قَبَحتَshame on you لوif كنتyou were أمرءًa man صالحاًupright
قَبَحتَ لو كنت أمرءً صالحاً
تعرفyou recognize ماwhat الحقthe truth منfrom الباطلِfalsehood
تعرف ما الحق من الباطلِ
Shame on you! Had you been an upright man,
You would have disgraced yourself had you been an honest man
able to tell truth from falsehood,
You would have known right from wrong
كفَفتَyou refrained عنfrom شتميinsulting me بلاwithout إخنهٍa grudge
كفَفتَ عن شتمي بلا إخنهٍ
ولمand did not تورَّطbecome entangled كِفَّةًa net الحابلِthe trapper
ولم تورَّط كِفَّةً الحابلِ
you would have refrained from insulting me without a grudge,
You would have stopped insulting me without malice
and not become entangled in the trapper’s net.
And not implicated the innocent
لكنbut أبتrefused نفسكyour soul فعلَthe practice of النهىreason
لكن أبت نفسك فعلَ النهى
والحزمand resolve والنجدةِand valor والنائلِand generosity
والحزم والنجدةِ والنائلِ
But your soul refused the ways of reason,
But your soul refused to heed the prohibition
of resolve, valor, and generosity.
Of determination, excellence, and success
فتحتَyou opened ليfor me بالشتمwith insults حتىuntil بداappeared
فتحتَ لي بالشتم حتى بدا
مكنونconcealed غِشٍdeceit فيin الحشاthe breast داخلِwithin
مكنون غِشٍ في الحشا داخلِ
By insulting me, you gave me an opening, until there appeared
You opened the door of insult upon me until
concealed deceit lodged deep within the breast.
The hidden wickedness in you was exposed
فاجهدso strive وقُلand speak لاdo not تتركabandon جاهداًexerting yourself
فاجهد وقُل لا تترك جاهداً
شَتمinsulting امريءa man ذيpossessing نجدةٍvalor عاقلِsensible
شَتم امريء ذي نجدةٍ عاقلِ
So strive and speak; do not give up your efforts
So strive and say, do not leave a sincere man
to insult a man of valor and good sense.
Who insults a wise and capable man
تعذلنيyou reproach me فيfor قهوةٍwine مُزَّةٍtart
تعذلني في قهوةٍ مُزَّةٍ
درياقةٍan antidote تُجلَبis brought منfrom بابلِBabylon
درياقةٍ تُجلَب من بابلِ
You reproach me for a tart wine,
You blame me in a lofty café
an antidote brought from Babylon.
An antidote brought from Babylon
ولوand if رآهاhe saw it خرَّhe fell down منout of حُبّهاlove for it
ولو رآها خرَّ من حُبّها
يسجُدhe prostrates himself للشيطانto Satan بالباطلِin falsehood
يسجُد للشيطان بالباطلِ
And if he saw it, he would fall down for love of it,
If he had seen it, he would have fallen in love
prostrating himself before Satan in falsehood.
And bowed to Satan in vain
ياO شرّworst of بكرٍBakr كلّهاall of it محتِدأin lineage
يا شرّ بكرٍ كلّها محتِدأ
ونُهزةَand prey for المختلسِthe snatcher الآكلِthe devourer
ونُهزةَ المختلسِ الآكلِ
O worst of all Bakr in lineage,
O evil of dawn whose beginning is all evil
and prey for the snatching devourer!
And the pilfering of the glutton
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 to what
Leave your honor and flee, and leave me be
I love, O you more foolish than Baqil!
O fool, with what I love, for it is fleeting
Sol 6.1