These are parts of Arabic poems that i chose to translate.
Arabic is a very eloquent language, so to get the exact meaning of it is very difficult. i tried my best to bring it as close to the words used without losing the meaning.
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العلم زين وخير الناس يطلبه **** والجاهلون لأهل العلم أعداء
فعش بعلمٍ ولا تبغ به بدلاً **** الناس موتى وأهل العلم أحياء
the Knowledge is good and the best among people is those who seek it,
and the ignorant people are enemies to People of Knowledge.
so live with a knowledge and don't seek a reward (or a substitute) for it,
the people are dead and people of Knowledge lives.
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لسانك لا تذكر به عورة امريءٍ **** فكلك عوراتٍ وللناس ألسن
your tongue, don't use it to mention someone's mistake,
for you are full of mistakes and people have tongues.
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إن الغصون إذا عدلتها اعتدلت **** ولا تلين إذا كان من الخشب
Verily the young branches if you try to straighten it, it becomes straight,
but if it's become wood, then it wont be flexible.
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فعين الرضا عن كل عيب كليلةٌ **** كما أن عين السخط تبدي المساويا
the eye of contentment is careless of every fault,
as the eye of hatred show every mistake.
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ترجو النجاة ولم تسلك مسالكها **** إن السفينة لا تجري على اليبس
you want to be saved but you don't follow the safe path,
verily, the ship will not run on dry land.
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ما كل ما يتمنى المرء يدركه **** تجري الرياح بما لا تشتهي السفن
man do not get everything he dreams of,
the wind blows from sides the ship does not need.
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إذا رأيت نيوب الليث بارزةً **** فلا تظن أن الليث يبتسم
when you see the teeth of the lion,
don't think it is smiling at you.
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متى يبلغ البنيان تمامه؟ **** إذا كنت تبنيه وغيرك يهدم
how can the building reach its completion?,
when someone else is demolishing it as you build it.
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شكوت إلى وكيعٍ سوء حفظي **** فأرشدني إلى ترك المعاصي
وأخبرني بأن العلم نورٌ **** ونور الله لا يهدى لعاصي
i complained to Waki' (the teacher) my bad memorization,
so he advised me to keep away from sins,
and informed me that, the Knowledge is a light,
and Allah's light is not gifted to sinners.
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لو كانت الأرزاق تجري على الحجا **** هلكن إذاً من جهلهن البهائم
if intelligence is the quality that draws sustenance to one,
the animals will vanish because of their stupidity.
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لا تقطعن ذنَب الأفعي وترسلها **** إن كنت شهما فألحق رأسها الذنَبا
don't cut the tail of a serpent and let it go,
if you are wise, then do with it's head what you did with it's tail.
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وظلم ذوي القربى أشد مضاضةً **** على المرء من وقع الحسام المهند
and the wrongdoings of his relatives are more severe
on the man than the strike of the sharpest sword.
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يا رب إن عظمت ذنوبي كثرةً **** فلقد علمت بأن عفوك أعظم
إن كان لا يرجوك إلا محسنٌ **** فبمن يلوذ ويستجير المجرم
أدعوك ربي كما أمرت تضرعاً **** فإن رددت يدي فمن ذا يرحم
ما لي إليك وسيلة إلا الرجا **** وجميل عفوك ثم إني مسلم
O my Lord! if my sins have become heavy with quantity,
verily i have known that Your forgiveness is greater.
if only the righteous can have the hope from You,
then Who the sinful would seek protection and asylum from?
i supplicate You, O my Lord, the way you ordered us to invoke,
so if You reject my hand (not answer my prayer) then who is going to have mercy (on me)
i don't have any mediate except the hope,
and your kind forgiveness, and that i am a Muslim.
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