لاmay not يكشفlift اللهGod عنfrom وهبWahb بنson of إسحاقِIshaq
لا يكشف الله عن وهب بن إسحاقِ
منof البلاءaffliction سماءa sky ذاتhaving إطباقِcomplete enclosure
من البلاء سماء ذات إطباقِ
May God never lift from Wahb ibn Ishaq
God does not relieve Wahb ibn Ishaq
a sky of affliction that closes over him.
From affliction, a sky of total darkness
قالواthey said الخبيثthe vile man قدalready استسقىdeveloped dropsy فقلتso I said لهمto them
قالوا الخبيث قد استسقى فقلت لهم
لاmay not يشفهcure him طبُّthe medicine of ذيa possessor of طبٍّmedical skill ولاnor راقan incantation-healer
لا يشفه طبُّ ذي طبٍّ ولا راق
They said, "The vile man has developed dropsy"; I told them:
They said the wicked one has asked for rain, so I said to them
May neither a physician's medicine nor a spell-healer cure him.
No medicine can heal one inflicted by a biting snake
قدindeed كانhe used to يكثرtake much منof هاضومa digestive remedy غلمتهhis lust
قد كان يكثر من هاضوم غلمته
بجهدهwith all his effort لوif وقاهshielded him from حتفهhis death واقيa protector
بجهده لو وقاه حتفه واقي
He used to take much of his lust's digestive,
He had often whipped his young slave
with all his might—if any protector could have warded off his doom.
With effort, if it had saved him from his fate it would have protected him
لاlet no يُرجَbe hoped for بعدكafter you للهاضومfor the digestive remedy منفعةٌbenefit
لا يُرجَ بعدك للهاضوم منفعةٌ
إنif متَّyou die فيin الماءwater ياO وهبWahb بنson of إسحاقIshaq
إن متَّ في الماء يا وهب بن إسحاق
Let no benefit be hoped for from the digestive after you,
After you no benefit will come to the whipper
if you die in water, O Wahb ibn Ishaq.
If you die in water, O Wahb ibn Ishaq
إذاwhen دعاprays لكfor you داعsomeone praying قلتI say حينئذthen
إذا دعا لك داع قلت حينئذ
لاmay not زالcease منfrom وصبthe pain of الشكوىillness علىupon ساقa leg (figuratively, severity)
لا زال من وصب الشكوى على ساق
When someone prays for you, I say then:
When someone prays for you, I then say
May he ever remain in the throes of painful illness!
He still complains from continuous affliction
أإنis it because رأيتyou saw حيائيmy modesty خلتهyou took it for خنَثاًeffeminacy
أإن رأيت حيائي خلته خنَثاً
قدindeed غُرَّhas been deceived منwhoever غرwas deceived منby أفعىa viper بإطراقby lowering its head
قد غُرَّ من غر من أفعى بإطراق
Is it because you saw my modesty that you took it for effeminacy?
If you saw my shyness, you deemed it effeminate
He is truly deceived who is fooled by a viper's lowered head.
Deceived by the deceit of a hissing serpent
بمثلwith the like of ظنكyour notion هذاthis ياO أباAbu (father of) حسنHasan
بمثل ظنك هذا يا أبا حسن
أمِنتَyou trusted كلevery مُمَرِّfirmly knit المتنthe back غرناقa fair, delicate youth
أمِنتَ كل مُمَرِّ المتن غرناق
With a notion like this of yours, O Abu Hasan,
With this suspicion of yours, O Abu Hasan
you trusted every delicate youth with a sinewy back,
You trusted every smooth-tongued slanderer
حتىuntil عثواthey ran riot فيamong نساءwomen كالدمىlike dolls عُرُبٍamorous
حتى عثوا في نساء كالدمى عُرُبٍ
إذsince لمnot يكنthere was بينهمbetween them بابa door بمغلاقwith a bolt
إذ لم يكن بينهم باب بمغلاق
until they ran riot among amorous women, lovely as dolls,
Until they attacked the women like wild Arabs
since no bolted door stood between them.
When there was no closed door between them
أحسنتyou made favorable ظنكyour opinion جداًexceedingly بالرجالof men فكنso be
أحسنت ظنك جداً بالرجال فكن
علىin a state of محاذرةwariness منهمof them وإشفاقand apprehension
على محاذرة منهم وإشفاق
You have thought exceedingly well of men; so be
You thought too well of men, so be
on your guard against them, and apprehensive.
Wary of them and careful
لاmay not تعدمyou lack الماءwater منfrom سقياbeing given water ويعقبهand follows it
لا تعدم الماء من سقيا ويعقبه
سقياكyour being given drink فيin النارthe Fire منof مهلmolten metal وغساقand foul pus
سقياك في النار من مهل وغساق
May you never lack water to drink, and may that be followed
You will not lack water to drink followed
by molten metal and foul pus given you to drink in the Fire.
By your drinking in hellfire, lingering and sizzling
Sol 6.1