin الصديقِthe friend اللبيبِdiscerning
غير حَظّى من الصديقِ اللبيبِ
I sold my share of everything one could wish for,
I sold all that I owned to acquire
except my share in the discerning friend
A wise and loyal friend.
الذيwho انْwhether حَضَرتُI was present أَوor غبتُI was absent عَنْهُfrom him
الذي انْ حَضَرتُ أَو غبتُ عَنْهُ
كانَwas زَينىmy adornment فيin مَحضرىmy presence ومَغيبيand my absence
كانَ زَينى في مَحضرى ومَغيبي
who, whether I was present or absent from him,
Whether I am present or absent from him
was my adornment in my presence and absence.
He is my glory whether I am seen or concealed.
يُضْمِرُhe harbors النصحَsincere counsel فيin اختصَاصِclose association with أَعادmy enemies (start)
يُضْمِرُ النصحَ في اختصَاصِ أَعاد
يَmy enemies (end) وقدand indeed قامstood ليfor me مَقامَthe position of المريبِa suspect
يَ وقد قام لي مَقامَ المريبِ
He harbors good counsel in his intimacy with my enemies,
He holds sincere advice among those close to him
though, to me, he has taken the place of a suspect.
And he takes the place of one who finds fault with me.
كابنِlike the son of قاضىthe judge of القُضاةِthe judges وهوand he عنof التَّعintroduction (start)
كابنِ قاضى القُضاةِ وهو عن التَّع
ريفِintroduction (end) أَغنىless in need منthan وابلٍa downpour عنof ذَنُوبِa full bucket
ريفِ أَغنى من وابلٍ عن ذَنُوبِ
Like the Chief Judge's son, whose need for introduction
The son of the Chief Justice, without any exaggeration,
is less than a downpour's need for a full bucket,
Is more free of blemish than heavy rains are free of sins.
مَنْبهِone through whom فَخْرُهُhis glory ومنand one who جَلَّwas too great أَنْto تُنْbe attributed (start)
مَنْبهِ فَخْرُهُ ومن جَلَّ أَنْ تُنْ
سبَbe attributed (end) أَفعالَهَhis deeds الىto مَنْسوبِa man of lineage
سبَ أَفعالَهَ الى مَنْسوبِ
the one in whom his glory lies, and who is too great for
His pride warns against attributing his deeds
his deeds to be credited to any man of lineage.
To his lineage however glorious it may be.
بَهَرَdazzled الناسَthe people هيبةًwith majesty وجَمَالاًand beauty
بَهَرَ الناسَ هيبةً وجَمَالاً
فَهوَso he فيin العينِthe eye مِثلهُlike him فيin القُيُوبِhearts (likely intended)
فَهوَ في العينِ مِثلهُ في القُيُوبِ
He dazzled people with majesty and beauty;
His awe and beauty dazzled people
so he is to the eye what he is to hearts.
So that he is their hearts as he is in their eyes.
قدindeed رَضيناwe have accepted بهhim وانeven if جَلَّgrew formidable دهرٌan age
قد رَضينا به وان جَلَّ دهرٌ
حاكماًas judge بينناbetween us وبينand between الخُطوبِcalamities
حاكماً بيننا وبين الخُطوبِ
We have accepted him, however formidable the age,
We are content with him, though the days
as judge between us and calamities.
Have judged between us and misfortune.
وشكرناand we gave thanks صَنيعةًa favor لابيهِof his father
وشكرنا صَنيعةً لابيهِ
فدعوناهso we called upon him مِنْfrom مكانٍa place قَريبِnearby
فدعوناه مِنْ مكانٍ قَريبِ
And we gave thanks for a favor from his father,
We thanked his father
so we called on him from a place nearby:
And invoked blessings on him from nearby.
نَفْثَةًan utterance نَفّسَتْrelieved عنfrom الصدرِthe breast كرباًanguish
نَفْثَةً نَفّسَتْ عن الصدرِ كرباً
وسَقاماًand an illness وصفتُهُI described it للطبيبِto the physician
وسَقاماً وصفتُهُ للطبيبِ
an utterance that relieved the breast of anguish,
A breath that relieved an anxious heart
and an illness I described to the physician.
And an illness which I described to the physician.
