ولمand did not يدبغوناthey tan us علىwith تحلىءٍunremoved flesh on a hide
ولم يدبغونا على تحلىءٍ
فيرمقُso it is half-mended أمرa matter ولمand did not يغملواthey leave to rot
فيرمقُ أمر ولم يغملوا
They never subdued us, for all their mustering;
And they did not tan us with flesh still clinging,
they keep every matter in view and never neglect it.
only to half-mend a matter; nor did they let us rot.
وإنand if يأودgrows crooked المرthe matter يلقْواthey find لهfor it
وإن يأود المر يلقْوا له
ثِقافاًa shaft-straightener وإنand if يحكُمُواthey judge يعدلواthey act justly
ثِقافاً وإن يحكُمُوا يعدلوا
If a man bends awry, they bring him
And if a matter grows crooked, they find for it
a straightening-iron; and when they judge, they judge justly.
a shaft-straightener; and if they judge, they are just.
وتنأىand lie far away قعورُهمtheir depths فيin الأمورaffairs
وتنأى قعورُهم في الأمور
علىbeyond the reach of منone who يُسِمّprobes deeply ومنand one who يُسمِلُdredges
على من يُسِمّ ومن يُسمِلُ
The depths of their counsel in affairs recede
And in affairs their depths lie out of reach
beyond whoever would mark them out or plumb them.
of those who probe deeply and those who dredge.
ولكننيbut I راعبone who fills صدعهمtheir rift
ولكنني راعب صدعهم
رقوءٌone who staunches bleeding لماfor what بينهمlies between them مسملُa reconciler
رقوءٌ لما بينهم مسملُ
Yet I desire their division,
But I am one who fills their rift,
watchfully awaiting the fraying of what binds them.
a stauncher of strife between them, a reconciler.
ولاand not يدمسُbecomes obscure الأمرthe matter فيماin what يَلُونthey govern
ولا يدمسُ الأمر فيما يَلُون
علىfrom المنطقاتgirdled women ولاand not يُدَملُis covered over
على المنطقات ولا يُدَملُ
In what they govern, they conceal no matter
And no matter under their care is hidden
from the girdled women, nor do they hush it up.
from girdled women, nor is it covered over.
Sol 6.1