خليليَmy friend طِبْbe well علىthrough الأيَّامِthe days حالَاin condition
خليليَ طِبْ على الأيَّامِ حالَا
وَإِنْand even if غَثَّdebases الحَسُودُthe envious man لكَto you الْمَقَالَاspeech
وَإِنْ غَثَّ الحَسُودُ لكَ الْمَقَالَا
My friend, be of good cheer through the days,
even if the envious man offers you vile words.
فماfor what lies بينَbetween الثَّرىthe earth والأُفْقِand the horizon مَدٌّa span
فما بينَ الثَّرى والأُفْقِ مَدٌّ
يَشُقُّis arduous لغيرِfor any but مَنْthose who رامُواthey sought مَنَالَاattainment
يَشُقُّ لغيرِ مَنْ رامُوا مَنَالَا
For between the earth and the horizon lies a span
arduous for all but those who seek attainment.
وماذاand what فيin يدِthe hand of الْحُسَّادِthe envious إلَّاexcept
وماذا في يدِ الْحُسَّادِ إلَّا
مغارِزَbarbs لَمْdid not تَكُنْbe إلاَّexcept ضَلالَاdelusion؟!
مغارِزَ لَمْ تَكُنْ إلاَّ ضَلالَا؟!
And what do the envious hold in their hands but
barbs that have been nothing but delusion?!
فماfor … not تُدْمِيdraw blood مغارزُهُمْtheir barbs دِمَاءًblood
فما تُدْمِي مغارزُهُمْ دِمَاءً
لِمَنْfor one who أَلِفَbecame accustomed to المَكارِهَhardships والنِّضَالَاand struggle
لِمَنْ أَلِفَ المَكارِهَ والنِّضَالَا
For their barbs draw no blood
from one accustomed to hardships and struggle.
وماand … not تُجْدِيavail معاوِلُهُمْtheir pickaxes لِهَدْمٍfor demolition
وما تُجْدِي معاوِلُهُمْ لِهَدْمٍ
وإِنْand even if هَدُّواthey demolished بهاwith them يوماًone day جبالَاmountains!
وإِنْ هَدُّوا بها يوماً جبالَا!
And their pickaxes are of no use for demolition,
even if they once brought down mountains with them!
فلاso do not ترجوhope for ثناءًpraise مِنْfrom حَقُودٍa spiteful man
فلا ترجو ثناءً مِنْ حَقُودٍ
يَشُقُّis difficult عليهِfor him أَنْto يَصِفَdescribe الْجَمَالَاbeauty!
يَشُقُّ عليهِ أَنْ يَصِفَ الْجَمَالَا!
So expect no praise from a spiteful man
who finds it hard to describe beauty!
(ومَنْand whoever يَكُis ذَاpossessing فَمٍa mouth مُرٍّbitter، مريضٍailing
(ومَنْ يَكُ ذَا فَمٍ مُرٍّ، مريضٍ
يَجِدْfinds مُرّاًbitter بِهِin it الْمَاءَthe water الزُّلَالَاclear and sweet)
يَجِدْ مُرّاً بِهِ الْمَاءَ الزُّلَالَا)
(And whoever has a bitter, ailing mouth
finds clear, sweet water bitter in it.)
مُحَالٌimpossible أَنْto يَرَىsee إشراقَthe radiance of فَجْرٍdawn
مُحَالٌ أَنْ يَرَى إشراقَ فَجْرٍ
جمالاًbeauty رائِقاًlimpid فيin الأرضِthe earth سَالَاflowed!
جمالاً رائِقاً في الأرضِ سَالَا!
He cannot see the radiance of dawn
as limpid beauty flowing across the earth!
ولاand does not يَلْقَىfind الْهَنَاءَةَhappiness حينَwhen يَلْقَىhe meets
ولا يَلْقَى الْهَنَاءَةَ حينَ يَلْقَى
سَخِيّاًa generous man طَابَwas good حِلْماًin forbearance واعتدالاand moderation!
سَخِيّاً طَابَ حِلْماً واعتدالا!
Nor does he find happiness when he meets
a generous man, admirable in forbearance and moderation!
تعوَّدَhe grew accustomed أَنْto يُسبِّخَdoze فوقَupon أرضٍground
تعوَّدَ أَنْ يُسبِّخَ فوقَ أرضٍ
وتلكَand that مَزِيَّةُthe distinction of الْأَدْنَىthe least احْتِمَالَاin endurance!
وتلكَ مَزِيَّةُ الْأَدْنَى احْتِمَالَا!
He has grown used to dozing on the ground,
and that is the distinction of the least enduring!
وماand there is no لعلاجِfor treating جِسْمٍa body مِنْany دواءٍmedicine
وما لعلاجِ جِسْمٍ مِنْ دواءٍ
إذاif اسْتِشْفَاؤُهُits recovery أضحىhas become مُحَالَاimpossible
إذا اسْتِشْفَاؤُهُ أضحى مُحَالَا
And there is no medicine to treat a body
when its recovery has become impossible.
فَدَعْso leave أَمْرَthe matter of الشَّنَاءَةِhatred مِنْfrom حَقُودٍa spiteful man
فَدَعْ أَمْرَ الشَّنَاءَةِ مِنْ حَقُودٍ
فماfor … not يُدْنِيbrings near الْأَصَاغِرَthe petty مَنْone who تَعَالَىrose high
فما يُدْنِي الْأَصَاغِرَ مَنْ تَعَالَى
So leave aside the hatred of a spiteful man,
for one who rises high does not draw the petty near.
Sol 6.1