أَمَلَّcaused weariness حَبيبٌa beloved أَدَلَّgrew presumptuous
أَمَلَّ حَبيبٌ أَدَلَّ
وَسِترُand the veil الضَلالِof error اِنسَدَلdescended
وَسِترُ الضَلالِ اِنسَدَل
A presumptuous beloved has grown tiresome,
A lover hoped and confessed
And the veil of error has descended.
And the veil of misguidance fell
عَلىover ماwhat تَناظَرتُمُyou debated with one another
عَلى ما تَناظَرتُمُ
فَقَدfor indeed طالَlasted long هَذاthis الجَدَلdispute
فَقَد طالَ هَذا الجَدَل
What have you been debating over?
Regarding what you have seen
For this dispute has lasted long.
This argument has been too long
تَعَلّيكُمُyour ascent فيin الأُموthe affairs (word continues)
تَعَلّيكُمُ في الأُمو
رِending of 'affairs' ماnot هُوَit إِلّاbut تَدَلdescent
رِ ما هُوَ إِلّا تَدَل
Your ascent in affairs
Your excesses in matters
Is nothing but descent.
Are but missteps after all
وَكُلُّكُمُand all of you ظالِمٌunjust
وَكُلُّكُمُ ظالِمٌ
فَهَلso is there مِنany تَقِيٍّa devout person عَدَلjust
فَهَل مِن تَقِيٍّ عَدَل
And all of you are unjust;
Yet each of you is unjust
So is there anyone devout and just?
Is there a fair and pious one at all?
وَتَهلِكُand perishes ذاتُshe with الكَراslenderness of the shins
وَتَهلِكُ ذاتُ الكَرا
وَتَهلِكُand perishes ذاتُshe with الخَدَلplumpness of the limbs
وَتَهلِكُ ذاتُ الخَدَل
And the slender-legged woman perishes,
The obstinate will perish
And the plump-limbed woman perishes.
As will the flexible one
تَقادَمَgrew old شَخصٌa person مَضىpassed away
تَقادَمَ شَخصٌ مَضى
فَأُحدِثَso was brought into being مِنهُfrom him البَدَلthe replacement
فَأُحدِثَ مِنهُ البَدَل
A person grew old and passed away;
A figure passed away
So from him a replacement was brought forth.
And a substitute took its place
وَماand not صَحَّproved certain إِلّاexcept اِمرُؤٌa man
وَما صَحَّ إِلّا اِمرُؤٌ
تَصَرَّفَwent about his affairs ثُمَّthen اِنجَدَلfell to the ground
تَصَرَّفَ ثُمَّ اِنجَدَل
And nothing is certain but that a man
Nothing prevails except a man
Went about his affairs, then fell dead.
Who acts then lets go
عَلاrose above كاذِبٌa liar صادِقاًa truthful man
عَلا كاذِبٌ صادِقاً
فَلَيتَso would that المِزاجَthe mixture اِعتَدَلbecame balanced
فَلَيتَ المِزاجَ اِعتَدَل
A liar rose above a truthful man;
A liar rose above a truthful one
So would that the mixture were balanced!
If only the temperament were just
إِذاwhen هَدَرَbellowed الفَحلُthe bull camel قيit was said (word continues)
إِذا هَدَرَ الفَحلُ قي
لَending of 'it was said' صَوتُthe sound حَمامٍof doves هَدَلcooed
لَ صَوتُ حَمامٍ هَدَل
When the bull camel bellows, it is said:
When a stallion neighs
“The sound of cooing doves.”
The cooing dove falls silent
تَحَيَّرَgrew bewildered مُستَرشِدٌa seeker of guidance
تَحَيَّرَ مُستَرشِدٌ
فَوفِّقَso he was guided aright لَمّاwhen اِستَدَلreasoned from evidence
فَوفِّقَ لَمّا اِستَدَل
A seeker of guidance grew bewildered;
A seeker grew confused
So he was guided aright when he reasoned from evidence.
So he succeeded in reasoning