قَالَ:Heوَكَانَwasأَعْرَابِيٌّa Bedouinبِالْبَصْرَةِin Basraفِيinبَيْتٍa house,فَكَانَand he wasإِذَاwheneverخَرَجَhe went outاسْتَوْثَقَhe secured tightlyعَلَىuponغَلْقِclosingبَابِهِhis door,فَيَظُنُّso thinkجِيرَانُهُhis neighborsأَنَّthatلَهُfor himمَالاًis wealth,فَقَالَ:so he said:
He said: A Bedouin in Basra lived in a house, and whenever he went out, he secured his door tightly, so his neighbors thought he had wealth. He said:
لَيْسَIs notإِغْلَاقِيmy lockingلِبَابِيof my doorأَنَّthatلِيto me
My locking of my door is not because I have...
فِيهِwithin itمَاwhatأَخْشَىI fearعَلَيْهِover itالسَّرِقَاtheft,
...anything within it that I fear being stolen,
إِنَّمَاRatherأُغْلِقُهُI lock itكَيْso thatلَاnotيَرَىsees
I only lock it so that...
سُوءَthe evilحَالِيof my conditionمَنْwhoeverيَمُرُّpasses byالطَّرُقَاthe roads.
...the badness of my state is not seen by whoever passes by the roads.
لَيْسَThere is notلِيfor meفِيهِin itسِوَىexceptبَارِيَةٍa reed mat,
There is nothing in it for me except a reed mat,
وَبَلَىand indeedأَغْلَقْتُI lockedلِبْداًa felt ragخَلَقَاworn out.
and yes, I locked a worn-out piece of felt.
مَنْزِلٌA houseدَاخِلَهُits interiorالْفَقْرُis poverty,فَلَوْso if
A house whose interior is poverty, so if...
دَخَلَenteredالسَّارِقُthe thiefفِيهِinto itشَرِقَاhe would choke.
...the thief entered it, he would choke.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And by another:
يَبِيتُHe spends the nightيُرَاعِيwatchingالنَّجْمَthe starمِنْfromجُوعِhungerبَطْنِهِof his belly,
He spends the night watching the star from the hunger of his belly,
وَيُصْبِحُand he wakes up in the morningيُلْقَىbeing metضَاحِكاًlaughingمُتَبَسِّماًsmiling.
and he wakes up in the morning being met laughing and smiling.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And by another:
وَعَاقِبَةُAnd the outcomeالصَّبْرِof patienceالْجَمِيلِthe beautifulجَمِيلَةٌis beautiful,
And the outcome of beautiful patience is beautiful,
وَأَحْسَنُand the bestأَخْلَاقِof the moralsالرِّجَالِof menالتَّفَضُّلُis graciousness.
and the best of men's morals is graciousness.
وَلَاAnd there is notعَارَa disgraceأَنْthatزَالَتْpassed awayعَلَىfromالْمَرْءِa manنِعْمَةٌa blessing,
And it is no disgrace that a blessing passed away from a man,
وَلَكِنَّbutعَاراًa disgraceأَنْthatيَزُولَdisappearsالتَّجَمُّلُdignified patience.
but the disgrace is that dignified patience disappears.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And by another:
كَمْHow manyمِنْofفَقِيرٍa poor personبَعْدَafterجَهْدٍhardshipوَحَاجَةٍand need
How many a poor person after hardship and need,
هُوَheالْيَوْمَtodayمَحْسُودٌis enviedوَقَدْwhileكَانَhe wasيُرْحَمُpitied.
is today envied while he used to be pitied.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And by another:
قَدْOftenيَكْثُرُbecomes muchالْمَالُwealthيَوْماًone dayبَعْدَafterقِلَّتِهِits scarcity,
Wealth may become abundant one day after its scarcity,
وَيَكْتَسِيand is clothedالْغُصْنُthe branchبَعْدَafterالْيَبْسِdrynessبِالْوَرَقِwith leaves.
and the branch is clothed with leaves after being dry.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And by another:
كَمْHow manyمِنْofغَنِيٍّa rich personرَأَيْتُI sawالْفَقْرَpovertyأَدْرَكَهُovertook him,
How many a rich person I saw poverty overtake him,
وَمِنْand how manyفَقِيرٍa poor personغَنِيّاًrichبَعْدَafterإِقْلَالِscarcity.
