إِنْعَمْenjoy yourself فغاليfor the costliest السرورِjoy مُسْتَرْخَصْis reckoned cheap
إِنْعَمْ فغالي السرورِ مُسْتَرْخَصْ
وافترصِand seize العيشَlife فهوfor it مُسْتَفْرَصْcan be seized
وافترصِ العيشَ فهو مُسْتَفْرَصْ
Enjoy yourself, for even costly joy is reckoned cheap.
And seize life, for it is there to be seized.
إنif أنتyou لمdo not تَغْتَنِمْseize مساعدتيmy assistance
إن أنت لم تَغْتَنِمْ مساعدتي
فأنتَthen you منthan كلِّevery ناقصٍdeficient person أَنقصmore deficient
فأنتَ من كلِّ ناقصٍ أَنقص
If you do not make the most of my assistance,
then you are more deficient than every deficient man.
هلis? صادقُone sincere in الودِّaffection مثلُlike خَارصِهِone who feigns it
هل صادقُ الودِّ مثلُ خَارصِهِ
حتىthat تُساويyou equate بالأصدقِwith the most truthful الأخْرَصthe most mendacious
حتى تُساوي بالأصدقِ الأخْرَص
Is one sincere in affection like one who feigns it,
that you equate the most deceitful with the truest?
ماذاwhat أُلاقيI suffer منfrom شاطرٍa rogue مَغِثٍvexatious
ماذا أُلاقي من شاطرٍ مَغِثٍ
نَغَّصنيhe embittered me بالصدودِby shunning إذwhen نَغَّصhe embittered
نَغَّصني بالصدودِ إذ نَغَّص
What I suffer from a vexatious rogue!
He embittered me with rejection when he chose to embitter.
حَصْحَصَbecame manifest حقُّthe truth الجمالِof beauty فيهin him فماso what
حَصْحَصَ حقُّ الجمالِ فيه فما
يُقالُis said فيهof him ذاthis الحقُّtruth قدindeed حصحصhas become manifest
يُقالُ فيه ذا الحقُّ قد حصحص
Beauty's truth stands manifest in him; so what
is said of him? “This truth has come to light.”
مُصَيِّرٌturning قِصَّتيmy tale بهwith him قِصَصاًinto tales
مُصَيِّرٌ قِصَّتي به قِصَصاً
تَقْصيصُهُhis trimming الطرَّةَthe forelock التيthat قَصَّصhe cropped
تَقْصيصُهُ الطرَّةَ التي قَصَّص
My tale with him becomes a multitude of tales
through his trimming of that forelock he has cropped.
مُرَدَّدٌwell practised فيin المجونِwantonness قَمَّصَهُclothed him الthe (continued)
مُرَدَّدٌ في المجونِ قَمَّصَهُ ال
مُجونُwantonness قُمْصَshirts المجونِof wantonness إذwhen قَمَّصit clothed
مُجونُ قُمْصَ المجونِ إذ قَمَّص
Well practised in wantonness, he was clothed by
wantonness in its own shirts, when it clothed him.
مجرَّبٌexperienced قدalready رعىhe grazed وزقَّand fed by mouth فقدfor he has indeed
مجرَّبٌ قد رعى وزقَّ فقد
قُفِّصbeen caged فيin دهرهhis lifetime وقدand has قَفَّصcaged others
قُفِّص في دهره وقد قَفَّص
Seasoned, he has grazed and fed others by mouth; for he
has been caged in his time, and has caged others.
يمشيhe walks بخوصيَّةٍwearing a palm-leaf cap مَحرّدةٍtapered
يمشي بخوصيَّةٍ مَحرّدةٍ
أَحكمَperfected تخويصَهاits palm-leaf weaving الذيthe one who خَوَّصwove palm leaves
أَحكمَ تخويصَها الذي خَوَّص
He walks wearing a tapering palm-leaf cap,
whose weaving its weaver has perfected.
ماnot حلبٌAleppo مفحصُa nesting scrape القطاةِof a sandgrouse إذاwhen
ما حلبٌ مفحصُ القطاةِ إذا
أَعْرَضَhe turns aside لاno بلrather أَقَلُّsmaller مِنْthan مَفْحَصa nesting scrape
أَعْرَضَ لا بل أَقَلُّ مِنْ مَفْحَص
Aleppo is not so much as a sandgrouse's nesting scrape when
he turns aside—no, it is less than a scrape.