لمdid not يكِلنىleave me الىto خِداعِthe deceit of الأَمانيْwishes (start)
لم يكِلنى الى خِداعِ الأَمانيْ
يwishes (end) ولمand did not يَعْتَلِلْoffer an excuse بوعدٍwith a promise كَذوبِlying
ي ولم يَعْتَلِلْ بوعدٍ كَذوبِ
He did not leave me to the deceit of wishes,
He did not abandon me to the deceit of hopes
nor excuse himself with a lying promise.
Or disappoint me with false promises,
وشَفانيand healed me منof الضَّغِينَةِrancor غضباangry (start)
وشَفاني من الضَّغِينَةِ غضبا
نٌangry (end) وماand none ذَاْدَdefended مثلُlike الغَضُوبِthe wrathful
نٌ وما ذَاْدَ مثلُ الغَضُوبِ
And, angry, he cured me of rancor;
And cured me of rage and wrath
none defends like the wrathful.
For nothing soothes wrath like forgiveness.
هِمَّةٌresolve تقصُرُfall short الكواكبُthe stars عنهاof it
هِمَّةٌ تقصُرُ الكواكبُ عنها
وذكاءٌand intelligence يُغنىdispenses with عنthe need for التَّجريبِtesting
وذكاءٌ يُغنى عن التَّجريبِ
A resolve beyond the reach of the stars,
An aspiration diminishing the stars by comparison,
and an intelligence that makes testing needless.
And an intellect independent of testing.
أَلمَعِىٌa keen-witted man كأَنَّهas though he يَتعاطىacquires
أَلمَعِىٌ كأَنَّه يَتعاطى
بصَوابِthrough the accuracy of الظنونِsurmises عِلْمَknowledge of الغُيوبِthe unseen
بصَوابِ الظنونِ عِلْمَ الغُيوبِ
A man of keen insight, as though he acquires
A brilliance as if he possessed
through sound surmise the knowledge of the unseen.
Knowledge of the unseen by the light of reason.
وأَديبٌand a cultivated man لمdid not يَعْلِمlearn العلمَknowledge بالتعby instruction (start)
وأَديبٌ لم يَعْلِم العلمَ بالتع
ليمinstruction (end) منfrom دَهْرهِhis age ولاnor التأدِيبِchastening
ليم من دَهْرهِ ولا التأدِيبِ
And a cultivated man whose knowledge was not learned by instruction
A man of letters who gained no knowledge
from his age, nor by chastening.
Through schooling or teaching.
قَصَّرَfell short المدحُpraise عنof بُلوغِreaching مَدَاهُhis stature
قَصَّرَ المدحُ عن بُلوغِ مَدَاهُ
فَعَدَدْنَاهُso we counted it منamong كبارِthe greatest of الذنُوبِsins
فَعَدَدْنَاهُ من كبارِ الذنُوبِ
Praise fell short of reaching his stature;
Eulogy falls short of reaching his merits
so we counted it among the gravest sins.
So we counted that among the greatest sins.
قامَfulfilled ياO حَاجَتيmy need بحَقِّكِyour due وافٍa faithful one
قامَ يا حَاجَتي بحَقِّكِ وافٍ
وَنَفىand banished عنكِfrom you ريبةَthe suspicion of المُستريبِthe doubter
وَنَفى عنكِ ريبةَ المُستريبِ
A faithful man, O my need, fulfilled your due,
He fulfilled my needs through you, removing
and banished from you the doubter's suspicion.
Any doubts held by the suspicious.
كانَwas منهon his part ذاكَthat التأملُdeliberation للحُرْfor the freeborn man (start)
كانَ منه ذاكَ التأملُ للحُرْ
رِfreeborn man (end) وذاكَand that البِعَادُdistance للتْقريبِfor drawing near
رِ وذاكَ البِعَادُ للتْقريبِ
That deliberation of his was for the freeborn man,
He examined thoroughly, keeping aloof,
and that distance was for drawing near.
Seeking the point of agreement and awarding shots to the successful archer.
طالباًseeking موضعَthe point of الاصابةِhitting the mark منهاin it
طالباً موضعَ الاصابةِ منها
والرمياتand shots حظُّهاtheir success للمُصيِبِfor one who hits the mark
والرميات حظُّها للمُصيِبِ
Seeking in it the right point to strike;
A guidance which set affection right
and success in shooting belongs to him who hits the mark.
Both in its principles and details.