and how many a poor person became rich after scarcity.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And by another:
كَمْHow manyمِنْofغَنِيٍّa rich personكَانَwasبِالْمَالِwith wealthمْثْرِياًabundant,
How many a rich person was abundant in wealth,
هُوَheالْيَوْمَtodayمَرْحومٌis pitiedوَقَدْwhileكَانَhe wasيُحْسَدُenvied.
he is today pitied while he used to be envied.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And by another:
كَمْHow manyمِنْofفَتًىa youthكَانَwasذَاpossessor ofثَرْوَةٍwealth,
How many a youth was a possessor of wealth,
رَمَتْهُhurled himالْحَوَادِثُthe calamitiesحَتَّىuntilافْتَقَرَhe became poor.
calamities hurled him until he became poor.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And by another:
إِذَاWhenكَانَwasجَدُّthe fortuneالْمَرْءِof a manفِيinالشَّيْءِa matterمُقْبِلاًfavorable,
When a man's fortune was favorable in a matter,
تَاتَتْcame easilyلَهُto himالْأَشْيَاءُthingsمِنْfromكُلِّeveryجَانِبِside.
things came easily to him from every side.
وَإِنْAnd ifأَدْبَرَتْturned awayدُنْيَاهُhis worldly lifeعَنْهُfrom himتَوَعَّرَتْgrew rugged
And if his worldly life turned away from him, it grew rugged
عَلَيْهِupon himوَأَعْيَتْهُand wearied himوُجُوهُthe waysالْمَطَالِبِof pursuits.
upon him, and the ways of pursuits wearied him.
وَإِنْAnd ifقَلَّdecreasedمَالُwealthالْمَرْءِof a manأَقْصَاهُdistanced himأَهْلُهُhis family,
And if a man's wealth decreased, his family distanced him,
وَأَعْرَضَand turned awayعَنْهُfrom himكُلُّeveryإِلْفٍclose companionوَصَاحِبِand friend.
and every close companion and friend turned away from him.
وَكَذَّبَهُAnd called him a liarالْأَقْوَامُpeopleفِيinكُلِّeveryمَنْطِقٍutterance,
And people called him a liar in every utterance,
وَإِنْeven ifكَانَhe wasفِيهِin itصَادِقاًtruthfulغَيْرَnotكَاذِبِa liar.
even if he was truthful in it, not a liar.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And by another:
مَتَىWheneverمَاwhatيَرَىseesالنَّاسُpeopleالْفَقِيرَthe poor personوَجَارَهُand his neighbor
Whenever people see the poor person and his neighbor,
يَقُولُونَthey sayهَذَاthis oneعَاجِزٌis incapableوَجَلِيدُand enduring.
they say this one is incapable and enduring.
وَلَيْسَAnd is notالْغِنَىwealthوَالْفَقْرُand povertyمِنْfromحِيلَةِthe cunningالْفَتَىof the youth,
And wealth and poverty are not from the youth's cunning,
وَلَكِنْbutأَحَاظٍsharesقُسِّمَتْapportionedوَجُدُودُand fortunes.
but apportioned shares and fortunes.
وَقَالَAnd saidعَبْدُAbdالْأَعْلَىal-A'laالْقَاضِي:the judge:الْفَقِيرُThe poor person,مَرَقَتُهُhis brothسَلَقَةٌis Swiss chard waterوَرِدَاؤُهُand his cloakعَلَقَةٌis a leechوَسَمَكَتُهُand his fishشَلَقَةٌ.is a slice.
And Abd al-A'la the judge said: The poor person, his broth is chard water, his cloak is a leech, and his fish is a slice.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And by another:
مَنْWhoeverكَانَwasذَاpossessor ofمَالٍwealthكَثِيرٍmuchفَلَمْand yet did notيَقْنَعْbe content,
Whoever possessed much wealth and yet was not content,
فَذَاكَthen that isالْمُوسِرُthe well-offالْمُقْتِرُmiserly poor.
then that is the well-off miserly poor person.
