وَصلُfriendship المُلوكِkings إِلىto التَعاليexaltation
وَصلُ المُلوكِ إِلى التَعالي
وَوَفاand fidelity المُلوكِkings مِنَamong المُحالِthe impossible
وَوَفا المُلوكِ مِنَ المُحالِ
The friendship of kings leads to exaltation,
The friendship of kings leads to glory,
and the fidelity of kings is impossible.
yet loyalty of kings is out of the question.
مالِيَwhy is it that I رَأَيتُكَI saw you لاnot تَدوyou remain (first fragment)
مالِيَ رَأَيتُكَ لا تَدو
مُcompletion of 'you remain' عَلىin المَوَدَّةِaffection لِلرِجالِtoward men
مُ عَلى المَوَدَّةِ لِلرِجالِ
Why do I find you inconstant
Why do I see you never lasting
in affection toward men,
in friendship towards men?
مُتَبَرِّماًvexed أَبَداًalways بِمَنwith whomever
مُتَبَرِّماً أَبَداً بِمَن
آخَيتَyou befriended وُدُّكَyour affection فيin سَفالِdecline
آخَيتَ وُدُّكَ في سَفالِ
always vexed with whomever
Always grumbling about whoever
you have befriended, your affection at a low ebb?
you have taken into your affection.
خُلُقٌdisposition جَديدٌnew كُلَّevery يَوday (first fragment)
خُلُقٌ جَديدٌ كُلَّ يَو
مٍcompletion of 'day' مِثلَlike أَخلاقِdispositions البِغالِmules
مٍ مِثلَ أَخلاقِ البِغالِ
A new disposition every
A new temper each day
day, like the dispositions of mules.
like the manners of mules
إِنif كانَhe was ذاpossessing أَدَبٍrefinement وَظُرand wit (first fragment)
إِن كانَ ذا أَدَبٍ وَظُر
فٍcompletion of 'wit' قُلتَyou said ذاكَthat one أَخوa brother of ضَلالِerror
فٍ قُلتَ ذاكَ أَخو ضَلالِ
If he has refinement and
If he is well-mannered and gentle
wit, you say, "That man is a brother of error."
you say he is a lost brother.
أَوor كانَhe was ذاpossessing نُسُكٍpiety وَديand faith (first fragment)
أَو كانَ ذا نُسُكٍ وَدي
نٍcompletion of 'faith' قُلتَyou said ذاكَthat one مِنَamong الثِقالِthe tiresome
نٍ قُلتَ ذاكَ مِنَ الثِقالِ
Or if he has piety and
Or if he is pious and religious
faith, you say, "That man is one of the bores."
you say he is a heavy burden.
أَوor كانَhe was فيin وَسَطِthe middle of الthe
أَو كانَ في وَسَطِ ال
أَمرَينِtwo states قُلتَyou said يَريغُhe seeks ماليmy money
أَمرَينِ قُلتَ يَريغُ مالي
Or if he stands midway between the
Or if he is halfway between both
two, you say, "He is after my money."
you say he is useless.
فَبِمِثلِso with the like of ذاthis ثَكِلَتكَmay she be bereaved of you أُمmother (first fragment)
فَبِمِثلِ ذا ثَكِلَتكَ أُم
مُكَyour mother (final fragment) تَبتَغيyou seek رُتَبَranks المَعاليeminence
مُكَ تَبتَغي رُتَبَ المَعالي
So with conduct like this—may your mother
So it is the like of you whom his mother regrets,
be bereaved of you—do you seek the ranks of eminence?
as you seek out the highest ranks.
Sol 6.1