Translated verses from Arabic
The poet أبو الطَيِّب المُتَنَبِّي is one of the most famous Arab poets and undoubtedly one of the best. His verses are often quoted as proverbs and wise sayings. However, his poetic genius is accompanied by an arrogance which he made no effort to conceal. Though arrogance is not to be appreciated, in his case it's "sort of understood". I shall start this Arabic to English translation corner with a verse of his.
Al-Mutanabbi said:
| وما أنا مِنهُمُ بالعَيْشِ فيهِمْ |
| ولكنْ مَعْدِنُ الذَهَبِ الرَغَامُ |
| I am not one of them by living among them | ||
| but gold is found in the soil | ||
He means: I am not [to be considered] one of them [just] by living among them, but gold is found in (or comes from) the soil.
Al-Mutanabbi again said:
| و مَنْ يَكُ ذا فَمٍ مرٍّ مريضٍ |
| يَجِدْ مُرّا به الماء الزُلالَ |
| He who has a sour, sick mouth | ||
| will find fresh, clear water sour with it | ||
Imaam As-Shaafi'ee said:
| العَْبدُ حُرٌّ إنْ قَنَعْ |
| والحُرُّ عَبْدٌ إن طَمَعْ |
| The slave is a free man if he is satisfied | ||
| The free man is a slave if he is greedy | ||
Note: The ــْـ on قنع and طمع was initially a ــَـ
Another poet said:
| إذا المرءُ لم يَدْنَس من اللُؤْمِ عِرضُه |
| فكُلُّ رِداء يرتديه جميلُ |
| When a man's reputation is not soiled with blame | ||
| any dress he puts on is beautiful | ||
Another poet said:
| وعين الرضا عن كل عيب كليلة |
| ولكن عينَ السُخْط تُبدي المساويَ |
| The eye of satisfaction is blind to every defect | ||
| but the eye of anger shows [all] the defects | ||