فماso not غابwas absent عنfrom حلمforbearance ولاnor شهدwas present at الخناfoul speech
فما غاب عن حلم ولا شهد الخنا
ولاnor استعذبrelished العوراءa vile utterance يوماًever فقالهاand so uttered it
ولا استعذب العوراء يوماً فقالها
So he never strayed from forbearance nor took part in foul speech.
He was never absent from a dream, nor did he attend the gatherings.
Nor ever relished a vile word and so uttered it.
And the maiden never found him sweet, so she could tell him:
يدومpersists علىin خيرthe best of الخلالtraits ويتقيand guards against
يدوم على خير الخلال ويتقي
تصرفهاtheir shifting منfrom شيمةa disposition وانفتالهاand their turning aside
تصرفها من شيمة وانفتالها
He holds fast to the finest traits, and guards against
May you always be of the best character and pious.
Their shifting from his character and their turning aside.
May your behavior be honorable and your separation noble.
وتفْضُلُand surpasses ايمانَthe right hands of الرجالmen شمالُهُhis left hand
وتفْضُلُ ايمانَ الرجال شمالُهُ
كماjust as فضلتsurpassed يمنىthe right hand of يديهhis two hands شمالَهاtheir left hand
كما فضلت يمنى يديه شمالَها
And his left hand surpasses men's right hands,
The faith of men is in their left hand,
Just as his right hand surpasses his left.
Just as their right hand exceeded the left.
وماand not اجِمgrew weary of المعروفkindness منfrom طولlength of ذكرهmentioning it
وما اجِم المعروف من طول ذكره
وأمراًand enjoining بأفعالdeeds of الندىgenerosity وافتعالهاand carrying them out
وأمراً بأفعال الندى وافتعالها
Nor did he tire of kindness through speaking of it at length,
Goodness is not diminished by the length of its mention,
And enjoining generous deeds and carrying them out.
Nor by enjoining acts of benevolence and doing them.
ويبتذلand freely expends النفسthe self المصونةkept safe نفسَهhis own self
ويبتذل النفس المصونة نفسَه
إذاwhen ماfor emphasis رأىsees حقاًa duty عليهupon him ابتذالهاexpending it freely
إذا ما رأى حقاً عليه ابتذالها
And he freely expends his guarded self—his very self—
A guarded soul demeans itself,
Whenever he sees that expending it is his duty.
If it sees a right upon it and makes it cheap.
بلوناكwe tested you فيamong أهلpeople of الندىgenerosity ففضلتهمand you surpassed them
بلوناك في أهل الندى ففضلتهم
وباعكand your armspan فيamong الأبواعِthe armspans قدماًlong ago فطالهاand it exceeded them
وباعك في الأبواعِ قدماً فطالها
We tested you among the generous, and you surpassed them;
By your manners among the people of virtue you excelled them,
And tested your armspan against others long ago: it exceeded them.
And by selling yourself to the wicked, the days have prolonged for you.
فأنتso you are الندىdew فيماin whatever ينوبكbefalls you والسدىand night-dew
فأنت الندى فيما ينوبك والسدى
إذاwhen الخَوْدthe fair maiden عدتreckoned عقبةthe return-gift of broth القدرthe cooking pot مالهاher wealth
إذا الخَوْد عدت عقبة القدر مالها
So you are dew and night-dew in all that befalls you,
So you are gentility in what befalls you, and otherwise you are corrupt,
When a fair maiden counts the broth returned with a borrowed pot as her wealth.
When fate makes misfortune a barrier, it leans toward it.
Sol 6.1