ماhow أعجبَwondrous الدينارَthe dinar حينwhen يَكونit is مَعwith
ما أعجبَ الدينارَ حين يَكون مَع
ذيone possessed of العلمlearning يجعلُهُit makes him الامامthe imam الاكبراthe greatest
ذي العلم يجعلُهُ الامام الاكبرا
How wondrous the dinar when it is with
How wondrous is the gold coin when it is with
a man of learning: it makes him the greatest imam;
The learned man who makes it the greatest leader
أوor عندwith رَبّاتwomen endowed with الجمالِbeauty يزيدهاit enhances them
أو عند رَبّات الجمالِ يزيدها
حسناًin beauty ولمand did not يمدُدextend اليهاtoward them خنصراa little finger
حسناً ولم يمدُد اليها خنصرا
or with beauties: it adds to them
Or with the beautiful ladies, it increases their
beauty, without extending a little finger toward them.
Beauty though it extends not a finger towards them
فيزيدso it enhances كلّاeach one منof خصائصهhis distinctive qualities كَماjust as
فيزيد كلّا من خصائصه كَما
يُعطيgives الطَعامُfood لكلَّto each عضوٍorgan عُنصُراan element
يُعطي الطَعامُ لكلَّ عضوٍ عُنصُرا
It enhances each in his own qualities, just as
Thus it increases the special qualities of each
food supplies each organ with an element.
As food nourishes every limb and organ
ولذاand therefore البَخيلthe miser يزيدgrows بخلاًin miserliness ماas اِغتَنىhe grows rich
ولذا البَخيل يزيد بخلاً ما اِغتَنى
واخوand the brother of الندىgenerosity جُوداًin generosity وقسand judge by analogy متأَثِّراone affected
واخو الندى جُوداً وقس متأَثِّرا
Thus the miser grows more miserly as he grows rich,
And so the miser's stinginess increases when he becomes wealthy
and the generous man more generous; apply the analogy to anyone affected.
And the generous man's munificence when he is influenced
Sol 6.1