بَخِلتَ عليَّ بجدوى سواكَ

بَخِلتَ عليَّ بجدوى سواكَ

وضاق به بطنُك الأعكَنُ

وضاق به بطنُك الأعكَنُ

You begrudged me another's bounty,

You were stingy with me, though none compares to you,

and your fat-folded belly could not stomach it.

And your belly was too tight, though capacious and vast.

وخِستَ بأمرٍ تضمَّنته

وخِستَ بأمرٍ تضمَّنته

ومثلُك خاسَ بما يَضمَنُ

ومثلُك خاسَ بما يَضمَنُ

And you broke faith over a matter you undertook,

You fell short in a matter you undertook-

and one like you breaks whatever he pledges.

One like you always fails in what they take on.

ولم يخف عنِّيَ إذ كان ذاك

ولم يخف عنِّيَ إذ كان ذاك

بما دبَّر الثَّيْتلُ الأقْرنُ

بما دبَّر الثَّيْتلُ الأقْرنُ

Nor was it hidden from me, when that happened,

It was clear to me when that happened,

what the horned ibex had plotted.

What the sly fox had schemed and planned.

نصيبك ليس نصيبي بخس

نصيبك ليس نصيبي بخس

تَ لو كنت تعقلُ أو تَدْهَنُ

تَ لو كنت تعقلُ أو تَدْهَنُ

Your share, not mine, you shortchanged—

Your share is not my share if you cheat-

if only you had sense or guile.

If only you had sense or skill in deceit!

تعاورتماني بكيد النساء

تعاورتماني بكيد النساء

فكِيدا فكيدُكما الأوهَنُ

فكِيدا فكيدُكما الأوهَنُ

You two took turns assailing me with women's wiles;

You both schemed against me with women's wiles,

so plot, you two: yours is the weaker plot.

But your scheming is the weakest and most vile.

سيرميكُما بالذي فيكما

سيرميكُما بالذي فيكما

لسانٌ بحمدكُما ألكَنُ

لسانٌ بحمدكُما ألكَنُ

You both will be assailed with what is in you,

My tongue will expose what's in you,

by a tongue that stammers in praising you both.

Though it only sings your praises while praising you.

أبا حسن إنها غيلةٌ

أبا حسن إنها غيلةٌ

كناصيةِ الفَجْر بل أبينُ

كناصيةِ الفَجْر بل أبينُ

Abu Hasan, this is a treacherous attack,

Abu Hasan, she is but a ruse,

plain as dawn's forelock—plainer still.

Like the dawn's zephyr, nay, even more obtuse.

ولو كنتُ أرضيت تلك العجو

ولو كنتُ أرضيت تلك العجو

ز عاملتَني بالذي يَحْسنُ

ز عاملتَني بالذي يَحْسنُ

And had I pleased that old woman,

Had I acquiesced to that foolish woman,

you would have treated me as was fitting.

You'd have treated me well, as a wise man would.

ولكن أبى ذاك لي أنني

ولكن أبى ذاك لي أنني

عفيفٌ أسِرُّ كما أعلِنُ

عفيفٌ أسِرُّ كما أعلِنُ

But what kept me from that was that I

But I refused, for I am chaste,

am chaste in private as in public.

I keep secrets, though my virtues manifest.

فكدني أكِدك ولا تألُني

فكدني أكِدك ولا تألُني

ستعلم مَنْ كيدُه أَمْتنُ

ستعلم مَنْ كيدُه أَمْتنُ

So scheme against me: I shall scheme against you; spare me nothing.

So plot against me and do not relent,

You will learn whose scheme is stronger.

You'll know whose plot is more excellent.

وما ابنُ مَنينٍ قتيلٌ ثَوى

وما ابنُ مَنينٍ قتيلٌ ثَوى

فسوفَ يُرَى عِرضُه أَمْينُ

فسوفَ يُرَى عِرضُه أَمْينُ

And Ibn Manin is no slain man laid to rest,

No son of an adulterer will rest underground,

whose honor would henceforth be thought secure.

His honor will be seen as false, I'll be proven sound.

هو ابن الشهيد الذي لا يُثاب

هو ابن الشهيد الذي لا يُثاب

ثوابَ الشهادة بل يُلعنُ

ثوابَ الشهادة بل يُلعنُ

He is the son of the martyr who receives no

He's the son of a martyr who earns no reward

reward for martyrdom, but is cursed instead.

Of martyrdom, but curses as his just reward.

قتيلُ الزنا والخنا صُبرةً

قتيلُ الزنا والخنا صُبرةً

بسيف الإمام فبئس الهَنُ

بسيف الإمام فبئس الهَنُ

Slain for adultery and lewdness, while held captive,

Killed for adultery, filth, and vice,

by the imam's sword—what a vile thing!

By the Imam's sword-a terrible price!

علا ألفَ أنثى بلا حِلِّها

علا ألفَ أنثى بلا حِلِّها

على أنه رجلٌ مُحصَنُ

على أنه رجلٌ مُحصَنُ

He mounted a thousand females, none lawful to him,

He mounted a thousand women not rightfully his,

though he was a married man.

Yet claimed to be a man of honor, one who is chaste!

وأحسبُ أمَّ ابنِهِ بعضهنْ

وأحسبُ أمَّ ابنِهِ بعضهنْ

ن بل لستُ أحسب بل أوقِنُ

ن بل لستُ أحسب بل أوقِنُ

And I suppose his son's mother was one of them—

I suspect his mother was one of those whores,

no, I do not merely suppose: I am certain.

Nay, I do more than suspect, I'm fully sure.

وقِدماً علمتُ إذا ما علم

وقِدماً علمتُ إذا ما علم

ت من جوهر المرءِ ما المعدنُ

ت من جوهر المرءِ ما المعدنُ

And long ago I learned, whenever I knew

For I knew long ago, when discerning the essence

a man's substance, what mine it came from.

Of a person, what ore they're made of, their provenance.