بَين الشُّنوفِ الحُمْرِ والأَقراطِ

بَين الشُّنوفِ الحُمْرِ والأَقراطِ

أجيادُ فاترةِ الجُفونِ عَوَاطي

أجيادُ فاترةِ الجُفونِ عَوَاطي

Between the red upper-ear rings and pendant earrings,

Between the red tents and veils

The necks of languid-lidded women stretch upward.

Languid steeds of droopy eyelids arrived

وصلَتْ بنا سُكرَ الصَّبابَةِ وانثَنَتْ

وصلَتْ بنا سُكرَ الصَّبابَةِ وانثَنَتْ

سَكرى القُدودِ نَحائِفَ الأَوساطُ

سَكرى القُدودِ نَحائِفَ الأَوساطُ

They carried us to love's intoxication and turned away,

Drunkenness of youth intoxicated us

Their figures reeling, their waists slender.

The tipsiness of slender waists bent

وعَلَتْ ثِمارُ صُدورِها أجسادَها

وعَلَتْ ثِمارُ صُدورِها أجسادَها

فحُرِمْنَ مَسَّ مَجاسِدٍ ورِياطِ

فحُرِمْنَ مَسَّ مَجاسِدٍ ورِياطِ

And the fruits of their breasts rose above their bodies,

And fruits of their breasts rose above their bodies

So they were denied the touch of saffron-dyed garments and wraps.

So I was deprived of touching beautiful figures and places

يا دار أسقيها الدمع وهي رضا لها

يا دار أسقيها الدمع وهي رضا لها

فشرطت سقياها على الأشراط

فشرطت سقياها على الأشراط

O abode, I water it with tears, and that pleases it.

Oh house I would water it with tears and it accepts

So I charged the Ashrat stars with watering it.

So I made its watering conditional on conditions

لم أَرْضَ سُقيا الدَّمْعِ وهو رِضىً لها

لم أَرْضَ سُقيا الدَّمْعِ وهو رِضىً لها

فشَرَطْتُ سُقياها على الأَشراطِ

فشَرَطْتُ سُقياها على الأَشراطِ

I was not content to water it with tears, though they pleased it,

I do not accept watering it with tears even if it pleases it

So I charged the Ashrat stars with watering it.

So I made its watering conditional on conditions

ولقد تُسلِّفُني الجَوى وتُرينَه

ولقد تُسلِّفُني الجَوى وتُرينَه

بِسَوالفِ الرَّشإِ الأَحَمِّ العاطي

بِسَوالفِ الرَّشإِ الأَحَمِّ العاطي

You once advanced me heartache and showed it,

Passion deceived me with its necklaces and showed me

With the neck-sides of the dark fawn stretching upward,

With luxurious chitchat and a generous host

وحِقاقِ عاجٍ نُقِّطَتْ أطرافُها

وحِقاقِ عاجٍ نُقِّطَتْ أطرافُها

بالمِسْكِ لم تُنْسَبْ إلى خَرَّاطِ

بالمِسْكِ لم تُنْسَبْ إلى خَرَّاطِ

And ivory caskets whose tips were dotted

And figured ivory dotted

With musk, made by no lathe-turner,

With musk not attributed to a carver

ومُرَجَّلٍ لا صُبحَ في ظُلُماتِه

ومُرَجَّلٍ لا صُبحَ في ظُلُماتِه

إلا حلمة الأمشاطِ

إلا حلمة الأمشاطِ

And combed hair, with no dawn in its darkness

And a bejeweled one that has no dawn in its darkness

Except the combs' projecting tip.

Except the radiance of hair partings

صُقِلَتْ سَلاسِلُهُ وكُسِّرَتْ

صُقِلَتْ سَلاسِلُهُ وكُسِّرَتْ

بأناملٍ مثلِ اللُّجينِ سِباطِ

بأناملٍ مثلِ اللُّجينِ سِباطِ

Its chains were polished and crimped

Whose chains were polished and broken

By slender fingers like silver.