صَعْدَةٌa spear-shaft قَوَّمَstraightened التأودَthe bend بالتصby raising (start)
صَعْدَةٌ قَوَّمَ التأودَ بالتص
عيدِraising (end) فيalong متنهَاits shaft وبالتَّصويبِand by lowering
عيدِ في متنهَا وبالتَّصويبِ
A spear-shaft whose bend he straightened by moving upward
Without those principles the branches
along its length, and by moving downward.
Would change the nature of construction.
وأُصُولٌand roots لولاwere it not for الفروعُthe branches عليهاupon them
وأُصُولٌ لولا الفروعُ عليها
لاستحالتْwould have changed طبيعةُthe nature of التَّركيبِthe structure
لاستحالتْ طبيعةُ التَّركيبِ
And roots—were there no branches upon them,
If al-Rudayni had relied on anything but the rules of prosody
the nature of their structure would be transformed.
His pipes would have had different joints.
ولماand would not استَمسَكَhold together الرُدينيّthe Rudayni spear لوif كاwere (start)
ولما استَمسَكَ الرُدينيّ لو كا
نتwere (end) أَنابيبُهُits hollow segments بغيرِwithout كُعُوبِnodes
نت أَنابيبُهُ بغيرِ كُعُوبِ
Nor would the Rudayni spear hold together if
He mounted difficulty - indeed meaning rides
its hollow segments lacked their nodes.
Easily on the vehicle of meter.
لمdid not يحاسبْreckon بهاagainst it مِطالَthe delay of القَوافىrhymes
لم يحاسبْ بها مِطالَ القَوافى
ليسis not رِفْدُthe bounty of الكريمthe generous man بالمَحسُوبِreckoned
ليس رِفْدُ الكريم بالمَحسُوبِ
He did not reckon the rhymes' delay against it;
The portion of his enemies when they mention him
a generous man's bounty is not reckoned.
Is a breath that kindles the fire of anguish.
ركبَrode الصَّعبَthe difficult mount انَّماonly يركبُrides السَّهْthe easy mount (start)
ركبَ الصَّعبَ انَّما يركبُ السَّهْ
لَeasy mount (end) المُعَنَّىthe one enthralled بلذةِwith the pleasure of المركُوبِthe mount
لَ المُعَنَّى بلذةِ المركُوبِ
He rode the difficult mount; the easy is ridden only
They are content to slander his actions
by one enthralled by the pleasure of the mount.
And intimate the quickness of his impulse.
حظُّthe share of أَعدَائِهِhis enemies اذاwhen ذَكَرُوهthey mention him
حظُّ أَعدَائِهِ اذا ذَكَرُوه
نَفَسٌa breath يسْتثيرُstirs up نارَthe fire of الكُروبِanguish
نَفَسٌ يسْتثيرُ نارَ الكُروبِ
His enemies' share, whenever they mention him,
They have done no harm but like the harm
is a breath that stirs the fire of anguish.
Of a slave, vainly beating one who is invulnerable.
قَنعواthey contented themselves منinstead of فعالِهِhis deeds بالأَقاوِيْwith talk (start)
قَنعوا من فعالِهِ بالأَقاوِيْ
لِtalk (end) وَمِنْand instead of وشْكِthe swiftness of وَثْبِهِhis leap بالدَّبِيبِwith creeping
لِ وَمِنْ وشْكِ وَثْبِهِ بالدَّبِيبِ
They settled for talk in place of his deeds,
Men have not seen one more forgiving before us,
and for creeping in place of his swift leap.
One who invites like an inviter who summons.
لمdid not يضرُّواcause harm الاَّexcept كاضرارِlike the harm done by عبدAbd (servant; name element) الAllah (start)
لم يضرُّوا الاَّ كاضرارِ عبد ال
لهِAllah (end) لغواًin idle words بزيدهِto his Zayd المضرُوبِthe beaten one
لهِ لغواً بزيدهِ المضرُوبِ
They did no harm beyond the harm Abd Allah does
One day he grants me audience and another I silence
in idle words to his beaten Zayd.
Those seeking favor who have none to grant it.
ماnever رأَىsaw الناسُpeople قبلَناbefore us مُسْتثيباًone seeking reward
ما رأَى الناسُ قبلَنا مُسْتثيباً
كمثيبٍlike a reward-giver وداعياًand a caller لمجِيبِto one who answers
كمثيبٍ وداعياً لمجِيبِ
People before us never saw a seeker of reward
Knowing that the generosity of the nights
like a giver of reward, or a caller to one who answers.