قلتُI said لهُto him احرصْbe keen علىon الصَّبوحِmorning wine معيwith me
قلتُ لهُ احرصْ على الصَّبوحِ معي
كيso that يعلمَmay know الحِرْصُeagerness أَيَّناwhich of us أَحرصis keener
كي يعلمَ الحِرْصُ أَيَّنا أَحرص
I said to him, “Be keen on morning wine with me,
so that eagerness may know which of us is keener.”
أَماdo you not ترىsee الأَرضَthe earth كيفhow فصَّصهاhe studded it with gems
أَما ترى الأَرضَ كيف فصَّصها
منهfrom it ببيضِwith white الفصوصِgemstones إِذwhen فصَّصhe set gems
منه ببيضِ الفصوصِ إِذ فصَّص
“Do you not see the earth—how he has studded it
with white gems from it, when he set them?
ماnot رَقَصَتْdanced هذهِthese الرياحُwinds بهwith it
ما رَقَصَتْ هذهِ الرياحُ به
وهيwhile they تُباليheed فؤادَthe heart منَof whomever رَقَّصthey made dance
وهي تُبالي فؤادَ منَ رَقَّص
These winds never danced with it
while heeding the heart of the one they set dancing.”
فقالthen he said ذاthis اليومُday ليسis not منof عمليmy business
فقال ذا اليومُ ليس من عملي
ذاthis اليومُday يومٌa day كماas ترىyou see أَبْرَصleprous
ذا اليومُ يومٌ كما ترى أَبْرَص
He said, “This day is none of my business;
this day, as you see, is a leprous day.”
فقلتُso I said ياO غرُّnaive one فهوfor it منof عمليmy business
فقلتُ يا غرُّ فهو من عملي
ماno لكَfor you ياO غرُّnaive one مِنْfrom يديmy hand مخلصescape
ما لكَ يا غرُّ مِنْ يدي مخلص
I said, “Naive one, it is my business;
you have no escape from my hand, naive one.
الثلجُsnow ريشُplumage الغمامِof the cloud ينثرُهُit scatters it
الثلجُ ريشُ الغمامِ ينثرُهُ
لأنَّbecause هذاthis الغمامَcloud قدhas indeed قَرْنَصmoulted
لأنَّ هذا الغمامَ قد قَرْنَص
Snow is the cloud's plumage, which it scatters
because this cloud has moulted.
دونَكَtake مثلَlike العقيقِcarnelian خالصةًpure and unmixed
دونَكَ مثلَ العقيقِ خالصةً
شُعاعُهاits radiance منthan شعاعِهِits radiance أَخْلَصpurer
شُعاعُها من شعاعِهِ أَخْلَص
Take wine like carnelian, unmixed;
its radiance is purer than the stone's.
وهبكand suppose yourself طِفلاًa child وَهَبْand suppose زجاجتناour bottle
وهبك طِفلاً وَهَبْ زجاجتنا
ثَدْياًa breast فإِلاَّthen if not تَحَسَّهاyou drink it فامتصّthen suck
ثَدْياً فإِلاَّ تَحَسَّها فامتصّ
And suppose yourself a child, and suppose our bottle
a breast: if you will not drink it, then suck.”
فقالthen he said ماwhat بينناbetween us وبينand between سوىother than الthe (continued)
فقال ما بيننا وبين سوى ال
بيرِbīr (unidentified term) والبكشُand al-baksh (unidentified term) منfrom عَوَّصmade difficult (unclear here)
بيرِ والبكشُ من عَوَّص
He said, “What lies between us and anything but
al-bīr and al-baksh ...?” [The remaining wording is unclear.]
لاdo not تمزجِdilute الكاسَthe cup لنwill not أُرَخِّصَI permit للنّto the drinking- (continued)
لا تمزجِ الكاسَ لن أُرَخِّصَ للنّ
ديمِcompanion (completing nadīm) فيin مَزجهاmixing it إذاif رَخَّصhe permits
ديمِ في مَزجها إذا رَخَّص
“Do not dilute the cup; I will grant no leave
to a drinking companion to mix it, even if he allows it.
أخِلْتَdid you suppose أنيthat I قُمِّصْتُI was clothed منfrom نعمٍfavors
أخِلْتَ أني قُمِّصْتُ من نعمٍ
خَزَّاًin silk تَنَظَّرْlook closely تَدْرِyou will know أيَّناwhich of us أَقْمَصis more prone to kicking
خَزَّاً تَنَظَّرْ تَدْرِ أيَّنا أَقْمَص
Did you think I had been clothed, through favors,
in silk? Watch, and learn which of us kicks harder.