By fingers like clay seals

أيَّامَ للقلبِ المُفَرِّطِ في الصِّبا

أيَّامَ للقلبِ المُفَرِّطِ في الصِّبا

ما شاءَ من فَتْكٍ ومن إِفراطِ

ما شاءَ من فَتْكٍ ومن إِفراطِ

Days when the heart, reckless in youth,

Days when the heedless heart exceeded limits in passion

Had whatever bold escapades and excess it desired.

However it wished of ravage and excess

إذ للعواذلِ غَفلَتي وتماسُلي

إذ للعواذلِ غَفلَتي وتماسُلي

وإلى الغَوايَةِ نَهضَتي وَنَشاطي

وإلى الغَوايَةِ نَهضَتي وَنَشاطي

When I met reproaching women with heedlessness and feigned indifference,

For my flirtation and carelessness with coquettes

And turned toward waywardness with rising energy and vigor.

And my rise to temptation and activity

أختالُ بينُ جآذِرٍ ومَزاهِرٍ

أختالُ بينُ جآذِرٍ ومَزاهِرٍ

وأرودُ بين دساكِرٍ وَبَواطِي

وأرودُ بين دساكِرٍ وَبَواطِي

I strutted among wild-cow calves and lutes,

I swagger between chirping and blossoms

And roamed among country estates and wine bowls.

And wander between carpets and cushions

والرَّوْضُ قد نشرَ الحَيا أنماطَه

والرَّوْضُ قد نشرَ الحَيا أنماطَه

فكأنَّهُنَ غَرائبُ الأنماطِ

فكأنَّهُنَ غَرائبُ الأنماطِ

And the garden—rain had spread its patterned carpets,

And the garden has spread its themes

As though they were rare specimens of patterned rugs.

As if they are wondrous themes

ما للزَّمانِ سطَا على أشرافِنا

ما للزَّمانِ سطَا على أشرافِنا

فُتخُرِّموا وعَفا عن الأَنباطِ

فُتخُرِّموا وعَفا عن الأَنباطِ

What ails Time, that it assailed our nobles,

Why did time assault our nobles

So they were cut down, while it spared the Nabataeans?

So you weakened and overlooked the Nabataeans

أَعداوَةٌ لذوي العُلى أَم هِمَّةٌ

أَعداوَةٌ لذوي العُلى أَم هِمَّةٌ

سَقَطَتْ فمالَ بها إلى السُّقَّاطِ

سَقَطَتْ فمالَ بها إلى السُّقَّاطِ

Is it hostility toward the exalted, or an ambition

Is it enmity towards the eminent or determination

That fell, inclining it toward the lowly?

That fell so it inclined towards the lowly

خضَعَتْ رِقابُ بَني العَداوَةِ إذ رَأَتْ

خضَعَتْ رِقابُ بَني العَداوَةِ إذ رَأَتْ

آسارَها يتعد تحتَ سياطي

آسارَها يتعد تحتَ سياطي

The necks of the sons of enmity bowed when they saw

The necks of the enemies submitted when they saw

Their fetters [verb unclear in the supplied text] beneath my whips.

Their captives passing under my whips

حتى إذا نَكَصَتْ على أعقابِها

حتى إذا نَكَصَتْ على أعقابِها

دَلَفَ النَّبيطُ إليَّ من شِمْشاطِ

دَلَفَ النَّبيطُ إليَّ من شِمْشاطِ

Until, when they retreated upon their heels,

Until when they retreated on their heels

The Nabataean crept toward me from Shimshat.

The messenger approached me from Damascus

صَدَقَ المعلِّمُ أنه من أسرَةٍ

صَدَقَ المعلِّمُ أنه من أسرَةٍ

عربٍ يَسُوسُهُمُ بنو سُنباطِ

عربٍ يَسُوسُهُمُ بنو سُنباطِ

The schoolmaster spoke truly: he comes from a family

The teacher spoke the truth that he is from a family

Of Arabs governed by the sons of Sunbat.

