ياO بانيَbuilder of الدَّرجِthe stairs الذيwho أولَىmore fitting بهfor him
يا بانيَ الدَّرجِ الذي أولَى به
لوif كانhe was يعقلhe has sense هَدْمُهاdemolishing them منfrom دارِهِhis house
لو كان يعقل هَدْمُها من دارِهِ
O builder of the stairs, whose better course—
O builder of the staircase, which, had it sense,
if he had sense—would be to tear them out of his house.
Its ruin would have been foremost in its thought,
لاdo not تبنينَّever build بنيةًa structure قوَّادةًa procuress
لا تبنينَّ بنيةً قوَّادةً
تُزْنيmakes fornicate بناتِthe daughters of أبيthe father of البناتthe daughters بجارِهِwith his neighbor
تُزْني بناتِ أبي البنات بجارِهِ
Do not ever build a structure that acts as a procuress,
Build no edifice that plays the pimp
making the daughters of the girls' father fornicate with his neighbor.
And beautifies the daughters of Abu'l-Banat for its neighbor.
لمdid not يَبنهاbuild them إلاexcept امرؤa man متعصّبٌfanatically devoted
لم يَبنها إلا امرؤ متعصّبٌ
للكَشْخto shameless cuckoldry يعجبهdelights him ارتفاعthe rise of شَنارِهِhis disgrace
للكَشْخ يعجبه ارتفاع شَنارِهِ
None built them but a man fanatically devoted
None built it but a man of violent passion
to shameless cuckoldry, delighted by his mounting disgrace.
Who admires the steep height of its gable.
ياO بانيَbuilder of الدرجthe stairs الوثيقsturdy بناؤُهاtheir construction
يا بانيَ الدرج الوثيق بناؤُها
بالصخرwith stone ينقلهhe carries it علىupon أشفارِهِhis eyelids
بالصخر ينقله على أشفارِهِ
O builder of the stairs, whose construction is sturdy
O builder of the staircase, so stoutly constructed
with stone he carries upon his eyelids,
With rock transported on his shoulders,
شكراًin gratitude لماfor what هتَّكنthey violated منof حُرماتِهِhis women's honor
شكراً لما هتَّكن من حُرماتِهِ
لاno بلrather لماfor what كثَّرنthey multiplied منof أصهارِهِhis in-laws
لا بل لما كثَّرن من أصهارِهِ
in thanks for the honor of his women they have violated—
Thanks for letting me violate his harem;
no, rather, for the in-laws they have multiplied for him.
Nay rather, for multiplying my in-laws.
كمhow many غافلٍan unsuspecting man فيin سُوقهhis market قنَّعتَهُyou cloaked him
كم غافلٍ في سُوقه قنَّعتَهُ
فيin عُونهhis matrons خِزياًdisgrace وفيand in أبكارِهِhis virgins
في عُونه خِزياً وفي أبكارِهِ
How many an unsuspecting man in his market have you cloaked
How many a heedless man hast thou hoodwinked
in disgrace through his matrons and his maidens!
With shame for his help and for his daughters!
لوif غارhe felt protective jealousy هدَّمهاhe would demolish them بفيهِwith his mouth وأنفهِand his nose
لو غار هدَّمها بفيهِ وأنفهِ
طلباًin pursuit لهاof them حتىuntil المماتِdeath بثارِهِfor his vengeance
طلباً لها حتى المماتِ بثارِهِ
If he felt jealousy, he would demolish them with his mouth and nose,
Had he been jealous he had demolished it with his mouth and nose
pursuing them until death to avenge himself.
Seeking vengeance for it until his dying day.
لكنهُbut he رجلٌa man يبرِّجُputs on display عِرْسَهُhis wife
لكنهُ رجلٌ يبرِّجُ عِرْسَهُ
وبناتِهand his daughters ليزدْنَso they may add فيto أنصارِهِhis supporters
وبناتِه ليزدْنَ في أنصارِهِ
But he is a man who puts his wife on display,
But he is a man who decks out his wedding feast
and his daughters, so they may add to his supporters.
That his daughters may increase their partisans.
Sol 6.1