ياO أيُّهاyou الدارسwho study عِلماًknowledge ألاwill you not
يا أيُّها الدارس عِلماً ألا
تَلتَمسyou seek العونhelp عَلىwith دَرسِهstudying it
تَلتَمس العون عَلى دَرسِه
O you who study knowledge, will you not
O you who study science, do not
seek help in studying it?
Seek help in your lesson
لَنwill not تَبلُغyou reach الفرعthe branch الَّذيwhich رُمتهyou sought it
لَن تَبلُغ الفرع الَّذي رُمته
إِلّاexcept بِبَحثby searching مِنكَby you عَنfor أسهits foundation
إِلّا بِبَحث مِنكَ عَن أسه
You will not reach the branch you have sought
You will not reach the branch you aimed for
except by searching for its foundation yourself.
Except by searching for its root yourself
فَاِسمَعso listen لِأَمثالto maxims اِذاwhen أنشدَتthey are recited
فَاِسمَع لِأَمثال اِذا أنشدَت
ذَكرتyou remember الحزمprudence وَلَمand do not تَنسَهforget it
ذَكرت الحزم وَلَم تَنسَه
So listen to maxims: when they are recited,
So listen to the proverbs when they are recited
you remember prudence and do not forget it.
They remind you of wisdom, do not forget them
إِناindeed we وَجَدناwe found فيin كِتابa book خِلتhad passed
إِنا وَجَدنا في كِتاب خِلت
لَهُover it دهورages لاحَshone فيon طرسهits parchment
لَهُ دهور لاحَ في طرسه
We found in a book over which
We found in an ancient book
ages had passed a saying shining on its parchment;
With eras that left no trace on its pages
أَتقنهhe perfected it الكاتِبthe scribe وَاِختارَهand chose it
أَتقنه الكاتِب وَاِختارَه
مِنfrom سائِرall الاِمثالِthe maxims منthrough حَدَسهhis insight
مِن سائِر الاِمثالِ من حَدَسه
the scribe had perfected it and chosen it
The author perfected and selected it
from among all the maxims through his insight:
From all the proverbs he guessed
لَنwill not تَبلُغinflict الاِعداءthe enemies مِنupon جاهِلan ignorant man
لَن تَبلُغ الاِعداء مِن جاهِل
ماwhat يَبلُغinflicts الجاهِلthe ignorant man مِنupon نَفسهhimself
ما يَبلُغ الجاهِل مِن نَفسه
Enemies will never inflict on an ignorant man
The ignorant cannot reach the enemies
what the ignorant man inflicts on himself.
Like the ignorant reaches himself
وَالجاهِلand the ignorant man الآمنfeeling safe from ماwhat فيin غَدtomorrow
وَالجاهِل الآمن ما في غَد
لِحِفظِهbecause of his safety فيin اليَومtoday اوor أَمسِهِhis yesterday
لِحِفظِه في اليَوم او أَمسِهِ
And ignorant is he who feels safe from what tomorrow holds
The unaware ignorant - there is nothing for tomorrow
because he was kept safe today or yesterday.
To protect him or yesterday to guide him
وَخيرand the best of مَنthose whom شاوَرتyou consulted ذوone possessing خِبرَةexperience
وَخير مَن شاوَرت ذو خِبرَة
فيin واضِحthe clear aspect of الأَمرِthe matter وَفيand in لِبسِهits ambiguity
في واضِح الأَمرِ وَفي لِبسِه
And the best of those you consult is one experienced
The best advisor is one with experience
in both the clear and the obscure aspects of a matter.
In clear and confusing matters
لاnot يَقبَسنshall draw the flame of العِلمknowledge إِلّاexcept اِمرؤa man
لا يَقبَسن العِلم إِلّا اِمرؤ
يُعانِis aided بِاللُبِby reason عَلىin قَبسِهdrawing its flame
يُعانِ بِاللُبِ عَلى قَبسِه
None can draw knowledge's flame but one
No one receives knowledge unless
aided by reason in drawing its spark.
His mind helps him receive it
وَإِنand indeed منone whom أَدبتهyou educated him فيin الصباchildhood
وَإِن من أَدبته في الصبا
كَالعودِlike a sapling يَسقىis watered الماءwater فيat غرسهits planting
كَالعودِ يَسقى الماء في غرسه
And indeed, one whom you educate in childhood
He whom you discipline in youth
is like a sapling watered at its planting,
Is like a sapling nourished as you plant it
حَتىuntil تَراهُyou see it مورِقاًleafy ناضِراًflourishing
حَتى تَراهُ مورِقاً ناضِراً
بَعدafter الَّذيthat which قَدalready كانَwas منof يبسهits dryness
بَعد الَّذي قَد كانَ من يبسه
until you see it leafy and flourishing,
Until you see it fresh and thriving
after the dryness it had before.
After it had been dried up
وَالشَيخُand the old man لاnot يَترُكabandons اِخلاقهhis habits
وَالشَيخُ لا يَترُك اِخلاقه
حَتّىuntil يُواريis buried فيin ثَرىthe soil of رمسهhis grave
حَتّى يُواري في ثَرى رمسه
But the old man does not abandon his habits
An old man does not leave his ways
until he is buried in the soil of his grave.
Until he is buried under soil
اِذاif اِرعوىhe mends his ways عادhe returns اِلىto جَهلِهِhis ignorance
اِذا اِرعوى عاد اِلى جَهلِهِ
كَذيlike one afflicted with الضناwasting sickness عادَhe returned اِلىto نَكسِهhis relapse
كَذي الضنا عادَ اِلى نَكسِه
If he mends his ways, he returns to his folly,
If he prospers he returns to his ignorance
like one with wasting sickness who relapses.
Like a stingy man returns to his meanness
وَالحَمقand folly داءa disease ماnot لهfor it حيلَةa remedy
وَالحَمق داء ما له حيلَة
تُرجىcan be hoped for كَبعدlike the remoteness of النَجمthe star عَنfrom لَمسِهtouching it
تُرجى كَبعد النَجم عَن لَمسِه
And folly is a disease for which no remedy
Folly is an illness with no stratagem
can be hoped for—as a star is too far away to touch.
Like a star is beyond reach
وَالقand meet اخاa bearer of الضَعنrancor بِإيناسِهby putting him at ease
وَالق اخا الضَعن بِإيناسِه
لِتُدركso that you may seize الفُرصَةthe opportunity فيin أُنسِهhis ease
لِتُدرك الفُرصَة في أُنسِه
And meet the man of rancor by putting him at ease,
Deploy the weak with his strength
to seize your chance while he feels at ease,
To seize opportunities in his comfort
كَاللَيثlike the lion لاnot يَعدوcharges عَلىat قُرنِهhis opponent
كَاللَيث لا يَعدو عَلى قُرنِه
الاexcept عَلىwith الأَمكانthe opportunity منfor فرسهtearing him apart
الا عَلى الأَمكان من فرسه
like the lion, who does not charge his opponent
Like a lion that does not leap
unless he has the chance to tear him apart.
Except what is possible for his jump
Sol 6.1