Feedback

A man conceals six flaws in his nature

المرء يأبر خسة في طبعه

1. A man conceals six flaws in his nature
Yet for a companion with a spear how many!

١. المَرءُ يَأبُرُ خِسَّةً في طَبعِهِ
وَلَرُبَّ صاحِبِ مُنصُلٍ أَبّارِ

2. And the free man in his own land is an exile
So you'd think in his Egypt he'd be a foal

٢. وَالحُرُّ في أَوطانِهِ مُتَغَرِّبٌ
فَتَظَنُّهُ في مِصرِهِ بِوَبارِ

3. The Jews have gone astray though their Torah
Is a lie from the scholars and rabbis

٣. ضَلَّت يَهودُ وَإِنَّما تَوراتُها
كِذبٌ مِنَ العُلَماءِ وَالأَحبارِ

4. They relied on those like them then ascended
Rising by isnad to the Almighty

٤. قَد أَسنَدوا عَن مِثلِهِم ثُمَّ اِعتَلوا
فَنَموا بِإِسنادٍ إِلى الجَبّارِ

5. And if you defeat a warrior defending his faith
He resorts to rumors and tales

٥. وَإِذا غَلَبتَ مُناضِلاً عَن دينِهِ
أَلقى مَقالِدَهُ إِلى الأَخبارِ

6. The forms of your words are six, and all
Bear no meaning but to inform

٦. أَقسامُ لَفظِكَ سِتَّةٌ وَجَميعُها
لا مَينَ يَلحَقُهُ سِوى الإِخبارِ

7. Fearing your Creator, you rode an excellent steed
Returning by your journey like a drawn bow

٧. مِن خَوفِ بارِئِكَ اِمتَطَيتَ نَجيبَةً
عادَت بِسَيرِكَ مِثلَ قَوسِ الباري

8. So if you come to a refuge, the utmost wishes
Are to meet with momentous sins in life

٨. فَإِذا وَرَدتَ مِناً فَغاياتُ المُنى
مَلقى جَرائِمَ في الحَياةِ كِبارِ

9. How many beautiful dark-lipped ones the darkness shrouds
While the pleats of dissolution lined their mouths

٩. كَم أَينُقٍ يَنضو الظَلامَ وَجيفُها
وَإِى تَبارٍ شَفَّهُنَّ تَباري

10. Man made in his bowels a tomb
For a songstress, not to bury

١٠. قَد صَيَّرَ الإِنسانُ في أَحشائِهِ
قَبراً لِغانِيَةٍ عَنِ الإِقبارِ

11. No drop of his guarded blood flowed
Yet he freely described her blood's flow

١١. ما جادَ مِن دَمِهِ المَصونِ بِقَطرَةٍ
وَأَجادَ وَصفَ دِمائِها بِجُبارِ

12. How great the folk who know evil and rise up
Anointing the land with their tyranny

١٢. كَم أَعظَمَ الأَقوامُ خِبّاً وَاِنبَروا
يَتَمَسَّحونَ لِأَرضِهِ بِجُبارِ

13. While fate covers the sword it bends
Dividing residence by shares

١٣. وَالسَهبُ تَغشاهُ السُعودُ فَيَنثَني
مُتَقَسِّماً في السَكنِ بِالأَشبارِ