وقفت على بائع مرّة

وقفت على بائع مرّة

فهمّ بغبني وأخذ الحرام

فهمّ بغبني وأخذ الحرام

Once I stopped at a vendor,

I once stopped at a seller.

who meant to cheat me and take illicit gain.

So he intended to cheat me and take unlawful gain.

فقلت وقد رابني أمرهُ

فقلت وقد رابني أمرهُ

وقد رام منّيَ بعد اللكام

وقد رام منّيَ بعد اللكام

So I said, when his conduct made me suspicious—

So I said, his conduct having aroused my suspicion,

and he wanted my fists kept at bay—

while he sought to be spared my blows:

أتسرقني ظالما فاغتدى

أتسرقني ظالما فاغتدى

وأظهر لي بشّه والسلام

وأظهر لي بشّه والسلام

“Would you rob me unjustly?” At once he set about

"Are you robbing me unjustly?" Then he set out early,

showing me his friendly face and offering peace.

and showed me his cheerfulness and offered a greeting of peace.

فقال وقد خاف بطشي به

فقال وقد خاف بطشي به

قبيح سيء الخصام

قبيح سيء الخصام

Then, fearing I might lay hands on him, he said:

Then he said, fearing my violence against him:

“You ugly fellow—vicious in a quarrel!”

"Quarreling is ugly and bad."