ماwhat is الليثُthe lion ماwhat is الفيلُthe elephant لوif تأملنيit looked me over
ما الليثُ ما الفيلُ لو تأملني
الليثُthe lion والفيلand the elephant فرَّwould flee أوor بصبصwag its tail
الليثُ والفيل فرَّ أو بصبص
What is a lion, what an elephant? Were they to look me over,
lion and elephant would flee or wag their tails.
حميتُI guarded تفاحَthe apples وجنتيَّof my cheeks فماso not
حميتُ تفاحَ وجنتيَّ فما
بغيرِexcept by لحظٍa glance تُعَضُّare bitten أوor تُقْرَصare pinched
بغيرِ لحظٍ تُعَضُّ أو تُقْرَص
I have guarded the apples of my cheeks; they
are bitten or pinched only by a glance.”
فقلتُso I said ماwhy ليto me يُقالis said ذاthis وأَناwhen I
فقلتُ ما لي يُقال ذا وأَنا
فيin الشعرِpoetry منthan كلِّevery شاعرٍpoet أعوصmore formidable
في الشعرِ من كلِّ شاعرٍ أعوص
I said, “Why is this said to me, when I
am more formidable in poetry than every poet?
هذاthis is جميلٌJamil علىdespite صناعتِهِhis skill
هذا جميلٌ على صناعتِهِ
ماnot صاغَhe fashioned ماwhat صُغْتُهُI fashioned it ولاnor الأحوصal-Ahwas
ما صاغَ ما صُغْتُهُ ولا الأحوص
Here is Jamil, for all his skill:
he never fashioned what I have fashioned, nor did al-Ahwas.
منwhoever نصَّproclaimed فيabout شاطرٍa rogue مدائحهhis praises
من نصَّ في شاطرٍ مدائحه
فمثلُthen the like of ماwhat قدindeed نَصَصْتُI proclaimed لمhas not يُنْصَصbeen proclaimed
فمثلُ ما قد نَصَصْتُ لم يُنْصَص
Whoever has proclaimed his praises of a rogue
has never proclaimed the like of what I have.”
ياO مستجيدَseeker of the finest الحليِّjewelry حلِّadorn أباAbu
يا مستجيدَ الحليِّ حلِّ أبا
يعقوبَYa'qub منهfrom it بالأخلصِwith the purest الأخلصthe purest
يعقوبَ منه بالأخلصِ الأخلص
O seeker of the finest jewelry, adorn Abu
Ya'qub with its purest, its very purest:
تاركleaving بابِthe gate القريضِof poetry مُفْتَتَحاًopen
تارك بابِ القريضِ مُفْتَتَحاً
إِنif بابُthe gate أَمرٍof an undertaking علىfor امرئٍa man أعوصproves difficult
إِن بابُ أَمرٍ على امرئٍ أعوص
he leaves the gate of poetry open
when the gate of an undertaking proves difficult for a man;
المنتميthe one belonging فيto صناعةًa craft سَلِمَتْhas remained safe
المنتمي في صناعةً سَلِمَتْ
منfrom غامصٍa detractor دَهْرَهَاthroughout its lifetime فماand not تُغْمَصis disparaged
من غامصٍ دَهْرَهَا فما تُغْمَص
he belongs to a craft that has remained safe
from detractors all its days, and is not disparaged;
والأَنْجَلُand the widest-eyed الطرفِof gaze فيin الكتابةِwriting إِذwhen
والأَنْجَلُ الطرفِ في الكتابةِ إِذ
أنْجَلُthe widest-eyed كتّابِof the scribes عَصْرِهِof his age أَخوَصis narrow-eyed
أنْجَلُ كتّابِ عَصْرِهِ أَخوَص
and is the widest-eyed in writing, when
the widest-eyed scribe of his age is narrow-eyed.
فَذُّpeerless اقتناصِin the hunting الأقلامِof pens أوْحَدُهُits sole master
فَذُّ اقتناصِ الأقلامِ أوْحَدُهُ
أَقلامُهُhis pens منthan رماحِناour spears أَقْنصmore successful at hunting
أَقلامُهُ من رماحِنا أَقْنص
Peerless in the hunt of pens, its sole master,
his pens take prey more surely than our spears.
