أَشَجَتْكَdid it grieve you? منزلةٌa dwelling بمَرجَيْin the two meadows of راهِطِRahit
أَشَجَتْكَ منزلةٌ بمَرجَيْ راهِطِ
كلّاno ولاnor دِمنٌruined traces عفتْwere effaced بشلاهِطat Shalahit
كلّا ولا دِمنٌ عفتْ بشلاهِط
Did a dwelling in Rahit's two meadows grieve you?
The shade trees welcomed you in the meadows of Rahat,
No—nor the vanished traces at Shalahit.
Not a whisper was heard in the stillness of Shalahit.
بلrather معشرٌa company وعدتْهُمُpromised them فجراتُهُمْtheir wicked deeds
بل معشرٌ وعدتْهُمُ فجراتُهُمْ
بمغابطٍwith enviable fortunes فإذاbut suddenly هُمُthey بمهابِطin low places
بمغابطٍ فإذا هُمُ بمهابِط
Rather, a company whose wicked deeds promised them
A group came and dawn shone on their faces,
enviable fortunes—yet there they were, brought low.
As they climbed up the hill joyfully with might.
ظَلُّواthey spent the day وقدْand already أسرواthey captured المؤذِّنَthe caller to prayer بينهمamong them
ظَلُّوا وقدْ أسروا المؤذِّنَ بينهم
وكأنَّماand as though هزمواthey routed كتائبَthe battalions of ناعِطNa'it
وكأنَّما هزموا كتائبَ ناعِط
They spent the day with the caller to prayer captive among them,
They surrounded the muezzin and it was as though
as though they had routed the battalions of Na'it.
They had defeated the regiments of Na'it.
وخَلَواand they withdrew بِشلوِwith the carcass of ذَبيحهمْtheir slaughtered victim فرأيتهُمْand I saw them
وخَلَوا بِشلوِ ذَبيحهمْ فرأيتهُمْ
منincluding ناتفٍone plucking رِيشاًfeathers وآخرand another مارطِstripping feathers
من ناتفٍ رِيشاً وآخر مارطِ
They withdrew with their slaughtered victim's carcass, and I saw them:
They were alone with the sacrifice they had chosen and I saw them
one plucking feathers, another stripping them.
Plucking feathers, one after another without stop.
مُستعملينَusing أكُفَّهُمْtheir hands فيin أمرهِhis affair
مُستعملينَ أكُفَّهُمْ في أمرهِ
ببوادرٍwith hasty movements سبقتْoutstripped أناةَthe deliberation of السَّامطthe scalder
ببوادرٍ سبقتْ أناةَ السَّامط
They plied their hands upon him
They used their palms in the matter
with hasty movements outstripping the scalder's measured pace.
With acts that came before the patience of Al-Samit.
طبخوهُthey cooked him ثمthen أتواthey brought بهhim قدalready أُبرِمتْwere tightly twisted
طبخوهُ ثم أتوا به قد أُبرِمتْ
أوْتارُهُhis sinews لمنادفٍfor carding bows وبرابِطِand lutes
أوْتارُهُ لمنادفٍ وبرابِطِ
They cooked him, then brought him out; tightly twisted were
They cooked it and then they brought it, trussed,
his sinews, fit for carding bows and lutes.
For the quilt-maker to sew and patch.
متجمِّلاًkeeping his dignity لدجاجهِbefore his hens مُتجلِّداًstanding firm
متجمِّلاً لدجاجهِ مُتجلِّداً
كتجلُّدِlike the endurance of المجلودِthe flogged man بينamid ربائطbonds
كتجلُّدِ المجلودِ بين ربائط
Keeping his dignity before his hens, standing firm,
It was dressed up for its chicks, actıng
like a flogged man's endurance amid his bonds.
As if it were the quilted one among the patches.
