أَلَيْنُSofterالْخَلْقِof creationمِعْطَفاًin dispositionلِحَمِيمٍto a close friend
Softer in disposition to a close friend than
وَلاَand notعِدَائِهِto his enemiesكَحَدِّlike the edgeالسِّنَانِof the spear.
and not like the edge of the spear to his enemies.
وَأَرَىAnd I seeالنَّاسَpeopleغَيْرَother thanمَنْthose whoأَنْتَyouمِنْهُمْare from
And I see people other than those you are among
خُلِقُواcreatedكَالذُّبَابِlike the fliesوَالصِّيرَانِand the hornets.
created like the flies and hornets.
وَمِمَّنْAnd among thoseأَفْسَدَwho ruinedالصِّدِّيقُthe friendبِحُرْمَتِهِregarding his sanctity
And among those whose friend violated his sanctity
فَأَقَامَso he keptالْكَلْبَthe dogبِنُصْرَتِهِمَاin place of their support
and kept the dog instead of them, they informed us
أَخْبَرُونَاThey informed usعَنْfromأَبِيAbuالْحَسَنِAl-HasanالْمَدَايِنِيِّAl-Madaini
They informed us from Abu Al-Hasan Al-Madaini
يَرْفَعُهُtracing it upعَنْfromعَمْرِوAmrبْنِbinشَمْرٍShamrقَالَwho said:
tracing it up from Amr bin Shamr, who said:
كَانَThere wasلِلْحَارِثِfor Al-HarithابْنِbinصَعْصَعَةَSasa'ahنَدْمَانِtwo drinking companions
Al-Harith bin Sasa'ah had two companions
لاَnotيُفَارِقُهُمْseparating from themشَدِيدَwith intenseالْمَحَبَّةِloveلَهُمْfor them.
whom he never left, holding intense love for them.
فَبَعَثَSo sentأَحَدُهُمْone of themبِزَوْجَتِهِto his wifeفَرَاسَلَهَاand communicated with her.
One of them sent a message to his wife and corresponded with her.
وَكَانَAnd there wasلِلْحَارِثِfor Al-Harithكَلْبٌa dogرَبَّاهُthat he raised.
Al-Harith had a dog that he had raised.
فَخَرَجَSo went outالْحَارِثُAl-Harithفِيinبَعْضِsomeمُنْتَزَهَاتِهِof his pleasure trips
Al-Harith went out on one of his pleasure trips
وَمَعَهُand with himنُدَمَاؤُهُwere his companionsوَتَخَلَّفَand lagged behindعَنْهُfrom himذَلِكَthatالرَّجُلُman.
with his companions, while that man lagged behind from him.
فَلَمَّاWhenبَعُدَbecame distantالْحَارِثُAl-Harithعَنْfromمَنْزِلِهِhis home
When Al-Harith was far from his home
جَاءَcameنَدِيمُهُhis companionإِلَىtoزَوْجَتِهِhis wife
his companion came to his wife
فَأَقَامَand stayedعِنْدَهَاwith herيَأْكُلُeatingوَيَشْرَبُand drinking.
and stayed with her eating and drinking.
فَلَمَّاWhenسَكِرَاthey got drunkوَاضْطَجَعَاand lay down
When they got drunk and lay down
وَرَأَىand sawالْكَلْبُthe dogأَنَّهُthat heقَدْhasثَارَpouncedعَلَىuponبَطْنِهَاher stomach
and the dog saw that he had mounted upon her stomach
وَثَبَpouncedالْكَلْبُthe dogعَلَيْهِمَاupon them bothفَقَتَلَهُمَاand killed them.
the dog leaped upon them both and killed them.
فَلَمَّاWhenرَجَعَreturnedالْحَارِثُAl-Harithإِلَىtoمَنْزِلِهِhis home
When Al-Harith returned to his home
وَنَظَرَand lookedإِلَيْهِمَاat them bothعَلَفَto the restالْقِصَّةِof the story
and looked at them both, to the rest of the story
وَوَقَفَand stoodنُدَمَاؤُهُhis companionsعَلَىuponذَلِكَthat
and his companions witnessed that
وَأَنْشَأَand he beganيَقُولُrecitingطَوِيلٌ(in Tawil meter):
and he began reciting in Tawil meter:
وَمَاAnd notزَالَceasedيَرْعَىto guardذِمَّتِيmy covenantوَيَحُوطُنِيand protect me
And he continually guarded my covenant and protected me
وَيَحْفَظُand preservesعِرْسِيmy wifeوَالْخَلِيلُwhile the friendيَخُونُbetrays.
and preserved my wife while the friend betrayed.
فَوَاعَجَبَاSo how strangeلِلْخِلِّis the friendيَهْتِكُwho tearsحُرْمَتِيmy sanctity
So how strange is the friend who violates my sanctity
وَيَاand ohعَجَباًhow strangeلِلْكَلْبِis the dogكَيْفَhowيَصُونُhe protects!
and oh how strange is the dog, how he protects!
قَالَHe said:وَهَجَرَAnd he abandonedمَنْwhoكَانَhe used toيُعَاشِرُهُsocialize with
He said: And he abandoned those he used to socialize with
وَاتَّخَذَand tookكَلْبَهُhis dogنَدِيماًas a companionوَصَاحِبَتْand it became a companionفَتَحَدَّثَso spokeبِهِof itالْعَرَبُthe Arabs
and took his dog as a companion, and it became a tale among the Arabs,
وَأَنْشَأَand he beganيَقُولُrecitingطَوِيلٌ(in Tawil meter):
and he began reciting in Tawil meter: