Sol 6

  1. O man of letters of the age, congratulations on the black

    garb you receive from the great man of the age.

  2. You gave him your loyalty, and he repaid

    you in kind; both of you do good.

  3. A rank with a salary you gained from him,

    and the hand of glory is in the hand of gratitude.

  4. Whenever a distinguished man received his favor,

    that favor embraced all his fellows.

  5. If I held authority, I would care for none but

    those pure of conscience and sweet of speech.

  6. I am one who knows hidden things and visits

    every valley, though I have not left my place.

  7. Only those who possess goodness recognize it,

    and people of eloquence honor eloquence.

  8. My brother, your satisfaction pleased me, though you

    were stirred to sorrow by the situation.

  9. And your relief brought me relief after the long

    course of my worries in Egypt and Sudan.

  10. You are more deserving of the celebration, were it not for the

    war between the Abyssinians and the Italians.

  11. What I warned of yesterday is coming,

    with the poisons of iron and fire.

  12. Tomorrow earth and sky will recoil from

    the slaughter of human beings by human beings.

  13. For a proud person, death is better than liv

    ing under oppression and enduring humiliation.

Sol 6