ولقدand indeed رمتْهassailed him يومَon the day of ذلكthat قِدْرُهُمtheir pot
ولقد رمتْه يومَ ذلك قِدْرُهُم
بغُطامطٍwith gurgling منfrom غَليهماthe boiling of them both وغُطامِطand gurgling
بغُطامطٍ من غَليهما وغُطامِط
That day their pot assailed him
That day their pot aimed at it
with a gurgle from the boiling of them both, and another gurgle.
With boiling rage and boiling foam too.
حملواthey poured عليهاinto it كلall ماءٍwater عِندهُمthey possessed
حملوا عليها كل ماءٍ عِندهُم
وفُراتَand the Euphrates of كُوفَتِهمtheir Kufa ودِجلةَand the Tigris of واسطWasit
وفُراتَ كُوفَتِهم ودِجلةَ واسط
They poured into it all the water they possessed,
They heaped upon it all the water they had,
and their Kufa's Euphrates, and Wasit's Tigris.
The Euphrates of their jugs and the Tigris and Wasit.
واهاًah! لذاكfor that الدِّيكrooster بينamong مساقطٍlanding places
واهاً لذاك الدِّيك بين مساقطٍ
منهof his عهدناهاwe knew them وبينand among ملاقطpecking grounds
منه عهدناها وبين ملاقط
Ah, for that rooster, among the landing places
Alas for that rooster among the falling places!
we knew him to use, and among his pecking grounds!
We knew it as a place between meeting points.
قوَّامَone ever rising for أسحارٍpredawn hours مؤذِّنcaller to prayer for حارةٍa neighborhood
قوَّامَ أسحارٍ مؤذِّن حارةٍ
سفَّادfrequent mounter of زَوجاتٍwives كميَّwarrior of مآقطbattlefields
سفَّاد زَوجاتٍ كميَّ مآقط
Ever rising before dawn, a neighborhood's caller to prayer,
It was the early-rising caller in the alley,
a tireless mounter of wives, a warrior on battlefields.
Husbands of lenient, docile wives.
ينفيhe drives away مناعِسَهُhis drowsiness بنفسٍwith a soul شهْمةٍspirited
ينفي مناعِسَهُ بنفسٍ شهْمةٍ
وُيشاهدُand he faces الهيجاthe battle بجأشٍwith a heart رابطsteadfast
وُيشاهدُ الهيجا بجأشٍ رابط
He drove away his drowsiness with a spirited soul,
It puffed out its breath with a fiery spirit
and faced the fray with steadfast heart.
And looked at the disturbance with a bound eye.
وثبَتْsprang عليهupon him عِصابةٌa gang كُوفيةٌKufan
وثبَتْ عليه عِصابةٌ كُوفيةٌ
ببوادرٍwith sudden outbursts منof بأسِهاits violence وفوارِطand reckless excesses
ببوادرٍ من بأسِها وفوارِط
A Kufan gang sprang upon him
A Kufan gang pounced on it
with sudden outbursts of its violence and reckless excesses:
With acts of violence and bits that pierce.
منincluding ناشِئٍa youth محضwholly الحُلاقِshaven وشيخةٍand an old woman
من ناشِئٍ محض الحُلاقِ وشيخةٍ
شوهاءَhideous لائطةٍa female sodomite وشيخand an old man لائطa sodomite
شوهاءَ لائطةٍ وشيخ لائط
a clean-shaven youth, and an old woman,
From an adolescent, a pure barber, an ugly
hideous and sodomitical, and an old male sodomite.
Old woman, a sticking plaster, and a sticking Sheikh.
يعدوrun الأصاغرُthe younger ones والأكابرُand the older ones خَلفَهُbehind him
يعدو الأصاغرُ والأكابرُ خَلفَهُ
عدْوَthe running of الكلابdogs علىafter الشَّبوبthe mature wild bull النَّاشطِthe bounding one
عدْوَ الكلاب على الشَّبوب النَّاشطِ
Young and old ran after him
The little and big ones chased it,
as dogs pursue a bounding, full-grown wild bull.
Like the dogs chase the active fox.