Of Arabs led by the Beni Sumbat

آباؤُكَ الأشرافُ إلا أنهم

آباؤُكَ الأشرافُ إلا أنهم

أشرافُ موشَ وشاطحٍ وخِلاطِ

أشرافُ موشَ وشاطحٍ وخِلاطِ

Your forefathers are nobles, except that they are

Your fathers were nobles except they were

The nobles of Mush, Shatih, and Khilat.

Nobles of apes, pigs, and mongrels

نَسَبٌ يُبَيِّنُ عن سُقوطِكَ نَشرُه

نَسَبٌ يُبَيِّنُ عن سُقوطِكَ نَشرُه

كالثَّوْبِ تَنشُرُهُ عن الأسفاطِ

كالثَّوْبِ تَنشُرُهُ عن الأسفاطِ

A lineage whose unfolding reveals your baseness,

A lineage whose unfurling reveals your descent

Like a garment you unfold from the storage chests.

Like a garment you unfold to expose rags

لو كنت يا ابن الأخبثين لرشدة

لو كنت يا ابن الأخبثين لرشدة

لم تزو ودك عن أبي الأسباط

لم تزو ودك عن أبي الأسباط

Had you, son of the two vilest, been born legitimately,

If you were, O son of the most wicked two, to a sensible one

You would not have turned your affection from Abu al-Asbat.

Your support would not deter you from the most despicable man

ثَكِلَتْكَ داميَةُ القَرا مجلودَةٌ

ثَكِلَتْكَ داميَةُ القَرا مجلودَةٌ

نَبَذَتْكَ خائِفَةً بغَيِر قِماطِ

نَبَذَتْكَ خائِفَةً بغَيِر قِماطِ

May the flogged woman with the bleeding back be bereft of you,

Damiyah, the Qurayshite, weaned you while restrained

Who cast you away in fear, without swaddling.

She discarded you fearfully without swaddling

عَجِلَتْ فلم تَخْتَطْ عليكَ من الرَّدى

عَجِلَتْ فلم تَخْتَطْ عليكَ من الرَّدى

ورَجَتْ حِياطَةَ مُسلمٍ مُحتاطِ

ورَجَتْ حِياطَةَ مُسلمٍ مُحتاطِ

She hurried, drawing no line around you against death,

She rushed so she did not wrap you in coarse wool

And hoped for the protection of a cautious Muslim.

And entrusted you to the safekeeping of a careful Muslim

شاهدتها حسناء يقرع بابها

شاهدتها حسناء يقرع بابها

للخسر وفد زنا ووفد لواط

للخسر وفد زنا ووفد لواط

I saw her, a beauty whose door was knocked upon

I saw a beautiful one whose door the troops of adultery and homosexuality knocked

To ruin, by a band of fornicators and a band of sodomites.

And I picked a blossoming one but did not find

ولقطت يانعة الثمار فلم أجد

ولقطت يانعة الثمار فلم أجد

كثمار دوحتها أوان لقاط

كثمار دوحتها أوان لقاط

And I plucked ripe fruits, but found none

Fruits like her breasts when the plucker plucks

Like her spreading tree's fruits at gathering time.

A young woman who gives leadership to a friend

بنوية تعطي الصديق قيادها

بنوية تعطي الصديق قيادها

وتفل غرب عدوها المتعاطي

وتفل غرب عدوها المتعاطي

A Banawiyya woman who yields her reins to a friend,

And spits on the dust of her transgressing enemy

And blunts the edge of her encroaching enemy.

People's morals have dried up so their bodies are not known

جَفَتِ الخَلوقَ فليسَ يَعرِفُ جسمُها

جَفَتِ الخَلوقَ فليسَ يَعرِفُ جسمُها

إلا خَلوقَ مواقعِ الأَسواطِ

إلا خَلوقَ مواقعِ الأَسواطِ

She shunned saffron perfume; her body knows

Except the morals of those who hold whips

Only the perfume of the places struck by whips.

