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Tell the minister, when he is alone with you

قل للوزير إذا خلا لك وجهه

1. Tell the minister, when he is alone with you
And turns his ear to listen to you in private

١. قُل لِلوَزيرِ إِذا خَلا لَكَ وَجهُهُ
وَأَصاخَ مَسمَعُهُ إِلَيكَ فَمالا

2. What have you brought for the nation of burdens
That have heavily burdened the times?

٢. ماذا حَمَلتَ مِنَ الأُمورِ لِأُمَّةٍ
حَمَلَت مُلِمّاتِ الزَمانِ ثِقالا

3. You are the head of state in government and desire
And the delegation altogether an image and ideal

٣. أَنتَ الرِئيسُ حُكومَةً وَمَشيئَةً
وَالوَفدُ أَجمَعُ صورَةً وَمِثالا

4. Today, certainty will shine for the blind
So he may see matters and know conditions

٤. اليَومَ يَنبَلِجُ اليَقينُ لِذي العَمى
فَيَرى الأمورَ وَيَعرفُ الأحوالا

5. Have you seen in these people whom you have known
One who does not want independence for his people?

٥. أرأيتَ في القومِ الَّذينَ عَرَفتَهُم
مَن لا يُريدُ لِقَومِهِ اِستِقلالا

6. And you found in those kingdoms a nation
Content with loss, confused and astray

٦. وَوَجَدتَ في تِلكَ المَمالِكِ أُمَّةً
تَرضى الضَياعَ مَغَبَّةً وَمَآلا

7. And you knew among its leaders one who does not see
The patience of nations with humiliation impossible

٧. وَعَرفتَ مِن زُعمائِها مَن لا يَرى
صبرَ الشُعوبِ عَلى الهَوانِ مُحالا

8. Tell those gone astray, buying protection is enough for you
Will you buy for us harm and misery?

٨. قُل لِلأُلى اِشتَروا الحِمايَةَ حَسبُكُم
أَفَتَشتَرونَ لَنا أَذىً وَنَكالا

9. If you deny the rule of men, then consult
The women in it and judge it by children

٩. إِن تُنكِروا حُكمَ الرِجالِ فَشاوِروا
فيها النِساءَ وَحَكِّموا الأَطفالا

10. You opposed the scholars in interpreting it
So leave stubbornness and ask the ignorant

١٠. خالَفتُمُ العُلَماءَ في تَأويلِها
فَدَعوا التَعَصُّبَ وَاِسأَلوا الجُهّالا

11. You hide the back-breaker, and it has appeared
To stir up misfortunes and bring horrors

١١. تُخفونَ قاصِمَةَ الظُهورِ وَقَد بَدَت
تُزجي الخُطوبَ وَتَبعَثُ الأَهوالا

12. It looked upon the pyramids, which are
The pillar of time, so it shook an earthquake

١٢. نَظَرَت إِلى الأَهرامِ وَهيَ كَأَنَّها
رُكنُ الزَمانِ فَزُلزِلَت زِلزالا

13. Pharaoh, your king with the wings of a bird
Ruled the worlds rising and spreading

١٣. فِرعَونُ مِلكَكَ في جَناحَي طائِرٍ
مَلَكَ العَوالِمَ نَهضَةً وَمَجالا

14. Raise your wing and chase after him
And take the ages against him and the generations

١٤. ارفَع جَناحَكَ وَاِنطَلِق في إِثرِهِ
وَخُذِ الدُهورَ عَلَيهِ وَالأَجيالا

15. He gathered protectors under every atmosphere around him
So gather your protectors and send out the heroes

١٥. جَمَعَ الحُماةَ بِكُلِّ جَوٍّ حَولَهُ
فَاِجمَع حُماتَكَ وَاِبعَثِ الأَبطالا

16. He took the fish and attained the position of distinction
While I see you farther away in taking and attaining

١٦. أَخَذَ السِماكَ وَنالَ مَنزِلَةَ السُهى
وَأَراكَ أَبعَدَ مَأخَذاً وَمَنالا

17. Determinations will spring from you in the blood of a nation
That refuses to make peace or overflowing strife

١٧. تَثِبُ العَزائِمُ مِنكَ في دَمِ أُمَّةٍ
تَأبى الهَوادَةَ أَو يَفيضَ سِجالا

18. Indeed the kingdoms, if they meet with peace
In calamities, then they have met with demise

١٨. إِنَّ المَمالِكَ إِن لَقينَ هَوادَةً
في النازِلاتِ فَقَد لَقينَ زَوالا