وقائلand someone saying كيفhow تهجوyou satirize
وقائل كيف تهجو
عمْراًAmr وعمروٌwhile Amr مُعِدُّmaking ready
عمْراً وعمروٌ مُعِدُّ
And someone says, "How can you satirize
How can you satirize
Amr, while Amr is making ready?
A man whose presence is prepared
لهhe has زُنوجBlack men حضورin attendance
له زُنوج حضور
هَزَلتyou jested وهْوwhile he مُجدُّin earnest
هَزَلت وهْو مُجدُّ
He has Black men in attendance;
By armies of servants?
you jested, while he is in earnest."
You joked, yet he is glorious.
فقلتُso I said فيin اللهGod ربِّيmy Lord
فقلتُ في الله ربِّي
وقاسمٍand Qasim ليfor me رَدُّa defense
وقاسمٍ لي رَدُّ
I replied, "In God, my Lord,
So I said: By God, my Lord,
and Qasim lies my defense.
And Qasim is my defender.
هلhas ...? استمدَّsought aid بعوْنٍfrom a helper
هل استمدَّ بعوْنٍ
سواهماother than those two مُسْتَمِدُّa seeker of aid
سواهما مُسْتَمِدُّ
Has aid ever been sought from a helper
Has he gained any support
other than those two, by a seeker of aid?
Other than them two?
أوor استعدَّmade ready عتاداًresources
أو استعدَّ عتاداً
سواهماother than those two مُسْتَعِدُّone making ready
سواهما مُسْتَعِدُّ
Or have any resources been readied
Or has he prepared any equipment
besides those two, by one making ready?
Other than them two?
ياO سَيّداًmaster لمnot يزلcease وهْand he (continued)
يا سَيّداً لم يزل وهْ
وcompletes 'he' (هو) بالعُلاin glory مُستَبدُّholding sole sway
و بالعُلا مُستَبدُّ
O master, who has never ceased
O Master, always mighty
to hold glory alone,
And absolute in the heights.
اجعْلgrant لعبدكfor your servant رفداًa gift
اجعْل لعبدك رفداً
فمزْحُfor the jest of رفْدكyour giving جِدُّearnestness
فمزْحُ رفْدك جِدُّ
grant your servant a gift,
Grant your servant some aid,
for even your giving in jest is earnest.
For your aid's jest is serious.
لاdo not تُطْمِعَنْembolden (emphatic) فيَّagainst me عَمْراًAmr
لا تُطْمِعَنْ فيَّ عَمْراً
فإنهfor indeed he ليَto me ضِدُّan adversary
فإنه ليَ ضِدُّ
Do not embolden Amr against me,
Do not make me hope in a man,
for he is my adversary.
For he is against me.
لاmay ... not زلتَyou cease تُبْليwear down أُنُوفاًnoses
لا زلتَ تُبْلي أُنُوفاً
كأنفهlike his nose وتُجِدُّand renew
كأنفه وتُجِدُّ
May you ever wear down noses
You continually humble proud souls,
like his, and renew others,
As if his soul and yours compete.
مُقدّماًadvancing ألَفa thousand نِدٍّpeer
مُقدّماً ألَف نِدٍّ
لهto him وماwhile there is no لكfor you ندُّpeer
له وما لك ندُّ
advancing a thousand equals
Putting forth a thousand rivals
of his, though you have no equal.
For him, while you have no rival.
تَحبُوyou bestow gifts وتُحْبَىand you receive gifts ومالُand the wealth of الthe
تَحبُو وتُحْبَى ومالُ ال
كريمgenerous man جَزْرٌebb ومَدُّand flow
كريم جَزْرٌ ومَدُّ
You give and receive, and the wealth of the
You love and are loved, and the generous one's
generous man is ebb and flow.
Hospitality and refusal alternate.
تُعطيكgive to you أيديhands of اللياليthe nights
تُعطيك أيدي الليالي
عفواًfreely ولاand do not تَسْترِدُّtake back
عفواً ولا تَسْترِدُّ
The hands of the nights give to you
The nights grant you a pardon for free
freely, and do not take back.
And do not take back.
ونعمةُand the blessing of اللهGod حسبيsufficient for me
ونعمةُ الله حسبي
تبقىit endures ونُعماكand your bounty عِدُّan unfailing spring
تبقى ونُعماك عِدُّ
And God's blessing suffices me:
God's bounty is enough for me,
it endures, and your bounty is an unfailing spring.
It remains while your favors count.
أشْبعتَyou have sated عبداًa servant فماليso why do I
أشْبعتَ عبداً فمالي
أراكI see you لاnot تَسْتَكِدُّput to hard work
أراك لا تَسْتَكِدُّ
You have sated a servant; why, then,
You have satisfied a servant, so why
do I see you not putting him to work?
Do I see you are not content?
أسْنِدْentrust work إليّto me تجدْنيyou will find me
أسْنِدْ إليّ تجدْني
كبعضlike some of منthose whom تَسْتسِدُّyou rely on
كبعض من تَسْتسِدُّ
Entrust work to me; you will find me
Rely on me and you will find me
like some of those you rely on."
Like some you rely upon.
Sol 6.1