كَيْفَhow إِذَاwhen مَوْلَاكَyour patron لَمْnot يَصِلْكاhe keeps ties with you
كَيْفَ إِذَا مَوْلَاكَ لَمْ يَصِلْكا
وَقَطَعand severed الأَرْحامَkinship bonds قَطْعاًa cutting بَتْكَاcomplete severance
وَقَطَع الأَرْحامَ قَطْعاً بَتْكَا
What if your patron does not keep ties with you,
How is it when your master does not help you
And cuts the bonds of kinship clean through?
And severs ties completely severed
يَبْرِيhe whittles مَعَwith البارِيthe whittler وَلَمْand did not يَرِشْكاhe feathered you
يَبْرِي مَعَ البارِي وَلَمْ يَرِشْكا
وَالأَرْضُand the earth لَوْif تَمْلِكُyou possessed لَمْnot تَسَعْكاit accommodated you
وَالأَرْضُ لَوْ تَمْلِكُ لَمْ تَسَعْكا
He whittles with the whittler, but has not feathered you;
He is acquitted with the Creator but did not sprinkle you
Even if you owned the earth, it would not make room for you.
And if the earth were to possess you, it would not contain you
وَلاand do not تَهَيَّبْهُfear him وَلَمْand did not يَهَبْكاhe feared you
وَلا تَهَيَّبْهُ وَلَمْ يَهَبْكا
ماwhat لِامْرِءٍfor a man أَفَّكَfabricated lies قَوْلاًa statement إِفْكاa falsehood
ما لِامْرِءٍ أَفَّكَ قَوْلاً إِفْكا
Do not fear him, when he has not feared you.
Do not fear him though he did not gift you
What ails a man who has fabricated a lying tale—
No man unravels a word of falsehood
تَلْبِيقَpatching together زُورٍfalsehood وَاقْتِرافاًand perpetration بَشْكاhasty concoction
تَلْبِيقَ زُورٍ وَاقْتِرافاً بَشْكا
وَكُلَّand every نَمّامٍtalebearer يُرِيدُseeks النَزْكاslanderous stabbing
وَكُلَّ نَمّامٍ يُرِيدُ النَزْكا
A patchwork of falsehood and hasty fabrication?
Fastening of lies and committing of shame
And every talebearer seeking a slanderous stab—
And every slanderer intending to be chaste
لاmay not تَرَكَleave اللَّهُGod عَلَيْهِupon him مَسْكاskin
لا تَرَكَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ مَسْكا
حاسَبَهُcall him to account اللَّهُGod حساباًa reckoning ضَنْكاharsh
حاسَبَهُ اللَّهُ حساباً ضَنْكا
May God leave no skin upon him,
God left him no provision
May God call him to a harsh reckoning,
God took him to account a distressing account
بِذاكfor that إِنْif كانwas الكَذُوبthe inveterate liar أَرْكاcast
بِذاك إِنْ كان الكَذُوب أَرْكا
عَلَيَّupon me أَعْلاقَentangling cords الشَرِيكthe snare-setter الشَرْكاthe traps
عَلَيَّ أَعْلاقَ الشَرِيك الشَرْكا
For that, if the liar has cast
If indeed the liar was disabled
Upon me the snare-setter's entangling traps.
Upon me the most abject partner associated
كُنْتَyou were إِذَاwhen عَضَّbit into الخُصُومُthe opponents المَحْكاcontention
كُنْتَ إِذَا عَضَّ الخُصُومُ المَحْكا
وَعَيَّand grew baffling أَعْيَاthe hardest part of أَمْرِهِمْtheir affair فَالْتَكَّاand became tangled
وَعَيَّ أَعْيَا أَمْرِهِمْ فَالْتَكَّا
You were such that, when opponents bit into contention,
You were if the adversaries began the struggle
And their hardest case grew baffling and tangled,
And the matter of theirs was muddled so you lurched
لَمْnot تَدَعِyou left الأَمْرَthe matter الخَلِيطَthe muddled لَبْكاentangled
لَمْ تَدَعِ الأَمْرَ الخَلِيطَ لَبْكا
إِذِwhen الضَلِيعُthe mighty one بِالضَلِيعِwith the mighty one اصطَكَّاclashed
إِذِ الضَلِيعُ بِالضَلِيعِ اصطَكَّا
You did not leave the muddled matter in confusion,
You did not leave the mixed matter crying
When mighty man clashed with mighty man.