قسطواthey acted unjustly عليهagainst him قُسوطَwith the injustice of غامِطِone spurning نعمةٍa blessing
قسطوا عليه قُسوطَ غامِطِ نعمةٍ
والموبِقاتُand ruinous calamities بمرصدٍin ambush للغامِطfor the ingrate
والموبِقاتُ بمرصدٍ للغامِط
They wronged him with the injustice of an ingrate,
They divided it into ominous portions of blessing
and ruinous calamities lie in ambush for the ungrateful.
While the total destroyers lay in ambush for the ominous one.
ولربُّand many a مقسوطٍone treated unjustly عليهagainst him بغرَّةٍwhile unsuspecting
ولربُّ مقسوطٍ عليه بغرَّةٍ
حَلَّتْbefell بليَّتُهُhis affliction برأسupon the head of القاسِطِthe wrongdoer
حَلَّتْ بليَّتُهُ برأس القاسِطِ
Many an unsuspecting victim of injustice
Many a portion that befell it was covered in shame
has had his affliction fall on the wrongdoer's head.
And its affliction befell the head of Al-Qasit.
ومنand among الجرائمcrimes ماsome that يكونُis عقابُهُits punishment
ومن الجرائم ما يكونُ عقابُهُ
نقداًimmediately فكمْand how many نابٍa canine tooth هُنالكthere ساقطِfallen
نقداً فكمْ نابٍ هُنالك ساقطِ
Some crimes receive their punishment
Among the crimes is one whose punishment
at once—how many a canine tooth fell there!
Is cash, so how many teeth fell out there!
أكلُوهُthey ate him فانتثرتْand scattered لهbecause of him أسنانُهُمtheir teeth
أكلُوهُ فانتثرتْ له أسنانُهُم
وتهشَّمتْand were shattered أقفاؤهُمْthe backs of their heads بالحائطagainst the wall
وتهشَّمتْ أقفاؤهُمْ بالحائط
They ate him, and their teeth scattered on his account,
They ate it and their teeth scattered,
and the backs of their heads were shattered against the wall.
And their molars broke against the wall,
منfrom بينamong نابٍa canine tooth إنماnothing but هوit بَيْرمٌan iron crowbar
من بين نابٍ إنما هو بَيْرمٌ
عِظَماًin size وبينand among them ثنيةٍan incisor كالشَاحطlike a long spear
عِظَماً وبين ثنيةٍ كالشَاحط
Among them, a canine tooth that was nothing but a crowbar
Consisting of a molar that was only bone
in size, and an incisor like a long spear,
And a crease like a cliff.
وطواحنٍand molars قدalready خُرِّقتْwere pierced جنباتُهاtheir sides
وطواحنٍ قد خُرِّقتْ جنباتُها
فكأنand as though أنكَلَهاthe stoutest of them سِلاحُthe weapon of مرابطa frontier guard
فكأن أنكَلَها سِلاحُ مرابط
and molars whose sides were pierced through,
And mills whose sides were torn
as though the stoutest were a frontier guard's weapon.
As if a weapon of the watchman had ravaged them.
وكأنand as though وقعthe striking of مشارطٍpointed quills منfrom ريشهhis feathers
وكأن وقع مشارطٍ من ريشه
فيin تِلكُمُthose الأحناكِjaws وقعُthe striking of مشارطlancets
في تِلكُمُ الأحناكِ وقعُ مشارط
It was as though the blows of pointed quills from his feathers
It was as if the impact of feathers
inside those jaws were the blows of lancets.
Had fallen on those cheeks—the impact of feathers.
ماnot زالceased يشرطُهُمْhe cuts them فمنهand from him شرطةٌa cut
ما زال يشرطُهُمْ فمنه شرطةٌ
ومنand from العكوفِhuddling عليهover him ضرطةُa fart of ضارطa farter
ومن العكوفِ عليه ضرطةُ ضارط
He kept slashing them: from him came a cut,
It kept hitting them, so it was a hitting
and from their huddling over him, a farter's fart.
