وَعَدتَyou promised جَميلاًa kindness وَأَخلَفتَهُand you failed to fulfill it
وَعَدتَ جَميلاً وَأَخلَفتَهُ
وَذَلِكَand that بِالحُرِّfor a noble man لاnot يَجمُلُis becoming
وَذَلِكَ بِالحُرِّ لا يَجمُلُ
You promised a kindness and failed to fulfill it;
and that does not befit a noble man.
وَقُلتَand you said بِأَنَّكَthat you ليfor me ناصِرٌa supporter
وَقُلتَ بِأَنَّكَ لي ناصِرٌ
إِذاwhen قابَلَconfronted الجَحفَلَthe mighty host الجَحفَلُthe mighty host
إِذا قابَلَ الجَحفَلَ الجَحفَلُ
And you said that you would support me
when mighty host confronts mighty host.
وَكَمand how often قَدindeed نَصَرتُكَI aided you فيin مَعرَكٍa battle
وَكَم قَد نَصَرتُكَ في مَعرَكٍ
تَحَطَّمُshatter فيهِin it القَناthe lances الذُبَّلُslender and dry
تَحَطَّمُ فيهِ القَنا الذُبَّلُ
And how often I have aided you in battle,
where slender, dry lances shatter.
وَلَستُand I am not أَمُنُّI flaunt favors بِفِعليwith my deed عَلَيكَover you
وَلَستُ أَمُنُّ بِفِعلي عَلَيكَ
فَأُعجِبُso I impress بِالقَولِwith words أَوor أُعجِلُI urge haste
فَأُعجِبُ بِالقَولِ أَو أُعجِلُ
And I do not hold my deed over you,
to impress you with words or hurry you.
بِذاby this يَتَفاوَتُdiffers قَدرُthe worth of الرِجاthe men (word continues)
بِذا يَتَفاوَتُ قَدرُ الرِجا
لِcompletion of 'men' فَتَعلَمُso you learn أَيُّهُمُwhich of them الأَكمَلُthe most accomplished
لِ فَتَعلَمُ أَيُّهُمُ الأَكمَلُ
By this the worth of men differs,
so you learn which of them is most accomplished.
كَماas قالَهُhe said it الصَقرُthe falcon فيin عِزَّةٍdignity
كَما قالَهُ الصَقرُ في عِزَّةٍ
بِهِwithin him حينَwhen فاخَرَهُhe vied with him in boasting البُلبُلُthe nightingale
بِهِ حينَ فاخَرَهُ البُلبُلُ
As the falcon put it, with the dignity
he possessed, when the nightingale vied with him in boasting,
وَقالand he said أَراكَI see you جَليسَa companion of المُلوكِthe kings
وَقال أَراكَ جَليسَ المُلوكِ
وَمِنand from فَوقِabove أَيديهِمُtheir hands تُحمَلُyou are carried
وَمِن فَوقِ أَيديهِمُ تُحمَلُ
and said, 'I see you as a companion of kings,
and you are borne aloft upon their hands;
وَأَنتَand you كَماas عَلِمواthey knew أَخرَسٌmute
وَأَنتَ كَما عَلِموا أَخرَسٌ
وَعَنand from بَعضِsome of ماwhat قُلتُهُI said it تَنكُلُyou shrink back
وَعَن بَعضِ ما قُلتُهُ تَنكُلُ
yet you are mute, as they know,
and you shrink from some of what I have said.
وَأُحبَسُand I am confined مَعdespite أَنَّنيthat I ناطِقٌable to speak
وَأُحبَسُ مَع أَنَّني ناطِقٌ
وَقَدرِيَand my worth عِندَهُمُin their eyes مُهمَلُneglected
وَقَدرِيَ عِندَهُمُ مُهمَلُ
And I am confined, though I can speak,
and my worth is neglected in their eyes.'
فَقالَso he said صَدَقتَyou spoke truly وَلَكِنَّهُمbut they
فَقالَ صَدَقتَ وَلَكِنَّهُم
بِذاكَby that دَرواthey knew أَنَّنيthat I الأَفضَلُthe better one
بِذاكَ دَروا أَنَّني الأَفضَلُ
So he said, 'You are right, but they
knew from that that I am the better one,
لِأَنّيbecause I فَعَلتُI acted وَماand not قُلتُI spoke قَطُّever
لِأَنّي فَعَلتُ وَما قُلتُ قَطُّ
وَأَنتَand you تَقولُyou speak وَلاand not تَفعَلُyou act
وَأَنتَ تَقولُ وَلا تَفعَلُ
because I acted and never spoke,
while you speak and do not act.'
Sol 6.1