حبذاhow good حشمةrespectful reserve الصديقthe friend إذاwhen ماever (emphatic)
حبذا حشمة الصديق إذا ما
حجزتit formed a barrier بينهbetween him وبينand between العقوقِdisloyalty
حجزت بينه وبين العقوقِ
How good is a friend's respectful reserve, whenever
How excellent is the virtue of a friend when
it stands between him and disloyalty!
He restrains between him and disobedience
حينwhereas لاnot حبذاwelcome انبساطٌfamiliarity يؤديleads
حين لا حبذا انبساطٌ يؤدي
هhim إلىto بخسslighting واجباتduties الحقوقِrights
ه إلى بخس واجبات الحقوقِ
Whereas unwelcome is the familiarity that leads
When there is no excellent expansiveness that leads
him to slight the duties owed by right.
To diminishing the duties of rights
وكلتI entrusted حاجتيmy need إليكto you فأضحتand so it became
وكلت حاجتي إليك فأضحت
وهيand it منيfrom me بموضعat the position of العَيّوقal-ʿAyyūq
وهي مني بموضع العَيّوق
I entrusted my need to you, and it became
And my need for you became
as far from me as al-ʿAyyūq.
While it is in my place of obstacle
وجعلتand you deemed الصديقthe friend أولىmore deserving بأنof being يلbe ignored (word begins)
وجعلت الصديق أولى بأن يل
غىbe ignored (word ends) ويرضىand be content بخُلَّباتwith the false promises of البروقlightning flashes
غى ويرضى بخُلَّبات البروق
And you deemed a friend most fit to be
And I made the friend worthier to
ignored and content with lightning's false promises.
Ignore and be content with lightning flashes
أحمدI praise اللهGod ماnot وردتI came to water منamong الإخthe brothers (word begins)
أحمد الله ما وردت من الإخ
وانbrothers (word ends) غيرother than المكَدَّرthe muddied المطروقthe trampled
وان غير المكَدَّر المطروق
I praise God: I have found among my
I praise God for what comes from companions
brothers only muddied, trampled water.
Other than the troubled, beaten one
وإلىand to اللهGod أشتكيI complain أنthat وديlove for me
وإلى الله أشتكي أن ودي
ليسis not ممنfrom those whom وددتُI loved بالمرزوقbestowed (emphatic)
ليس ممن وددتُ بالمرزوق
And to God I complain that love for me
And to God I complain that my love
is not bestowed by those whom I have loved.
Is not from those I loved with sustenance
مِقَتِيmy love غيرone who is not وامقloving تقرعstrikes القلthe heart (word begins)
مِقَتِي غير وامق تقرع القل
بheart (word ends) فطوبىso blessedness لوامقfor a lover موموقbeloved
ب فطوبى لوامق موموق
My love for one who loves me not strikes the
My hatred is not diminishing, striking the heart so blessed are the diminishing, protected ones
heart—blessed is a lover who is loved!
How much do you see I have stored with a
كمhow many ترىyou see ليof mine ذخيرةa stored treasure عندwith خلa close friend
كم ترى لي ذخيرة عند خل
سقطتhas fallen منfrom جرابهhis pouch المخروقthe torn
سقطت من جرابه المخروق
How many a treasure of mine, you see, kept with a friend,
Friend whose bag is torn
has fallen from his torn pouch!
O people of guidance to righteousness show us
أيهاO المعشرcompany الهداةthe guides إلىtoward الرشrectitude (word begins)
أيها المعشر الهداة إلى الرش
دrectitude (word ends) أبينواexplain لناto us بيانan explanation الصدوقthe truthful person
د أبينوا لنا بيان الصدوق
O company, you guides toward
The explanation of the truthful one
rectitude, explain to us as a truthful person would:
Where is our salvation when we meet
أينwhere منجاتناour escape إذاif ماever (emphatic) لقيناwe encounter
أين منجاتنا إذا ما لقينا
منfrom مسيغone who eases swallowing الشجاthe choking bone شجاًa choking bone فيin الحلوقthe throats
من مسيغ الشجا شجاً في الحلوق
Where is our escape, if ever we encounter
From the sweetness of severity, severity in throats
a choking bone in our throats from one who eases choking?
Partial English translation: 19 of 20 Arabic lines translated.