And, from insisting on it, an officer of the guards.
سَقياًmay rain bless لمنتصرٍone avenging هُناكَthere لنفسهhimself
سَقياً لمنتصرٍ هُناكَ لنفسه
يفْريhe slashes فَرِيَّthe slashing of مُزايلٍone disengaging ومُخالطand one closing in
يفْري فَرِيَّ مُزايلٍ ومُخالط
Blessings on the one who avenged himself there,
It watered a victor there, overflowing
slashing like one who disengages and closes in.
And socializing and mixing too.
لقيhe met الأنامِلَthe fingertips والمراضعand the sucking mouths مُقدِماًboldly advancing
لقي الأنامِلَ والمراضع مُقدِماً
لمnot يَنهزمْhe retreated عنهاfrom them بأجرٍwith a reward حابطforfeited
لم يَنهزمْ عنها بأجرٍ حابط
He met fingertips and sucking mouths boldly,
It met fingers and pacifiers without
and did not retreat from them with his reward forfeited.
Fleeing from them for any stopping payment.
وغدتْand began تصيحُto cry out عظامُهhis bones وعُروقُهُand his veins
وغدتْ تصيحُ عظامُه وعُروقُهُ
ليُفيقَso may recover ذوone having جزعٍgrief عليهover him فارطexcessive
ليُفيقَ ذو جزعٍ عليه فارط
His bones and veins began to cry aloud,
Its bones and veins began to scream
to bring anyone frantic with grief for him to his senses:
To wake one who had abandoned it.
لاdo not تبكينّweep علىover قتادةa thorn tree of خارطٍone stripping it
لا تبكينّ على قتادة خارطٍ
وابكِand weep الدماءthe blood علىon بنانِthe fingertips of الخارطthe stripper
وابكِ الدماء على بنانِ الخارط
Do not weep over the thorn tree a man strips;
Do not cry over the loss of Khatad the unlucky one,
weep instead for the blood on the stripper's fingertips.
But cry blood over the daughters of Al-Khatit.
وغدتْand arose مشايخُهُمْtheir elders وقدand already كتَبواthey had written لناto us
وغدتْ مشايخُهُمْ وقد كتَبوا لنا
بنواصحwith sincere forms of التَوباتrepentance كُتبdocuments of شرائطpledges
بنواصح التَوبات كُتب شرائط
Their elders arose, having written to us
Their sheikhs wrote us words of repentance,
documents of binding pledges, with sincere repentance.
Papers of strips.
أكلواthey ate مؤذِّنَهُمtheir caller to prayer فأضحواand they became كُلُّهُمْall of them
أكلوا مؤذِّنَهُم فأضحوا كُلُّهُمْ
قدalready عُوجلواwere swiftly overtaken بعقابby the punishment of ربٍّa Lord ساخطِangry
قد عُوجلوا بعقاب ربٍّ ساخطِ
They ate their caller to prayer, and all of them found themselves
They ate their muezzin so they all
swiftly overtaken by an angry Lord's punishment.
Were punished by the wrath of an angry Lord.
يتزحَّرونthey strain at stool بأنفسٍwith souls مجهودةٍexhausted
يتزحَّرون بأنفسٍ مجهودةٍ
تبكيweeping وتندرُand suddenly departing ندرةًa sudden departure فيin الغائطِthe privy
تبكي وتندرُ ندرةً في الغائطِ
They strained at stool with exhausted souls,
They sniffle with exhausted souls
weeping, then suddenly departing in the privy.
That cry and mock in the toilet.
أبصارهُمtheir eyes نحوtoward السماءِthe sky كأنماas though
أبصارهُم نحو السماءِ كأنما
بَصَرواthey saw بهاit تُطوىbeing folded بكفَّيْby the two hands of كاشِطِone stripping it away
بَصَروا بها تُطوى بكفَّيْ كاشِطِ
Their eyes turned toward the sky, as though
Their eyes are to the sky as though
they saw it folded by the two hands of one stripping it away.