Is a gift that does not last for the gifted.
أَتقاضىI press my claim يوماًone day وأَسكتُand stay silent حَولاًa year
أَتقاضى يوماً وأَسكتُ حَولاً
كلُّall ذاthis رغبةa turning away عنfrom المَرغُوبِwhat is desired
كلُّ ذا رغبة عن المَرغُوبِ
I press my claim one day, then stay silent a year;
What will make me covetous after people
all this in turning away from what is desired,
Whose glory the breeze of youth has scattered?
ولعِلميand because I know بأَنَّthat جُودَthe bounty of اللياليthe nights
ولعِلمي بأَنَّ جُودَ الليالي
هِبَةٌa gift ماnot تدومlasts للموهُوبِfor the recipient
هِبَةٌ ما تدوم للموهُوبِ
and because I know the bounty of nights
They pitched camp on the plain of the dust and stayed
is a gift that does not last for its recipient.
After long wandering and long labor.
فبماذاso by what أُغّرُّam I deceived بعدَafter أُنَاسِpeople
فبماذا أُغّرُّ بعدَ أُنَاسِ
نَسَفَتْهُمُswept them away ريحُthe wind of الصَّباthe east wind والجَنُوبِand the south wind
نَسَفَتْهُمُ ريحُ الصَّبا والجَنُوبِ
What, then, can beguile me after those people
Would that I had never been, but if I were,
whom the east and south winds swept away?
I would not have sought food or drink,
نَزلواthey alighted عَرْصَةَthe courtyard of الثَّرىearth فأَقامواand then remained
نَزلوا عَرْصَةَ الثَّرى فأَقاموا
بعدَafter طُولِlong duration of السُّرىnight-travel وطُولِand long duration of الدَّؤوُبِunceasing toil
بعدَ طُولِ السُّرى وطُولِ الدَّؤوُبِ
They alighted in the courtyard of earth and remained,
Tormenting myself or indulging myself,
after long night-journeys and long toil.
So the flea rejoiced in the kindling flame.
ليتنيwould that I لمhad not أكنْexisted وانْand if كنتُI existed لمdid not أَحْneed (start)
ليتني لم أكنْ وانْ كنتُ لم أَحْ
وَجْneed (end) الىfor مَطْعَمٍfood ولاnor مَشْرُوبِdrink
وَجْ الى مَطْعَمٍ ولا مَشْرُوبِ
Would that I had never existed—or, if I had, had no need
We are in an abode of exile, stripped
of food or drink.
Of its beloved reins by none.
أَتَعَنَّىI toil بهِfor it ولاand do not أَتَهَنَّىtake delight
أَتَعَنَّى بهِ ولا أَتَهَنَّى
فَرَحَthe joy of البقِّthe gnat باضطِرَامِat the blazing of اللهيبِthe flame
فَرَحَ البقِّ باضطِرَامِ اللهيبِ
I toil for it, not delight in it—
One youth sold his fortune for other than it
the gnat's joy at a flame's fierce blaze.
And another said "I obtained no share."
نحنُwe فيin دَارِan abode of غُربَةٍexile لاnot يُعرَّىis freed
نحنُ في دَارِ غُربَةٍ لا يُعرَّى
أَحدٌanyone منfrom عِنانِهاits rein المحبوبِbeloved
أَحدٌ من عِنانِها المحبوبِ
We dwell in a house of exile, where no one is freed
Every striver in it has, with perseverance,
from its beloved rein.
An ambition he hopes will be fulfilled.
فَفَتىًso one young man باعَsold حَظهُhis share بِسِواهاfor something other than it
فَفَتىً باعَ حَظهُ بِسِواها
وفتىand another young man قالَsaid ماnot أَخذتُI took نَصيبيmy portion
وفتى قالَ ما أَخذتُ نَصيبي
One young man sold his share for something other than it,
and another said, 'I have not taken my portion.'
كلُّevery سَاعٍstriver لهhas علىfor all الجَهدِthe toil فيهاwithin it
كلُّ سَاعٍ له على الجَهدِ فيها
طَلَبٌa quest صَابِرٌpatient الىtoward مَطْلُوبِsomething sought
طَلَبٌ صَابِرٌ الى مَطْلُوبِ
Every striver, for all his toil within it, has
a patient quest toward something sought.
Partial English translation: 78 of 82 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1