إِذاwhen جاوَزَgoes beyond الإِثنَينِthe two سِرٌّa secret فَإِنَّهُthen indeed it
إِذا جاوَزَ الإِثنَينِ سِرٌّ فَإِنَّهُ
بِنَشرٍto disclosure وَتَكثيرِand multiplication of الحَديثِtalk قَمينُliable
بِنَشرٍ وَتَكثيرِ الحَديثِ قَمينُ
When a secret passes beyond two people, it is
If a secret passes two, it spreads
liable to disclosure and much retelling.
And proliferates through much talk and chatter
وَإِنand if ضَيَّعَlet slip الإِخوانُthe friends سِرّاًa secret فَإِنَّنيthen indeed I
وَإِن ضَيَّعَ الإِخوانُ سِرّاً فَإِنَّني
كَتومٌdiscreet لِأَسرارِwith the secrets of العَشيرِthe companion أَمينُtrustworthy
كَتومٌ لِأَسرارِ العَشيرِ أَمينُ
And even if friends let a secret slip, I am
Though friends may a secret betray
a discreet, faithful keeper of a companion’s secrets.
I will keep the clan’s secrets hidden
يَكونُthere is لَهُfor it عِنديwith me إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle ضَمِنتُهُI have taken it in trust
يَكونُ لَهُ عِندي إِذا ما ضَمِنتُهُ
مَقَرٌّa resting place بِسَوداءِin the dark core of الفُؤادِthe heart كَنينُhidden
مَقَرٌّ بِسَوداءِ الفُؤادِ كَنينُ
It has with me, once I have taken it in trust,
When entrusted to me it remains
a hidden resting place in the dark core of my heart.
Secure in the blackness of my heart
سَليask (feminine) مَنwhoever نَديميmy drinking companion فيamong النَدامىthe drinking companions وَمَألَفيand my familiar companion
سَلي مَن نَديمي في النَدامى وَمَألَفي
وَمَنand whoever هُوَhe ليto me عِندَin times of الصَفاءِsincere friendship خَدينُan intimate friend
وَمَن هُوَ لي عِندَ الصَفاءِ خَدينُ
Ask whoever is my drinking companion and familiar among the drinkers,
Ask who my drinking friends are, and companions
and whoever is my intimate in sincere friendship,
And who is sincere when sober and wise
وَأَيُّand what kind of أَخيa brother of حَربٍwar إِذاwhen هِيَit (war) شَمَّرَتgirds itself
وَأَيُّ أَخي حَربٍ إِذا هِيَ شَمَّرَت
وَمِدرَهِand a champion in خَصمٍa dispute بَعدَafter ذاكَthat أَكونُI am
وَمِدرَهِ خَصمٍ بَعدَ ذاكَ أَكونُ
what sort of brother-in-arms I am when war girds itself,
Which brother stands by me in war
and what sort of champion in dispute I am thereafter.
When it flares, and after, remains close
وَهَلand does يَحذَرُfear الجارُthe neighbor الغَريبُfar from home فَجيعَتيharm from me
وَهَل يَحذَرُ الجارُ الغَريبُ فَجيعَتي
وَخَونيand my treachery وَبَعضُand some of المُقرِفينَmen of ignoble descent خَؤونُhabitually treacherous
وَخَوني وَبَعضُ المُقرِفينَ خَؤونُ
And does the neighbor far from home fear harm from me,
Does the strange neighbor fear my rage
or my treachery, though some men of ignoble descent are treacherous?
And betrayal, though some are disloyal
وَماand never لَمَعَتgleamed عَينيmy eye لِغِرَّةِat the unwariness of جارَةٍa female neighbor
وَما لَمَعَت عَيني لِغِرَّةِ جارَةٍ
وَلاand never وَدَّعَتshe bade farewell بِالذَمِّwith blame حينَwhen تَبينُshe departs
وَلا وَدَّعَت بِالذَمِّ حينَ تَبينُ
Nor has my eye gleamed at a neighbor woman’s unguarded moment,
Never did my eye gleam for a neighbor's slip
nor has she bidden me farewell with reproach when she leaves.
Or bid her farewell with insults when we parted
أَبىrejected الذَمَّdisgrace آباءٌforefathers نَمَتنيgave me my lineage جُدودُهُمtheir ancestors
أَبى الذَمَّ آباءٌ نَمَتني جُدودُهُم
وَمَجديand my glory لِمَجدِto the glory of الصالِحينَthe virtuous مُعينُa helper
وَمَجدي لِمَجدِ الصالِحينَ مُعينُ
Forefathers whose ancestors gave me my lineage spurned disgrace,
Blame was shunned by fathers whose greatness
and my glory strengthens the glory of the virtuous.
Supports my glory, aiding the righteous
فَذَلِكَthat, then ماwhat قَدalready تَعلَمينَyou know (feminine) وَإِنَّنيand indeed I
فَذَلِكَ ما قَد تَعلَمينَ وَإِنَّني
لَجَلدٌindeed hardy عَلىagainst رَيبِthe vicissitudes of الخُطوبِmisfortunes مَتينُstrong
لَجَلدٌ عَلى رَيبِ الخُطوبِ مَتينُ
That, then, is what you already know; and I am
That is what you know of me, and I
indeed hardy and steadfast against the turns of misfortune.
Am steadfast facing the storms of fate
أُمِرُّI grow bitter عَلىtoward الباغيthe aggressor وَيَغلُظُand grows harsh جانِبيmy side
أُمِرُّ عَلى الباغي وَيَغلُظُ جانِبي
وَذوbut the man of القَصدِfair intent أَحلوليI grow sweet لَهُto him وَأَلينُand I soften
وَذو القَصدِ أَحلولي لَهُ وَأَلينُ
I grow bitter toward the aggressor, and my side grows hard,
I stand firm against aggressors, and harsh
but toward the fair-minded I grow sweet and soft.
To them, yet gentle to the fair and moderate
وَإِنّيand indeed I لَأَعتامُI surely choose الرِجالَmen بِخُلَّتيfor my close friendship
وَإِنّي لَأَعتامُ الرِجالَ بِخُلَّتي
أُليpossessed of الرَأيِjudgment فيin الأَحداثِcrises حينَwhen تَحينُthey arise
أُلي الرَأيِ في الأَحداثِ حينَ تَحينُ
And indeed I choose for my close friendship men
With my frugality I humble men
of sound judgment in crises when they arise.
Bending my will in events as needed
Sol 6.1