They saw it folded in the two hands of Al-Kashit,
منincluding باسطٍone extending كفَّthe hand of الدُّعاءِprayer وقابضٍand one clutching
من باسطٍ كفَّ الدُّعاءِ وقابضٍ
كفّa handful of الدواءِmedicine حِذارfor fear of موتٍdeath ذاعطswiftly fatal
كفّ الدواءِ حِذار موتٍ ذاعط
One extended a hand in prayer, another clutched
Of one who extends the palm of supplication and one who
a handful of medicine, fearing a swift, deadly end.
Grasps the palm of remedy, fearing a compression death.
عَسُرتْbecame labored عليهfor him لظلمهbecause of his wrongdoing أنفاسُهُhis breaths
عَسُرتْ عليه لظلمه أنفاسُهُ
فكأنَّهُas though he فيin لحدِthe niche of قبرٍa grave ضاغِطِconstricting
فكأنَّهُ في لحدِ قبرٍ ضاغِطِ
His breaths grew labored because of his wrongdoing,
His breath grew difficult for him due to his injustice,
as though he lay in the niche of a constricting grave.
As if he were in the narrowness of a pressing grave.
يدعُوhe prays بِنِيَّةِwith the intention of قانطٍone despairing لاmay not شُفِّعَتْbe granted intercession
يدعُو بِنِيَّةِ قانطٍ لا شُفِّعَتْ
منany دعوةٍprayer وُصلتwas joined بنِيَّةto the intention of قانطone despairing
من دعوةٍ وُصلت بنِيَّة قانط
He prays with a despairing heart—may no intercession aid
He prays with the intention of a desperate one; no
a prayer joined to a despairing heart!
Prayer was accepted with the intention of a desperate one.
يتنفَّسونthey sigh لكلfor every ضرطةِfart of ضارطٍa farter
يتنفَّسون لكل ضرطةِ ضارطٍ
أسفاًlongingly لهاfor it ولكلand for every ثلطةِloose stool of ثالطone defecating
أسفاً لها ولكل ثلطةِ ثالط
They sigh for every farter's fart,
They gasp at every sniff of the guard
longing for it, and for every loose stool a man passes.
Regretfully and at every sip of the sipper.
ياoh لهفَthe yearning of أنفسهِمْtheir souls علىfor ضرطاتِهمْtheir farts
يا لهفَ أنفسهِمْ على ضرطاتِهمْ
بالأمسyesterday منfrom ذاكthat السُّلاحliquid dung الواخطpiercing
بالأمس من ذاك السُّلاح الواخط
Oh, how their souls yearn for their farts
Oh how their souls yearn for their farts
of yesterday, from that piercing rush of dung!
Yesterday from that formidable weapon!
لوif أنهاthey وُهبتwere given لهمto them فيon يَومِهمtheir day
لو أنها وُهبت لهم في يَومِهم
أضحواthey would become وهمwhile they منfrom رَوْحهاtheir relief بمغابطin enviable comfort
أضحوا وهم من رَوْحها بمغابط
If only those were granted them today,
If only they had been granted to them on their day,
they would be enviably happy with the relief they bring.
They would have become intoxicated with its breath.
بُعداًbanishment لهمfor them بُعداًbanishment لهمfor them بُعداًbanishment لهمfor them
بُعداً لهم بُعداً لهم بُعداً لهم
منincluding قابضone closing كفَّاًa hand وآخرand another باسِطextending
من قابض كفَّاً وآخر باسِط
Away with them! Away with them! Away with them!
Away, away, away with them!
One closing a hand, another spreading it.
Away with the grasper and away with the extender!
