قُلْsay للشريفِto the sharif (nobleman) علىconcerning تَقَوُّلِهِhis fabrication
قُلْ للشريفِ على تَقَوُّلِهِ
لَقَدِindeed انْتَهَيْتَyou have reached بغايةِto the utmost limit of الكَذِبِlying
لَقَدِ انْتَهَيْتَ بغايةِ الكَذِبِ
Tell the sharif, concerning his fabrication:
Say to the pretentious noble in his dishonesty,
You have indeed reached the utmost limit of lying.
You have reached the utmost limit of lying,
لوif كُنْتَyou were منfrom مُضَرٍMudar ولَسْتَand you are not لهاof it
لو كُنْتَ من مُضَرٍ ولَسْتَ لها
ماnot كانَwould have been منهاof it سيِّدُthe lord of العَرَبِthe Arabs
ما كانَ منها سيِّدُ العَرَبِ
Were you of Mudar—and you are not—
If you were from Mudar and not one of them,
the lord of the Arabs would not have been of it.
The chieftain of the Arabs would not be from it.
لاdo not تَرْمِaccuse هاشِمَهاits Hashim بمنْقَصةٍof a blemish
لا تَرْمِ هاشِمَها بمنْقَصةٍ
تَدعُleaves الفضيلَةَvirtue فيin أَبىAbu (father of) لَهَبِLahab (flame)
تَدعُ الفضيلَةَ في أَبى لَهَبِ
Do not cast upon its Hashim a blemish
Do not disparage its Hashimites,
that leaves virtue in Abu Lahab.
Leaving virtue in Abi Lahab,
لقدِindeed احْتَملْتَyou have borne مخازِيًاdisgraces عُذِرتْwas excused
لقدِ احْتَملْتَ مخازِيًا عُذِرتْ
منfor أَجْلِهاtheir sake حمَّالَةُthe female bearer of الحَطَبِfirewood
من أَجْلِها حمَّالَةُ الحَطَبِ
You have indeed borne disgraces that have excused
You have borne disgraces that were excused
the bearer of firewood on their account.
For the sake of her who bears the firewood.
شَرفٌnobility أَبىrefused لكto you زُورَهُits counterfeit سَرَفٌexcess
شَرفٌ أَبى لك زُورَهُ سَرَفٌ
يختالُswaggers فيin أَنفاسِthe breaths of مُنْتَهبِa plunderer
يختالُ في أَنفاسِ مُنْتَهبِ
Nobility—excess has denied you its counterfeit,
A nobility which denied you its sham is noble,
swaggering in a plunderer's breaths.
Strutting in the breaths of the plundered one.
واخَجْلَةَoh, the shame of الديوانِthe bureau إِنif صرخُواthey cry out
واخَجْلَةَ الديوانِ إِن صرخُوا
منwho ذاthis one يحاسِبُcalls to account سارِقَthe thief of الحَسَبِancestral honor
من ذا يحاسِبُ سارِقَ الحَسَبِ
Oh, the bureau's shame, if they cry out:
And the Registry's shame if they scream,
Who will call the thief of ancestral honor to account?
Who will question the thief of lineage?
ماnot زالَceased ذاكthat الصَّقْرُthe falcon يعْمُرُهُkeeps it flourishing
ما زالَ ذاك الصَّقْرُ يعْمُرُهُ
حتىuntil غَدَاit became خَرِباًruined معwith الخَرَبِthe male bustard
حتى غَدَا خَرِباً مع الخَرَبِ
That falcon kept it flourishing
That falcon did not cease to inhabit it
until it lay ruined with the male bustard.
Until it became a ruin along with the ruins.
ياO ناظِراًoverseer أَعمىblind وإِنْand even if لَعِبَتْdanced
يا ناظِراً أَعمى وإِنْ لَعِبَتْ
فيacross وجْهِهِhis face أَلحاظُthe glances of مُرْتَقِبِa watcher
في وجْهِهِ أَلحاظُ مُرْتَقِبِ
O blind overseer, even if there dance
O blind watcher, though the glances
across his face the glances of a watcher.
Of the expectant played on his face,
غَضَّlowered الخليفَةُthe caliph عَنْكَfrom you ناظِرَهُhis eye
غَضَّ الخليفَةُ عَنْكَ ناظِرَهُ
فَنَهبْتَso you plundered منfrom نَشَبٍwealth ومنand from نَسَبِlineage
فَنَهبْتَ من نَشَبٍ ومن نَسَبِ
The caliph averted his gaze from you,
The Caliph turned his gaze from you, his watcher,
so you plundered both wealth and lineage.
So you looted from origin and lineage.
Sol 6.1