كأنماas though الخيلُthe horses يَوْمَon the day حَلْبَتِهَاof their race
كأنما الخيلُ يَوْمَ حَلْبَتِهَا
فيin عَرَصاتِthe open fields الطُّروسof pages إِذas تَعْرَصthey prance
في عَرَصاتِ الطُّروس إِذ تَعْرَص
As though horses, on the day of their race,
were prancing in the open fields of pages.
لمnever يَخْتَصِصْsingled out ناظريmy eye يشبهresembles أبيAbu
لم يَخْتَصِصْ ناظري يشبه أبي
يعقوبَYa'qub فيin حيثُwhere عمَّhe dealt broadly أوor خَصَّصhe singled out particulars
يعقوبَ في حيثُ عمَّ أو خَصَّص
My eye has never singled out a peer of Abu
Ya'qub, in general matters or in particulars.
حاملُbearing شِقْصٍa share منof الإِباءِproud resolve فماso never
حاملُ شِقْصٍ من الإِباءِ فما
يفتأceases يخْشَاهُto fear him حاملُthe bearer المِشْقَصof an arrowhead
يفتأ يخْشَاهُ حاملُ المِشْقَص
He bears a share of proud resolve; never
does the bearer of an arrowhead cease to fear him.
تَشْخَصُstares fixedly عَيْنُthe eye الذيof one who يُعاينُbeholds ماwhat
تَشْخَصُ عَيْنُ الذي يُعاينُ ما
يصُوغُhe fashions منهfrom it وكيفand how لاnot تَشْخَصwould it stare
يصُوغُ منه وكيف لا تَشْخَص
Transfixed is the eye of one who beholds what he
fashions from it—and how could it not be transfixed?
مُسْتَخْلِصٌdrawing out فكرُهُhis thought معانيَmeanings ماnot اسstart of 'extracted'
مُسْتَخْلِصٌ فكرُهُ معانيَ ما اس
تخلصَremainder of 'extracted' خلْقٌanyone منهfrom it كماas اسْتَخْلَصhe extracted
تخلصَ خلْقٌ منه كما اسْتَخْلَص
His thought draws out meanings that no
mortal has drawn from it as he has.
ونظمُand an ordering لفظٍof words ماnever صافحَتْhas shaken hands with أُذُنيmy ear
ونظمُ لفظٍ ما صافحَتْ أُذُني
أَرْصَنَmore solidly crafted منthan لقظِهِhis wording (reading لفظه) ولاnor أَفْرَصmore incisive
أَرْصَنَ من لقظِهِ ولا أَفْرَص
And an ordering of words—my ear has never shaken hands with
anything firmer than his diction, or more incisive.
ذوpossessing رُتْبَةٍa rank فيin الحسابِaccounting لوif فُحِصَتْit were examined
ذو رُتْبَةٍ في الحسابِ لو فُحِصَتْ
لضَلَّwould surely lose his way فيin فَحْصِهاexamining it الذيthe one who يَفْحَصexamines
لضَلَّ في فَحْصِها الذي يَفْحَص
His rank in accounting is such that, were it examined,
the examiner would lose his way in examining it.
يُعِلُّhe finds fault with ماwhat فَحَّصَتْexamined غطارفةُthe nobles الthe (continued)
يُعِلُّ ما فَحَّصَتْ غطارفةُ ال
كُتَّابِscribes إذwhile لاnot تُعِلُّthey find fault with ماwhat فحَّصhe examined
كُتَّابِ إذ لا تُعِلُّ ما فحَّص
He finds fault with what the lordliest of
scribes have probed, while they cannot fault what he has probed.
فكلُّهُمْso all of them يحتذيهfollow his example رأبَin mending ثأىًa breach
فكلُّهُمْ يحتذيه رأبَ ثأىً
يُرْأبُto be mended أوor رَمْصَremedying عِلَّةٍan ailment تُرْمَصto be remedied
يُرْأبُ أو رَمْصَ عِلَّةٍ تُرْمَص
All of them follow his lead in mending a breach
that needs mending, or curing an ailment needing cure.
ساحبُtrailing ذيلِthe hem القميصِof the shirt إِنif زَمَنٌthe age
ساحبُ ذيلِ القميصِ إِن زَمَنٌ
شمَّرtucked up ذيلَthe hem القميصِof the shirt أوor قَلَّصshortened it
شمَّر ذيلَ القميصِ أو قَلَّص
He trails his shirt's hem when the times
tuck up their shirt's hem or shorten it.