سخطُواthey spurned مودَّتَهُمtheir friendship وخانُواand they betrayed جارَهُمtheir neighbor
سخطُوا مودَّتَهُم وخانُوا جارَهُم
لاmay never فارقَleave الأَوداجَthe jugular veins مُدْيةُthe knife of ساحطa slaughterer
لا فارقَ الأَوداجَ مُدْيةُ ساحط
They spurned their friendship and betrayed their neighbor;
They were angry with their friendship and betrayed their neighbor.
may a slaughterer's knife never leave their jugular veins!
The intestines did not part from the disemboweler.
ديكٌa rooster تناوحتِmourned together الديوكُthe roosters لفقدِهِfor his loss
ديكٌ تناوحتِ الديوكُ لفقدِهِ
ماnot زالceased شيخَthe chief of عشائرٍclans وأراهِطand bands
ما زال شيخَ عشائرٍ وأراهِط
A rooster whose loss other roosters mourned together,
It was a rooster whose likes the roosters lament
always the chief of clans and bands.
For it remained a sheikh of clans and groups.
ومنand among العجائبِwonders أنهمthat they ورِطواbecame entangled بهthrough him
ومن العجائبِ أنهم ورِطوا به
فيin المُهلكاتِdeadly perils أشدّthe severest ورطةِentanglement of وارِطone ensnared
في المُهلكاتِ أشدّ ورطةِ وارِط
Strangely, through him they became entangled
Among the wonders is that they were implicated with it
in deadly perils, with the worst entanglement of anyone ensnared.
In the deadly sins, the strongest implication.
ورأواand they deemed بقيَّتَهُhis remains أصحَّthe surest معاذةٍprotective charm
ورأوا بقيَّتَهُ أصحَّ معاذةٍ
للطِّفلfor the child بينamong موازجٍpotion-mixers وقوامِطand swaddlers
للطِّفل بين موازجٍ وقوامِط
Yet they deemed his remains the surest protective charm
And they saw its remainder as protection
for a child among potion-mixers and swaddlers.
For the child among rubbers and pacifiers.
فمتىand whenever اشتكتْcomplained أطفالُهمtheir children منof جِنَّةٍjinn-possession
فمتى اشتكتْ أطفالُهم من جِنَّةٍ
دلفُواthey approached لهمthem منsome of مائِهِhis broth بمساعِطwith nasal dosing-spoons
دلفُوا لهم من مائِهِ بمساعِط
Whenever their children complained of jinn-possession,
Whenever their children complained of jinn,
they brought them his broth in nasal dosing-spoons.
They turned to it for water with ladles.
ومتىand whenever رأوْاthey saw دِيكاًa rooster ولوeven if منfrom فرْسخٍa parasang
ومتى رأوْا دِيكاً ولو من فرْسخٍ
أبصرتَهُمyou saw them يعْدُونَrunning عدوَthe running of مُبالطa desperate fighter
أبصرتَهُم يعْدُونَ عدوَ مُبالط
Whenever they saw a rooster, even a parasang away,
Whenever they saw a rooster even from a parasang,
you saw them racing like a man fighting for his life:
You saw them running like meeting and conversing.
لاnot مُقبلينَadvancing إليهtoward him لكنbut هُرَّباًfleeing
لا مُقبلينَ إليه لكن هُرَّباً
منهfrom him حِذارfor fear of معاطبٍdeadly dangers ومَوارِطand entanglements
منه حِذار معاطبٍ ومَوارِط
not advancing toward him, but fleeing
Neither going near it—rather, fleeing
from him, for fear of deadly dangers and entanglements.
From it for fear of addressing and bitterness.
فهُمُand they لغوغاءِfor the rabble of القبيلةِthe tribe لعبةٌa plaything
فهُمُ لغوغاءِ القبيلةِ لعبةٌ
فيin عسكرٍa host متضاحكٍlaughing together مُتضارطِfarting together
في عسكرٍ متضاحكٍ مُتضارطِ
They are a plaything for the tribe's rabble,
For they are the rabble of the tribe, a plaything
amid a host laughing and farting together.
For a laughing, jesting army.