الْفَقْرُPovertyفِيis inالنَّفْسِthe soulوَفِيهَاand in itالْغِنَىis wealth,
Poverty is in the soul, and in it is wealth,
وَفِيand inغِنَىwealthالنَّفْسِof the soulالْغِنَىis the wealthالْأَكْبَرُthe greatest.
and in the soul's wealth is the greatest wealth.
وَكَتَبَAnd wroteبَعْضُهُمْsome of themيَسْتَمِيحُasking a favor ofبَعْضَsome ofالْأَغْنِيَاءِ:the rich:
And some of them wrote asking a favor of some of the rich:
هَذَاThis isكِتَابُa letter ofفَتًىa youthأَزْرَىdisgracedالزَّمَانُtimeبِهِhim,
This is a letter of a youth whom time has disgraced,
قَدْhas almostكَادَalmostتَنْفَطِرُsplitالْأَضْلَاعُthe ribsمِنْfromهُمُومِهِhis worries.
his ribs have almost split from his worries.
شَطَّتْGrew distantمَنَازِلُهُhis dwellingsعَنْهُfrom himوَضَعْضَعَهُand weakened him
His dwellings grew distant from him, and weakened him
رَيْبُthe vicissitudes ofالزَّمَانِtime,فَأَبْدَىso he showedالضَّعْفَweaknessفِيinكَلِمِهِhis words.
the vicissitudes of time, so he showed weakness in his words.
يُذْرِيHe shedsالدُّمُوعَtearsبِعَيْنٍwith an eyeغَيْرِnotجَامِدَةٍdry,
He sheds tears with an eye that is not dry,
طَوْراًat timesبِدَمْعٍwith a tearوَيَبْكِيand he weepsتَارَةًat another timeبِدَمِهِwith his blood.
at times with a tear, and at another time he weeps with his blood.
أَضْحَىHe has becomeبِبَابِكَat your doorمَحْزُوناًgrievedلَهُfor himأَمَلٌis a hope,
He has become at your door grieved, having a hope,
يَرْجُوhe hopesبِجُودِكَby your generosityأَنْthatيَفْتَكَّhe be freedمِنْfromعَدَمِهِhis destitution.
hoping through your generosity to be freed from his destitution.
يَاOذَاpossessor ofالْمُقَدَّمِprecedenceفِيinالْأَفْعَالِdeedsمِنْfromكَرَمٍgenerosity,
O you who are foremost in deeds of generosity,
أَنْتَyou areالْمُدَاوِيthe healerصَرِيعَof the prostrated oneالدَّهْرِof timeمِنْfromسَقَمِهِhis illness.
you are the healer of time's prostrated victim from his illness.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And by another:
خُلُقٌA characterوَاسِعٌampleوَمَالٌand wealthقَلِيلٌlittle,
An ample character and little wealth,
وَاعْتِدَاءٌand aggressionمِنَfromالزَّمَانِtimeطَوِيلٌlong.
and a long aggression from time.
مَاWhat isاحْتِيَالُthe resourcefulnessالْفَتَىof the youthبِدَوْلَةِagainst the dominionدَهْرٍof time,
What is the resourcefulness of the youth against the dominion of time,
وَعَلَيْهِwhile upon himالنَّائِبَاتُthe calamitiesتَدُولُrotate?
while calamities rotate upon him?
كُلَّمَاWheneverرَامَhe intendsنَهْضَةًa riseأَقْعَدَتْهُit seats him
Whenever he intends a rise, it seats him down,
عَائِلَاتٌdependentsمِنَfromالزَّمَانِtimeتَعُولُthat weigh heavy.
dependents from time that weigh heavy.
فِيمَنْRegarding whoeverأَثْرَىgrew richبَعْدَafterالْفَقْرِpoverty,أُنْشِدَit was recitedلِرَجُلٍfor a manمِنَfromالْمُحْدِثِينَ:the modern poets:
Regarding whoever grew rich after poverty, it was recited for a man from the modern poets:
لَئِنْIf indeedكُنْتَyou wereقَدْgivenأُعْطِيتَgivenخَزّاًsilk garmentsتَجُرُّهُtrailing them,
If indeed you were given silk garments trailing them,
تَبَدَّلْتَهُyou exchanged itمِنْfromفَرْوَةٍa fur coatوَإِهَابِand an animal skin.
you exchanged it from a fur coat and an animal skin.
