أَقولI say لِدَهرto Time ضلّstrayed عَنfrom مَنهَجthe path of الحَقِّtruth
أَقول لِدَهر ضلّ عَن مَنهَج الحَقِّ
وَسالمand made peace with رَبّthe master of العيّinarticulacy وَاللؤمand baseness وَالفسقِand depravity
وَسالم رَبّ العيّ وَاللؤم وَالفسقِ
I say to Time, which strayed from the path of truth
I say to the unjust days that strayed from the path of truth,
And made peace with the master of inarticulacy, baseness, and depravity,
Peace be upon the Lord of mankind, iniquity, and immorality.
وَعاندand opposed أَقواماًpeople كِراماًnoble عُلومُهمtheir learning
وَعاند أَقواماً كِراماً عُلومُهم
قَدindeed اِنتَشَرَتhas spread فيin مَغربthe west of الأَرضthe earth وَالشرقand the east
قَد اِنتَشَرَت في مَغرب الأَرض وَالشرق
And opposed noble people whose learning
They opposed noble scholars whose knowledge
Has spread through the earth’s west and east:
Spread in the west and east of the earth.
أَياO دَهرُTime كمhow often تَصبوyou yearn لِغَمرfor a simpleton وَجاهلand an ignoramus
أَيا دَهرُ كم تَصبو لِغَمر وَجاهل
وَتَرغبand you turn away عَنfrom حَبرٍa scholar لَبيبdiscerning وَلاand do not تُبقيspare
وَتَرغب عَن حَبرٍ لَبيب وَلا تُبقي
O Time, how often you yearn for a simpleton and an ignoramus,
O days, how much you desire an ignorant and unwise man,
And turn away from a discerning scholar, and spare none!
Yet dislike a perceptive and intelligent man, leaving no trace of him.
وَتَرفعand you raise مَخفوضاًone brought low وَتَخفضand you lower راقِياًone rising
وَتَرفع مَخفوضاً وَتَخفض راقِياً
وَتَسطوand you assail عَلىupon الأَخيارthe good مِناamong us بِلاwithout رفقgentleness
وَتَسطو عَلى الأَخيار مِنا بِلا رفق
You raise those brought low and bring down those rising,
You raise the lowly and debase the exalted,
And assail the good among us without gentleness.
And overpower the virtuous among us without mercy.
أَماis it not? أَنتَyou حَيثwhen ميزتyou distinguished
أَما أَنتَ حَيث ميزت
الرشدِsound judgment وَالفهمِand understanding وَالنطقand speech
الرشدِ وَالفهمِ وَالنطق
Are you not ... when you distinguished
Since when have you distinguished
Sound judgment, understanding, and speech?
Righteousness, wisdom and eloquence?
أَماdid you not? كُنتyou were تَرضىfavoring لِلرياسةfor leadership فاضِلاًa virtuous man
أَما كُنت تَرضى لِلرياسة فاضِلاً
سِوىلِلّهother than; for God (unclear fused wording) وَالرُسلِand the messengers وَالخَلقand creation
سِوىلِلّه وَالرُسلِ وَالخَلق
Did you not once favor a virtuous man for leadership,
Were you not content with a virtuous leader
Other than—for God, the messengers, and creation [wording unclear].
Other than God, His messengers and all creation?
لَقدindeed شَبتَyou grew gray ياO دَهريmy Time وَأَصبَحتَand you became عاجِزاًincapable
لَقد شَبتَ يا دَهري وَأَصبَحتَ عاجِزاً
عَنof الحُكمjudgment لاnot تَدريyou discern خطاكyour error مِنfrom الحَقthe truth
عَن الحُكم لا تَدري خطاك مِن الحَق
You have indeed grown gray, O my Time, and become incapable
You have aged, o my days, and become incapable
Of judgment: you cannot tell your error from the truth.
Of judging, not knowing your steps from the truth.
فَأَخَّرتَso you held back سحباناًSahban وَقسّاًand Quss وَأَحنَفاًand Ahnaf
فَأَخَّرتَ سحباناً وَقسّاً وَأَحنَفاً
وَباقلُكand your Baqil المَعروفwell-known قَدindeed فازَhas won بِالسبقprecedence
وَباقلُك المَعروف قَد فازَ بِالسبق
So you held back Sahban, Quss, and Ahnaf,
Thus you belittled Suhban, Qass and Ahnaf,
And your well-known Baqil has won precedence.
While the well-known Baqiluk won the race.
وَأَحوَجتَنيand you compelled me أَنيthat I أَقولsay مُؤرخاًcomposing a chronogram
وَأَحوَجتَني أَني أَقول مُؤرخاً
رقىhe rose فيat وَقتa time وَصلhe attained بِلاwithout حَقright
رقى في وَقت وَصل بِلا حَق
And you have compelled me to say, composing a chronogram:
You forced me to say, chronicling history,
He rose at a time when he attained [his position] without right.
That an unworthy man rose in his time without merit.
Sol 6.1