ودَّتloved حديثَهُمُtheir story الولاةُthe governors فربَّماand sometimes
ودَّت حديثَهُمُ الولاةُ فربَّما
نفذتْwent out بهwith it فيin اليومa day عشرُten خرائِطِdispatch bags
نفذتْ به في اليوم عشرُ خرائِطِ
The governors loved their story; sometimes
The governors circulated their talk so perhaps
ten dispatch bags went out with it in a day.
Ten papers would be issued about it in a day.
ماnot كانhe was ديكاًa rooster بلbut حديداًiron بارداًcold
ما كان ديكاً بل حديداً بارداً
ولربَّand many a شيءٍthing للظنونِto conjectures مُغالطmisleading
ولربَّ شيءٍ للظنونِ مُغالط
He was no rooster, but cold iron;
It was not a rooster! Nay, it was cold iron.
many a thing deceives conjecture.
Many a thing is mistaken for what it is not!
لاقىhe faced هنالكthere كلَّall ذلكthat لمnot يخمshrink
لاقى هنالك كلَّ ذلك لم يخم
عنهfrom it وهمْwhile they منeither ضارطٍone farting أوor ناحطone groaning
عنه وهمْ من ضارطٍ أو ناحط
He faced all that there without shrinking
It met there everything that does not protect
from it, while they were either farting or groaning.
From a guard or porter.
وأقولُand I offer موعظةًa warning لرائدto one scouting for منزلٍa dwelling
وأقولُ موعظةً لرائد منزلٍ
تَهديهguides him معرفةٌknowledge وآخَرand another خابطblundering blindly
تَهديه معرفةٌ وآخَر خابط
I offer a warning to one scouting for a dwelling,
And I say by way of advice to the leader of an abode
guided by knowledge, and to another blundering blindly:
That guidance and warning guide him:
لاdo not تنزلنَّsettle بمنزلٍin the dwelling of مُتكوِّفٍa Kufan settler
لا تنزلنَّ بمنزلٍ مُتكوِّفٍ
وتنحَّand move away عنهfrom it إلىto المحَلِّthe lodging الشَّاحطfar-off
وتنحَّ عنه إلى المحَلِّ الشَّاحط
Never settle in a Kufan settler's dwelling,
"Do not camp in a place with palm fiber roofs!"
but move away from it to a far-off lodging.
And avoid it for the filthy place.
إنindeed الغوائلcalamities فيin المقاحِطdrought-stricken places جمَّةٌplentiful
إن الغوائل في المقاحِط جمَّةٌ
فتوقَّso guard against غائلةَthe calamity of المرادِthe desired destination القاحطbarren
فتوقَّ غائلةَ المرادِ القاحط
For calamities abound in drought-stricken places;
For calamities in the public dumps are many,
so beware the peril of a barren place you seek.
So avoid the calamity of the filthy goal!
واعمَدْand make for إذاwhen شئتَyou seek الجِوارneighborliness إلىtoward الذُرىthe heights
واعمَدْ إذا شئتَ الجِوار إلى الذُرى
إنindeed المكارهmisfortunes أولعتْbecame attached بالهابطto one descending
إن المكاره أولعتْ بالهابط
If you seek neighbors, make for the heights;
And if you wish for neighborliness, go to the chaste ones.
for misfortunes fasten upon those who settle low.
For troubles are enamored with the fallen ones.
جاورتI lived as a neighbor فيin كُوفانKufan شرَّthe worst عصابةgang
جاورت في كُوفان شرَّ عصابة
منincluding صامتٍone silent عيَّاًfrom inarticulateness وآخرَand another لاغِطِbabbling noisily
من صامتٍ عيَّاً وآخرَ لاغِطِ
In Kufan I had the worst gang as neighbors:
I dwelled in Kufan—the evilest of gangs
one silent from inarticulateness, another noisily babbling.
From a silent groaner and another babbler too.
