قَبَحتَmay you be disgraced لوif كنتyou had been أمرءًa man صالحاًupright
قَبَحتَ لو كنت أمرءً صالحاً
تعرفyou know ماwhat الحقtruth منfrom الباطلِfalsehood
تعرف ما الحق من الباطلِ
Shame on you! Had you been an upright man,
You would be ashamed if you were a virtuous man
knowing truth from falsehood,
Who knows right from wrong
كفَفتَyou would have refrained عنfrom شتميreviling me بلاwithout إخنهٍa grudge
كفَفتَ عن شتمي بلا إخنهٍ
ولمand would not تورَّطbe caught كِفَّةًa snare الحابلِof the fowler
ولم تورَّط كِفَّةً الحابلِ
you would not have reviled me without a grudge,
You would stop insulting me unjustly
nor fallen into the fowler’s snare.
And not make accusations like a pregnant she-camel
لكنbut أبتrejected نفسكyour soul فعلَthe ways النهىof reason
لكن أبت نفسك فعلَ النهى
والحزمand prudence والنجدةِand courage والنائلِand generosity
والحزم والنجدةِ والنائلِ
But your soul rejected the ways of reason,
But your soul refused to heed prohibitions
of prudence, courage, and generosity.
Of wisdom, valor, success, and attainment
فتحتَyou opened ليfor me بالشتمwith insults حتىuntil بداappeared
فتحتَ لي بالشتم حتى بدا
مكنونconcealed غِشٍmalice فيin الحشاthe breast داخلِlodged within
مكنون غِشٍ في الحشا داخلِ
You opened the way for me with insults, till there appeared
You opened the way for me to insult you until
the malice concealed deep within the breast.
Hidden villainy appeared inside you
فاجهدso strive وقُلand speak لاdo not تتركleave off جاهداًstriving hard
فاجهد وقُل لا تترك جاهداً
شَتمreviling امريءa man ذيpossessing نجدةٍcourage عاقلِsensible
شَتم امريء ذي نجدةٍ عاقلِ
So strive and speak; spare no effort
So keep at it and say "Don't leave a struggler
in reviling a courageous, sensible man.
Who insults a man of sense and valor"
تعذلنيyou reproach me فيfor قهوةٍwine مُزَّةٍtart
تعذلني في قهوةٍ مُزَّةٍ
درياقةٍantidotal تُجلَبis brought منfrom بابلِBabylon
درياقةٍ تُجلَب من بابلِ
You reproach me for a tart wine,
You fault me over a morning coffee
an antidote brought from Babylon.
An antidote brought from Babylon
ولوand if رآهاhe saw it خرَّhe would fall down منfrom حُبّهاlove of it
ولو رآها خرَّ من حُبّها
يسجُدprostrating himself للشيطانto Satan بالباطلِin falsehood
يسجُد للشيطان بالباطلِ
And were he to see it, he would fall down for love of it,
If he saw it he would collapse from love
prostrating himself before Satan in false worship.
And prostrate himself to Satan in vain
ياO شرّworst of بكرٍBakr كلّهاall of it محتِدأin lineage
يا شرّ بكرٍ كلّها محتِدأ
ونُهزةَand easy prey المختلسِfor the snatcher الآكلِthe devourer
ونُهزةَ المختلسِ الآكلِ
O basest of all Bakr in lineage,
Oh worst of mornings, all problematic
and easy prey for the snatching devourer!
And the theft of a gluttonous pilferer
عِرضَكyour honor وفرّهpreserve it ودعنيand leave me وماand what
عِرضَك وفرّه ودعني وما
أهواهI love it ياO أحمقmore foolish منthan باقلِBaqil
أهواه يا أحمق من باقلِ
Preserve your honor, and leave me with what
Your honor is lost, so leave me be
I love, O greater fool than Baqil!
You fool over chickpeas
Sol 6.1