وَذِيand a man of جَبَرُوتٍtyrannical power لاnot يَرَىdeems غَيْرَother than نَفْسِهِhimself
وَذِي جَبَرُوتٍ لا يَرَى غَيْرَ نَفْسِهِ
عَظِيماًgreat وَلاand does not يُصْغِيlisten إِلىto قَوْلthe words of مُصْحِبِa companion
عَظِيماً وَلا يُصْغِي إِلى قَوْل مُصْحِبِ
And a tyrant who deems none but himself
With autocracy, seeing none but himself
great, and heeds no companion's words—
As grand, listening to no companion's words,
نَظَرْتُI looked إِلَيْهِat him نَظْرَةًa glance فَتَطامَنَتْso sank
نَظَرْتُ إِلَيْهِ نَظْرَةً فَتَطامَنَتْ
غَوارِبُهُhis withers وانْقادَand he yielded بَعْدَafter التَّجَنُّبِkeeping aloof
غَوارِبُهُ وانْقادَ بَعْدَ التَّجَنُّبِ
I cast a glance at him, and down sank
I looked at him, and his roughness
his withers; he yielded after keeping aloof.
Softened, and he yielded after aloofness.
وَمَاand not كُنْتُI was لَوْلاwere it not for أَنْthat رَأَىhe deemed كِبْرَthe greatness of شَأْنِهِhis standing
وَمَا كُنْتُ لَوْلا أَنْ رَأَى كِبْرَ شَأْنِهِ
لأُصْدِرَهُto send him away إِلَّاexcept بِأَهْلٍwith a welcome وَمَرْحَبِand a warm welcome
لأُصْدِرَهُ إِلَّا بِأَهْلٍ وَمَرْحَبِ
And had he not thought his station so exalted,
Had I not seen his haughtiness,
I would have sent him off with nothing but a warm welcome.
I'd not have welcomed him, lacking kin and friends,
وَلَكِنَّنِيbut I سَهْلٌgentle لِمَنْto whoever رَامَsought خُلَّتِيmy friendship
وَلَكِنَّنِي سَهْلٌ لِمَنْ رَامَ خُلَّتِي
وَصَعْبٌand unyielding عَلَىtoward ذِيone possessing الْكِبْرِياءِpride الْمُغَلَّبِfavored with victory
وَصَعْبٌ عَلَى ذِي الْكِبْرِياءِ الْمُغَلَّبِ
But I am gentle with whoever seeks my friendship,
But I'm easy with who seeks my company,
and unyielding to the proud man favored with victory.
And hard on the arrogant prisoner of pride.
وَلَوْand if أَنَّهُthat he اسْتَوْلَىgained mastery عَلَيْهِover him شَقَاؤُهُhis ill fortune
وَلَوْ أَنَّهُ اسْتَوْلَى عَلَيْهِ شَقَاؤُهُ
لَطَارَتْwould have flown بِهِwith him فيamong الناسِpeople عَنْقَاءُthe Anqa, a mythical bird مُغْرِبِMughrib, far-roaming
لَطَارَتْ بِهِ في الناسِ عَنْقَاءُ مُغْرِبِ
And had his ill fortune gained mastery over him,
Had ill fortune overpowered him,
the Anqa Mughrib would have flown off with him among men.
He'd have wildly fled the people in the Maghrib,
وَلَكِنَّهُbut he أَلْقَىcast إِلَيَّto me زِمَامَهُhis rein
وَلَكِنَّهُ أَلْقَى إِلَيَّ زِمَامَهُ
فَسِرْتُso I proceeded بِهِwith him سَيْرَthe gait of الذَّلُولِthe docile mount الْمُهَذَّبِwell-trained
فَسِرْتُ بِهِ سَيْرَ الذَّلُولِ الْمُهَذَّبِ
But he cast his rein to me,
But he handed me his reins,
so I led him like a docile, well-trained mount.
So I led him like a meek and refined steed.
وَلَيْسَand does not يَسُودُattain leadership المَرْءُa man إِلَّاexcept بِحِلْمِهِthrough his forbearance
وَلَيْسَ يَسُودُ المَرْءُ إِلَّا بِحِلْمِهِ
عَلَىtoward قَوْمِهِhis people وَالصَّفْحِand pardoning عَنْof كُلِّevery مُذْنِبِoffender
عَلَى قَوْمِهِ وَالصَّفْحِ عَنْ كُلِّ مُذْنِبِ
And a man attains leadership only through his forbearance
None rules but by his wisdom
toward his people, and by pardoning every offender.
Over his people, and forgiving each sinner.
Sol 6.1