ليسis not زبيناZabina نعلاًa sandal لأخمصِهِfor his foot's arch
ليس زبينا نعلاً لأخمصِهِ
بلrather هوhe نَعْلٌa sandal للنَّعْلِfor the sandal لاnot الأخْمَصthe foot's arch
بل هو نَعْلٌ للنَّعْلِ لا الأخْمَص
Zabina is no sandal for the arch of his foot;
rather, he is a sandal for his sandal, not for his arch.
عذبُsweet مذاقِin taste الأخلاقِof character شائغُهُits palatability (reading سائغه)
عذبُ مذاقِ الأخلاقِ شائغُهُ
لوif بَلَعْتْهُswallowed him العيونُthe eyes لمwould not تَغْمَصgrow bleary
لو بَلَعْتْهُ العيونُ لم تَغْمَص
Sweet is the taste of his character, easy to swallow;
if eyes swallowed him, they would not grow bleary.
تنكصُretreat عنfrom خِلِّهِhis friend الهمومُworries علىupon
تنكصُ عن خِلِّهِ الهمومُ على
أَعقابهاtheir heels وهيwhile they غيرُnot ماwhat نُكَّصwas driven back
أَعقابها وهي غيرُ ما نُكَّص
Troubles retreat from his friend upon
their heels, without having been driven back.
فَيُمْكِنُso it is possible القبضُto take مِنْfrom نداهُhis bounty وماand what
فَيُمْكِنُ القبضُ مِنْ نداهُ وما
يُقْبِضُhe hands over فهوthen it is الحريُّthe worthy thing أَنto يُقْبضbe taken
يُقْبِضُ فهو الحريُّ أَن يُقْبض
One can take from his bounty, and what
he hands over is truly worthy to be taken.
بعsell! (unclear in context) عيونُthe eyes الصُّروفِof misfortunes قدhave indeed بُخِصَتْbeen gouged out
بع عيونُ الصُّروفِ قد بُخِصَتْ
وهيand they أحقُّmost deserving العيونِof eyes أنْto تُبْخَصbe gouged out
وهي أحقُّ العيونِ أنْ تُبْخَص
[Opening word unclear] The eyes of misfortunes have been gouged out,
and theirs are the eyes most deserving to be gouged out.
ياO مُتْلِعاًone stretching his neck فيin النوالِgiving يُحْتَسَبُis reckoned الthe (continued)
يا مُتْلِعاً في النوالِ يُحْتَسَبُ ال
أتلعُlong-necked one فيin النّيلbounty عندهbeside him أَوقصshort-necked
أتلعُ في النّيل عنده أَوقص
O you who stretch your neck in giving, beside whom
the long-necked in bounty is reckoned short-necked!
نعمَexcellent is الثوابُthe reward الجوابُthe reply أوor فأمِطthen remove
نعمَ الثوابُ الجوابُ أو فأمِط
أَغلىthe costlier الثوابَيْنِof the two rewards عنكfrom yourself بالأرْخَصwith the cheaper
أَغلى الثوابَيْنِ عنك بالأرْخَص
A reply is a fine reward; or else spare yourself
the costlier of the two rewards by giving the cheaper.
واحظand delight بهاin it منfrom أخصthe closest ذيpossessor of ثقةtrustworthiness
واحظ بها من أخص ذي ثقة
بمثلwith the like of ماwhat خصhe bestowed specially قبلbefore لمnot تخصصyou were singled out
بمثل ما خص قبل لم تخصص
And enjoy it, from your closest trusted friend;
never before have you been singled out with such a distinction:
صحيحُsound غَيْبِin the hidden depths الضميرِof conscience ليسnot كَمَنْlike one who
صحيحُ غَيْبِ الضميرِ ليس كَمَنْ
علىover فسادٍdecay جدارهhis wall جَصَّصhe plastered
على فسادٍ جداره جَصَّص
sound in his hidden conscience, not like one
who has plastered his wall over decay;
مسترجَحُdeemed weightier الوزنِin weight فيin الوفاءِloyalty إِذاwhen
مسترجَحُ الوزنِ في الوفاءِ إِذا
كانتwere موازينُthe scales غيرِهِof others besides him نُقَّصdeficient
كانت موازينُ غيرِهِ نُقَّص
weightier in the balance of loyalty, when
the scales of others fall short.
Translation model: Sol 6.1