When the wronged begin to clash with the wronged
لَمْnot تَكُyou were أَنَّاناًa habitual groaner وَلاand not مُلْتَكّاbewildered
لَمْ تَكُ أَنَّاناً وَلا مُلْتَكّا
ياO ابْنَson of الرَفِيعِthe lofty one حَسَباًin lineage وَسَمْكاand stature
يا ابْنَ الرَفِيعِ حَسَباً وَسَمْكا
You were no groaner, nor a bewildered man,
You were not conceited nor entangled
O son of one lofty in lineage and stature,
O son of the eminent lineage and complacency
فِيamong الأَكْرَمِينَthe noblest مَعْدِناًin stock وَبُنْكاand root
فِي الأَكْرَمِينَ مَعْدِناً وَبُنْكا
ماذاwhat تَرَىyou think رَأْيَcounsel أَخٍa brother قَدْalready عَكّاwas hard-pressed
ماذا تَرَى رَأْيَ أَخٍ قَدْ عَكّا
Among the noblest in stock and root.
Among the generous a mine and essence
What counsel have you for a brother sorely troubled,
What do you see the opinion of a brother who limped
عاذَsought refuge بِحاجاتٍwith needs فَلّاقَىbut encountered مَعْكاdelay
عاذَ بِحاجاتٍ فَلّاقَى مَعْكا
حَتَّىuntil هَلَكْتَyou were ruined أَوْor رَهِبْتَyou feared الهُلْكاruin
حَتَّى هَلَكْتَ أَوْ رَهِبْتَ الهُلْكا
Who sought help for his needs, but encountered delay?
Seeking needs so he clung with you
Until you were ruined, or feared ruin,
Until you perished or feared destruction
وَحَمَلَand bore الدَيْنُdebt عَلَيَّupon me البَرْكاthe breast
وَحَمَلَ الدَيْنُ عَلَيَّ البَرْكا
وَجَرَّand dragged أَرْحاءٍmillstones دَهَكْنَthey crushed دَهْكاa crushing
وَجَرَّ أَرْحاءٍ دَهَكْنَ دَهْكا
And debt pressed its breast upon me,
And debt carried upon me kneeing
Dragging millstones that crushed me hard.
And dragged a woman sweeping sweep
أَهْلَكَنِيit ruined me أَلَّاthat not يَزالَhe ceases يَلْكاhe harries
أَهْلَكَنِي أَلَّا يَزالَ يَلْكا
صاحِبُa holder of دَيْنٍa debt لاnot يَنِيslackens مِحَكّاcontentious
صاحِبُ دَيْنٍ لا يَنِي مِحَكّا
It has ruined me that he never ceases harrying—
Destroying me not ceasing ravaging
A creditor, never flagging in contention.
A companion of debt not ceasing eroding
أَعْرُكُهُI brush him off عَنِّيfrom me فَيَأْبَىbut he refuses العَرْكاbeing brushed off
أَعْرُكُهُ عَنِّي فَيَأْبَى العَرْكا
سَوْقَdriving الأَجِيرِthe hired hand المُتْعِبthe wearisome الأَفَكَّاthe weak-witted
سَوْقَ الأَجِيرِ المُتْعِب الأَفَكَّا
I brush him off, but he refuses to be brushed off,
I divert him from me but he refuses diverting
As one drives a wearisome, witless hired hand.
Driving the hired worker, the exhausted wanderer
فَقَدْfor indeed أَبَىhe refused إِلّاexcept رُكُوباًa riding حَكّاchafing
فَقَدْ أَبَى إِلّا رُكُوباً حَكّا
بِالحَرْكِwith the withers مِنْهُof him أَنْto يُنَحّىbe moved aside حَرْكاwithers
بِالحَرْكِ مِنْهُ أَنْ يُنَحّى حَرْكا
He has refused all but a chafing ride,
But he refused except insisting harming
His withers pressing against me, refusing to have them moved aside,
By his movement to be turned away moving
حَتَّىuntil كَأَنِّيas though I مُسْتَغِبٌّafflicted by alternate-day fever وَعْكاfeverish pain
حَتَّى كَأَنِّي مُسْتَغِبٌّ وَعْكا
مِنْfrom داءِan illness شَكْوَىsuffering أَوْor أُرَىI am seen مُنْفَكّاunhinged
مِنْ داءِ شَكْوَى أَوْ أُرَى مُنْفَكّا
Until I seem beset by alternate-day fever,
As if I am disgraced and impaired
From a painful illness—or seem unhinged.
