ياO سائليyou who ask me بأميرناabout our emir
يا سائلي بأميرنا
وبآفةٍand about an affliction نَخَبَتْsapped فؤادَهْhis heart
وبآفةٍ نَخَبَتْ فؤادَهْ
O you who ask me about our emir,
and about an affliction that has sapped his heart:
أبداًalways عليهupon him هزيمةٌdefeat
أبداً عليه هزيمةٌ
فيin الحربwar مُبْدأةbegun afresh مُعادَهْrepeated
في الحرب مُبْدأة مُعادَهْ
Defeat is always his lot
in war, time and time again.
سلْنيask me فإنِّيfor I am عالمٌknowledgeable
سلْني فإنِّي عالمٌ
بأمورهabout his affairs عدْلُtrustworthy in الشهادَهْtestimony
بأموره عدْلُ الشهادَهْ
Ask me, for I am well versed
in his affairs, a trustworthy witness.
ولَّىhe turned قَفَاهhis backside عبيدَهُhis slaves
ولَّى قَفَاه عبيدَهُ
واعتادand he grew accustomed to ذاكthat فصارso it became عادَهْa habit
واعتاد ذاك فصار عادَهْ
He turned his backside toward his slaves,
and grew accustomed to that until it became a habit.
فلذاكand for that reason صارhe became مُولّياًone who turns tail
فلذاك صار مُولّياً
أبداًalways ولوْeven if لاقىhe met جرادَهa locust
أبداً ولوْ لاقى جرادَه
So he has taken to turning tail,
always—even if he meets a locust.
Sol 6.1