You have forgotten an era when leadership was for you that did not cease

أنسيت عصر قيادة لك لم تزل

أنسيت عصر قيادة لك لم تزل

تحذوك أجرة كل زان خاطي

تحذوك أجرة كل زان خاطي

Have you forgotten your days of pimping, when you never ceased

To accompany you like the wage of every promiscuous tattooed one

Receiving every sinful fornicator's fee,

In Manzil Biqhab your frequented house

في منزل بقحاب بيتك عامر

في منزل بقحاب بيتك عامر

يدفن فيه أجنة الأسقاط

يدفن فيه أجنة الأسقاط

In a dwelling—your house, thronged with whores—

Where fetuses of the despised are buried

Where miscarried fetuses are buried?

So you committed incest with your sister in protection

فتناك أختك في حماه بدانق

فتناك أختك في حماه بدانق

وتناك أمك فيه بالقيراط

وتناك أمك فيه بالقيراط

So your sister is fucked within its precincts for a daniq,

And with your mother through it undeniably

And your mother is fucked there for a qirat.

And when you lift your behind off their hands

وإذا رفعت قفاك عن أيديهم

وإذا رفعت قفاك عن أيديهم

فمقالهم لك يا معلم طاطي

فمقالهم لك يا معلم طاطي

And when you lift your nape away from their hands,

Their word to you, O teacher, is despicable

Then they say to you, 'Schoolmaster, bend down!'

The world was once easy on you

قد كانَتِ الدُّنيا عليكَ فَسيحَةً

قد كانَتِ الدُّنيا عليكَ فَسيحَةً

فاليومَ أضحَتْ وهي سُمُّ خِياطِ

فاليومَ أضحَتْ وهي سُمُّ خِياطِ

The world was once spacious for you,

But today it has become deadly poison for a tailor

But today it has become a needle's eye.

You have angered me though the livelihood of sin is sweet

أَسْخَطْتَني وجناةُ عَيشِك حُلوَةٌ

أَسْخَطْتَني وجناةُ عَيشِك حُلوَةٌ

فجنَيْتَ مُرَّ العَيْشِ من إسخاطي

فجنَيْتَ مُرَّ العَيْشِ من إسخاطي

You angered me when the fruits of your life were sweet,

So you have harvested the bitterest life from my anger

And reaped life's bitterness from angering me.

And you knew when you burdened yourself with my limits

وعَلِمْتَ إذ كلَّفْتَ نفسَك غايَتي

وعَلِمْتَ إذ كلَّفْتَ نفسَك غايَتي

أنَّ الرِّياحَ بعيدةُ الأشواطِ

أنَّ الرِّياحَ بعيدةُ الأشواطِ

And you learned, when you charged yourself with reaching my goal,

That hopes are distant hopes

That the winds have far-reaching courses.

Do you expect me while my status is the zenith

أَتَرومُني وعلى السِّماكِ مَحلَّتي

أَتَرومُني وعلى السِّماكِ مَحلَّتي

شَرَفاً وبينَ الفرقَدَيْنِ صِراطي

شَرَفاً وبينَ الفرقَدَيْنِ صِراطي

Do you seek to challenge me, with my dwelling on al-Simak

Nobility between the two honorable lines

In eminence, and my path between the two Farqad stars?

After the great sat in my council

من بَعْدِ ما رَفَعَ الأكابرُ مَجلِسي

من بَعْدِ ما رَفَعَ الأكابرُ مَجلِسي

فجلَسْتُ بين مُؤَمَّرٍ وَسِماطِ

فجلَسْتُ بين مُؤَمَّرٍ وَسِماطِ

After the great men had raised my seat,

I sat between a leader and eminent

So I sat between a commander and a banquet spread.

And the swords of my speech have become famous

وغَدَتْ صوارِمُ مَنْطِقي مشهورةً

وغَدَتْ صوارِمُ مَنْطِقي مشهورةً

بينَ العِراقِ تُهَزُّ والفُسطاطِ

بينَ العِراقِ تُهَزُّ والفُسطاطِ

And the keen swords of my speech became unsheathed,

Shaking Iraq and Fustat

Brandished between Iraq and al-Fustat.