From the disease of complaining or shown delivered
فَقَدْfor indeed رأَيْتُI saw باكِياًone weeping وَضِحْكاand one laughing
فَقَدْ رأَيْتُ باكِياً وَضِحْكا
فَوَالَّذِيso by Him who أَضْحَكَcaused laughter ثُمthen أَبْكَىcaused weeping
فَوَالَّذِي أَضْحَكَ ثُم أَبْكَى
I have seen a weeper and a laugher.
So I have seen crying and laughing
By Him who caused laughter, then caused weeping,
By Him who made me laugh then cry
ماnot كُنْتُI was أَخْتارُchoosing خَلِيلاًan intimate friend عَنْكاinstead of you
ما كُنْتُ أَخْتارُ خَلِيلاً عَنْكا
وَذاكَand that حَقٌّtruth لاnot يَكُونُis شَكَّاdoubt
وَذاكَ حَقٌّ لا يَكُونُ شَكَّا
I would never choose a friend in your place.
I would not choose a friend other than you
That is truth, with no place for doubt.
And that is a right not becoming doubted
أَحْسِبُI reckon عِنْدَin الجِدِّearnestness أَنِّيthat I مِنْكاone of yours
أَحْسِبُ عِنْدَ الجِدِّ أَنِّي مِنْكا
فَقَدْfor indeed ذَكَرْتُI remembered لَوْif قَطَعْتُI severed سِلْكاa thread
فَقَدْ ذَكَرْتُ لَوْ قَطَعْتُ سِلْكا
In earnest, I reckon myself one of yours.
I reckon seriously that I am from you
For I have remembered, should I sever a thread,
So I remembered if I severed the twine
غُلَيْمَةًlittle boys مِنَfrom الدُخانِthe smoke رُمْكاdusky
غُلَيْمَةً مِنَ الدُخانِ رُمْكا
ماnot إِنْat all عَدَاwent beyond أَصْغَرُهُمْtheir youngest أَنْto زَكّاhe toddled
ما إِنْ عَدَا أَصْغَرُهُمْ أَنْ زَكّا
Little boys made dusky by the smoke,
A coal from smoke thrown
Their youngest having scarcely begun to toddle.
That even their littlest embellished
مِثْلَlike الفِراخِnestlings يَأْمُلُونَthey hope مِنْكاfrom you
مِثْلَ الفِراخِ يَأْمُلُونَ مِنْكا
عَوْدَthe return of رَبِيعٍspring وَوَلِيّاًand follow-up rain سَفْكاpouring abundantly
عَوْدَ رَبِيعٍ وَوَلِيّاً سَفْكا
Like nestlings, they hope from you
Like chicks hoping from you
For spring's return and abundant follow-up rain.
A fresh spring and a pouring blood-letter
قَدْindeed كُنْتَyou were تُبْلِيbestowing مِنْكَfrom you جَوْداًbounty سَهْكاlavish
قَدْ كُنْتَ تُبْلِي مِنْكَ جَوْداً سَهْكا
إِذَاwhen العَناجِيجُthe swift steeds مَهَكْنَthey labored hard مَهْكاstrenuously
إِذَا العَناجِيجُ مَهَكْنَ مَهْكا
You used to bestow your own lavish bounty,
You were exerting generosity pouring from you
When the swift steeds labored hard.