فَلَاSo do notتُعْجَبَنَّbe amazedأَنْthatتَمْلِكَyou ownالنَّاسَpeopleإِنَّنِيfor indeed I
So do not be amazed that you own people, for indeed I
أَرَىseeأُمَّةًa nationقَدْhasأَدْبَرَتْturned awayلِذَهَابِto destruction.
see a nation that has turned away to destruction.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And by another:
تَاهَHe grew arrogantعَلَىtowardإِخْوَانِهِhis brothersبِالْغِنَىwith wealth,
He grew arrogant toward his brothers with wealth,
فَصَارَso he becameلَاnotيَطْرِفُblinkingمِنْout ofكِبْرِهِhis pride.
so he became unblinking out of his pride.
أَعَادَهُReturned himاللَّهُGodإِلَىtoحَالِهِhis state,
May God return him to his state,
فَإِنَّهُfor indeed heيَحْسُنُis well-behavedفِيinفَقْرِهِhis poverty.
for indeed he is well-behaved in his poverty.
وَلِآخَرَAnd to anotherدِعْبِلٍ:Di'bil:
And by another, Di'bil:
عَطَايَاهُHis giftsتَغْدُوgoعَلَىuponسَابِحٍa swimmer (horse),
His gifts go upon a swift horse,
وَطَوْراًand at timesعَلَىuponبَغْلَةٍa muleنَدْبَةِswift.
and at times upon a swift mule.
فَلَوْSo ifخُصَّwere singled outبِالرِّزْقِwith provisionبُخْلُthe stinginess ofالْكِرَامِthe noble,
So if the stinginess of the noble were singled out with provision,
مَاnotنَالَhe would have attainedخَيْطاًa threadوَلَاnorهُدْبَهُits fringe.
he would not have attained a thread nor its fringe.
وَلَكِنَّهُBut it isالرِّزْقُthe provisionمِمَّنْfrom the One whoيَعِيشُlivesفِيonرِزْقِهِHis provisionالْكَلْبُthe dogوَالْكَلْبَةُand the female dog.
But it is the provision from the One on whose provision the dog and the female dog live.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And by another:
كُنْتَYou wereإِذْwhenكُنْتَyou wereعَدِيماًdestitute
You were, when you were destitute,
لِيfor meخِلّاًa close friendوَنَدِيماًand a companion.
a close friend and a companion for me.
ثُمَّThenأَثْرَيْتَyou grew richفَأَعْرَضْتَand you turned away
Then you grew rich and turned away,
وَلَمْand you did notتَرْعَrespectقَدِيماًthe past.
and you did not respect the past.
صَارَBecameمَاwhatنِلْتَyou attainedمِنَofالْمَالِwealth
What you attained of wealth became
لَنَاfor usذَنْباًa sinعَظِيماًgreat.
a great sin for us.
هَكَذَاThusيَفْعَلُdoesبِالْإِخْوَانِwith brothersمَنْwhoeverكَانَisلَئِيماًmean.
Thus does whoever is mean with brothers.
وَلِآخَرَ:And to another:
And by another:
صَحِبْتُكَI accompanied youإِذْwhenأَنْتَyouلَاnotتُصْحَبُaccompanied,
I accompanied you when you were not to be accompanied,
وَإِذْand whenأَنْتَyouلَاnotغَيْرُكَother than youالْمَوْكِبُis the procession.
and when no one other than you is the procession.
وَإِذْAnd whenأَنْتَyouتَفْرَحُrejoiceبِالزَّائِرِينَin visitors
And when you rejoice in visitors,
وَنَفْسُكَand your soulنَفْسَكَyour soulتَسْتَحْجِبُhides from being seen.
and your soul hides itself.
وَإِذْAnd whenأَنْتَyouتُكْثِرُfrequentlyذَمَّblameالزَّمَانِtime
And when you frequently blame time,
وَمَشْيُكَwhile your walkingأَضْعَافُis multiples ofمَاwhatتَرْكَبُyou ride.
while your walking is multiples of what you ride.