دقّواthey were minute فلوso if أولجْتَهمyou inserted them لتولَّجواthey would enter
دقّوا فلو أولجْتَهم لتولَّجوا
منfrom دقَّةٍminuteness فيinto سَمِّthe eye of إبرةa needle of خائطِone sewing
من دقَّةٍ في سَمِّ إبرة خائطِ
They were so minute that, if you pushed them in, they would pass
They were so precise that if you had made them drink they would have filtered
from sheer smallness through the eye of a tailor's needle.
The poison in the eye of a sewing needle when sifted!
دلفواthey approached لجارِهمُtheir neighbor بشرٍّwith evil لازمٍclinging
دلفوا لجارِهمُ بشرٍّ لازمٍ
وتجانفواand they turned aside عنهfrom him بخيرٍwith good مائطِheld far away
وتجانفوا عنه بخيرٍ مائطِ
They approached their neighbor with clinging evil,
They turned to their neighbor with lasting harm
but turned aside from him, keeping any good away.
And turned away from him with fleeting good.
ألفيتُهُمI found them منamong شرِّthe worst قنيةِpossessions of مقتنٍone acquiring
ألفيتُهُم من شرِّ قنيةِ مقتنٍ
للمقتنينfor possessors وشرِّand the worst لقطةِfind of لاقطone picking it up
للمقتنين وشرِّ لقطةِ لاقط
I found them among the worst possessions of any owner,
I found them to have the evils of a hoarder,
for all who acquire, and the worst find any finder could make.
Grasping from the graspers, and the evils of a picker-upper too!
وثبواthey attacked عليّme سفاهةًfoolishly فوسْمتُهُمso I branded them
وثبوا عليّ سفاهةً فوسْمتُهُم
وسمَwith the branding of المسطِّعone branding lengthwise بعدafter وسمthe branding of العالطone branding crosswise
وسمَ المسطِّع بعد وسم العالط
They attacked me foolishly, so I branded them
They ignorantly attacked me so I branded them—
with a lengthwise neck-brand after a crosswise one.
Both the brand of a deformity and the earlier brand!
قومa people يبيتُspends the night الرشدُsound judgment فيهمamong them ضائِعاًlost
قوم يبيتُ الرشدُ فيهم ضائِعاً
والغيُّand waywardness بينamong دواهنٍwomen oiling ومواشِطand women combing
والغيُّ بين دواهنٍ ومواشِط
A people among whom sound judgment spends the night lost,
A people among whom sanity wanders lost
while waywardness lies among women oiling and combing hair.
And madness wanders between skirts and pillows.
المشترينthose buying فياشلاًphalluses لنسائهمfor their women
المشترين فياشلاً لنسائهم
بدراهمٍfor dirhams ووظائفاًand shanks بقرارطfor qirats
بدراهمٍ ووظائفاً بقرارط
Those who buy phalluses for their women
Buyers of trash for their women
with dirhams, and shanks with qirats.
With dirhams and jobs for farthings.
ماwhatever شئتَyou wish منof عقلreason ضعيفٍweak واهنٍfeeble
ما شئتَ من عقل ضعيفٍ واهنٍ
فيهمamong them ومنand of خبلٍderangement شديدfierce ضابطِoverpowering
فيهم ومن خبلٍ شديد ضابطِ
All you could want of weak, feeble reason
Whatever weakness of intellect you wished for
is in them, and of fierce, overpowering madness.
And whatever intense idiocy controlling.
لوif أنَّindeed لؤمthe baseness of الناسpeople قيسwere measured بلؤمِهمagainst their baseness
لو أنَّ لؤم الناس قيس بلؤمِهم
ماnot كانwould be فيهin it قيسُthe measure of نقطةِa dot of ناقطone dotting
ما كان فيه قيسُ نقطةِ ناقط
If mankind's baseness were measured against theirs,
If the vileness of people were measured by their vileness
it would not amount to the measure of a dotter's dot.
There would not be in it the measurement of a dot!
Sol 6.1