When the chicken cheep cheeping
لَوْلاwere it not تَرَىyou envisage ماwhat لَاnot يَكُونُwould be رِكّاpaltry
لَوْلا تَرَى ما لَا يَكُونُ رِكّا
مِنْكَfrom you لَقَدْsurely عَلَّمْتُI taught هَمِّيmy resolve الفَتْكاdeadly assault
مِنْكَ لَقَدْ عَلَّمْتُ هَمِّي الفَتْكا
Were it not that you envisage something far from paltry
If not you see what does not happen standing
From you, I would have trained my resolve in deadly assault,
From you I have taught my spirit raiding
فَرُمْتُso I sought رُوماًRomans أَوْor غَزَوتُI raided التُرْكاthe Turks
فَرُمْتُ رُوماً أَوْ غَزَوتُ التُرْكا
عَلَىon المَطاياthe riding beasts أَوْor عَلَوْتُI boarded الفُلْكاthe ships
عَلَى المَطايا أَوْ عَلَوْتُ الفُلْكا
And sought the Romans, or raided the Turks,
So I launched as a Roman or invaded the Turks
On riding beasts, or boarded ships,
On steeds or ascended a ship
أَوْor هَتَكَتtore open أَيْدِيthe forelegs of المَطايَاthe mounts هَتْكاa tearing open
أَوْ هَتَكَت أَيْدِي المَطايَا هَتْكا
لَيْلاًa night تُدانِيdraws close لَيْلَهُits night فَاسْتَكّاand packed tight
لَيْلاً تُدانِي لَيْلَهُ فَاسْتَكّا
Or the mounts' forelegs would have torn open
Or the hands of riders plunged plundering
A night whose darkness drew close and thickened,
At night neighboring its night so it clung
عَلَىon زِوَرّاتٍpowerful she-camels أُغِرْنَwere tightly twisted دَمْكاcompactly
عَلَى زِوَرّاتٍ أُغِرْنَ دَمْكا
يَنْضُونthey traverse أَثْباجَthe broad backs of رِمالٍsands وُرْكاheaped-up
يَنْضُون أَثْباجَ رِمالٍ وُرْكا
On powerful she-camels, hard-knit and compact,
To delusions, I was tempted by their blood
They traverse the broad backs of heaped-up sands,
Galloping the sands wildly muddled
أَوْor جاوَزَتْthey passed beyond مِنْfrom أَرْضِthe land of كَلْبٍKalb بِرْكاcrouching mountain-masses
أَوْ جاوَزَتْ مِنْ أَرْضِ كَلْبٍ بِرْكا
شُهْباًgrey-white تَرَىyou see الثَلْجَthe snow عَلَيْهاupon them شَبْكاnetted
شُهْباً تَرَى الثَلْجَ عَلَيْها شَبْكا
Or passed beyond crouching mountain-masses in Kalb's land,
Or passed from the land of Kalb kneeing
Grey-white, with snow spread over them like a net.
Meteors which you see the snow upon braiding
إِنindeed الَّذِيthat which رابَكَmade you suspicious لَمnot أَرِبْكاI aroused your suspicion
إِن الَّذِي رابَكَ لَم أَرِبْكا
فَإِنْso if تَدَعْyou neglect جَهْدِيmy hardship فَلَمyet not أَدَعْكاI forsook you
فَإِنْ تَدَعْ جَهْدِي فَلَم أَدَعْكا
Indeed, what aroused your suspicion was not my doing.
Indeed, the one who doubted you I did not doubt
If you neglect my hardship, I have not forsaken you,
So if you leave my endeavor but I did not leave you
حُبّاًlove وَنُصْحاًand sincere counsel وَثَناءًand praise مِسْكاmusk
حُبّاً وَنُصْحاً وَثَناءً مِسْكا
فَرِحْتُI rejoiced أَنْthat زادَكَincreased for you رَبِّيmy Lord مُلْكاdominion
فَرِحْتُ أَنْ زادَكَ رَبِّي مُلْكا
In love, sincere counsel, and praise like musk.
Love, advice, and pure commendation
I rejoiced that my Lord increased your dominion,
I rejoiced that my Lord increased your kingdom
فَازْدَدْتَyet you grew لِيtoward me تَناسِياًdeliberate forgetfulness وَتَرْكاand neglect
فَازْدَدْتَ لِي تَناسِياً وَتَرْكا
وَقُلْتَand you said إِذْwhen كانَwas العَطاءُgiving بَكّاscant
وَقُلْتَ إِذْ كانَ العَطاءُ بَكّا
Yet you grew more deliberately forgetful and neglectful of me,
But you increased against me forgetting and abandoning
And you said, when giving was scant:
And said: Since generosity wept
أَمَاwell أَمَاwell ماnot هِيَit إِلّاexcept تِلْكاthat
أَمَا أَمَا ما هِيَ إِلّا تِلْكا
'Well, well, it is nothing but that.'
Isn't it just those
Sol 6.1