لا أقذَعُ السلطانَ في أيامه

لا أقذَعُ السلطانَ في أيامه

خوفاً لسطوته ومُرِّ عقابِهِ

خوفاً لسطوته ومُرِّ عقابِهِ

I do not revile the ruler during his reign,

I do not insult the sultan during his days

for fear of his might and the bitterness of his punishment.

Out of fear of his might and bitterness of his punishment

وإذا الزمانُ أصَابَهُ بصروفِهِ

وإذا الزمانُ أصَابَهُ بصروفِهِ

حاذرتُ رجعتَهُ ووشْكَ مَثابِهِ

حاذرتُ رجعتَهُ ووشْكَ مَثابِهِ

And when time strikes him with its reversals,

And when fate strikes him with its vicissitudes

I am wary of his return and his swift restoration.

I beware his decline and the peril of his reward

وأعُدُّ لؤماً أن أهُمَّ بعَضَّهِ

وأعُدُّ لؤماً أن أهُمَّ بعَضَّهِ

إذ فلَّتِ الأيامُ من أنيابِهِ

إذ فلَّتِ الأيامُ من أنيابِهِ

And I deem it base to contemplate biting him

And I consider it harmful to think of harming him

when the days have worn down his fangs.

When time has slipped from his grasp

تاللَّه أهجو من هجاهُ زمانُهُ

تاللَّه أهجو من هجاهُ زمانُهُ

حَرُمَتْ مُواثَبَتِيهِ عندَ وثابِهِ

حَرُمَتْ مُواثَبَتِيهِ عندَ وثابِهِ

By God, I do not lampoon one whom his own time has lampooned:

By Allah, I lampoon whoever's time lampoons him

my assailing him is forbidden when time springs upon him.

My pouncing upon him is forbidden in his presence

فليعلمِ الرؤساءُ أني راهبٌ

فليعلمِ الرؤساءُ أني راهبٌ

للشرّ والمرهوبُ من أسبابِهِ

للشرّ والمرهوبُ من أسبابِهِ

So let the leaders know that I am fearful

So let the leaders know that I am a devout man

of evil—and the one to fear among its causes.

Who shuns evil and dreads its causes

طَبٌّ بأحكامِ الهجاءِ مُبصِّرٌ

طَبٌّ بأحكامِ الهجاءِ مُبصِّرٌ

أهلَ السَّفاهِ بزَيغهِ وصوابِهِ

أهلَ السَّفاهِ بزَيغهِ وصوابِهِ

An expert in the rules of satire, I enlighten

It is right to censor with satire, making clear

the foolish about its waywardness and its proper course.

To the foolish their deviance and rectitude

حَرُمَ الهجاءُ على امرئٍ إلا امرَأً

حَرُمَ الهجاءُ على امرئٍ إلا امرَأً

وقَعَ الهجاءُ عليه من أضرابِهِ

وقَعَ الهجاءُ عليه من أضرابِهِ

Satire is forbidden to anyone except a man

Satire is forbidden against a man unless a man

upon whom satire has fallen from his peers,

Who satire has befallen due to his peers

أو طالباً قوتاً حماهُ قادرٌ

أو طالباً قوتاً حماهُ قادرٌ

ظلماً حقوقَ طَعامِهِ وشرابِهِ

ظلماً حقوقَ طَعامِهِ وشرابِهِ

or a seeker of sustenance whom someone powerful has denied,

Or one seeking sustenance whom a tyrant protects

unjustly, his rightful food and drink.

Wrongfully depriving him of his food and drink