And I have lowered the status of the enemy with words

وحَطَطْتُ مَنزِلَةَ العَدُوِّ بِمِقْوَلٍ

وحَطَطْتُ مَنزِلَةَ العَدُوِّ بِمِقْوَلٍ

كشَبا الأَسِنَّةِ رافعٍ حَطَّاطِ

كشَبا الأَسِنَّةِ رافعٍ حَطَّاطِ

And I lowered the enemy's rank with a tongue

Like the claws of beasts tearing rags

Like spearheads' points, raising up and casting down.

Far from you is the pain of joints

هيهاتَ دونُ مُنَاكَ حَزُّ مَفاصِلٍ

هيهاتَ دونُ مُنَاكَ حَزُّ مَفاصِلٍ

وجِراحُ أفئِدَةٍ ونَزعُ نِياطِ

وجِراحُ أفئِدَةٍ ونَزعُ نِياطِ

Far from it! Before your wish lie the slicing of joints,

And wounds of hearts and pulling of pulp

Wounds in hearts, and the tearing out of heartstrings.

Your ignorance of poetry has deluded you

أَغراكَ جَهلُكَ بالقَريضِ وَرَثِّهِ

أَغراكَ جَهلُكَ بالقَريضِ وَرَثِّهِ

حتَّى انتحَاكَ بِمخلَبٍ عطّاطِ

حتَّى انتحَاكَ بِمخلَبٍ عطّاطِ

Your ignorance of poetry and its dross enticed you,

Until you were shredded by an unsheathed claw

Until it assailed you with a rending claw.

And you have tried claims for yourself that revealed

وقد امتحنْتَ دَعاوِياً لكَ بيَّنَتْ

وقد امتحنْتَ دَعاوِياً لكَ بيَّنَتْ

عن بَحْرِ تَمويهٍ بَعيدِ الشاطي

عن بَحْرِ تَمويهٍ بَعيدِ الشاطي

And you tested claims of yours that revealed

A deep sea of deception and distant shores

A sea of deception whose shore was far distant.

I have seen your knowledge as inferior and carving

فرأيتُ عِلمَكَ من خَراً وخَراطَةٍ

فرأيتُ عِلمَكَ من خَراً وخَراطَةٍ

ووَجَدْتُ سَعدَكَ من فُسا وضِراطِ

ووَجَدْتُ سَعدَكَ من فُسا وضِراطِ

Then I saw your learning made of shit and shavings,

And found your luck from rags and patches

And found your luck made of silent and loud farts.

And it has become a strange blemish on your honor

وغَريبَةٍ أضحَتْ لعِرْضِكَ شامةً

وغَريبَةٍ أضحَتْ لعِرْضِكَ شامةً

عَلَماً كما أعلمتَ ثَوبَ قِباطي

عَلَماً كما أعلمتَ ثَوبَ قِباطي

And many a rare verse became a mole on your reputation,

A sign like you have marked a Coptic garment

A mark, as you marked a Coptic cloth.

The little fortune of goodness and abundant worries

ترَكَتْكَ نَزرَ القِسْطِ من طيبِ الكَرى

ترَكَتْكَ نَزرَ القِسْطِ من طيبِ الكَرى

ومِنَ الهُمومِ مُوفَّرَ الأَقساطِ

ومِنَ الهُمومِ مُوفَّرَ الأَقساطِ

It left you with a scant share of pleasant sleep,

Have left you with scarce shares

And abundant shares of cares.

Speech you see as scattered scorpions

لَفْظٌ تَراه عَقارِباً مبثوثةً

لَفْظٌ تَراه عَقارِباً مبثوثةً

ويَراهُ غيرُكَ جَوهَرَ الأَسفاطِ

ويَراهُ غيرُكَ جَوهَرَ الأَسفاطِ

An utterance you see as scattered scorpions,

And others see as essence of rags

While someone else sees it as jewels in caskets.

So be patient for shredding the despicable one and whoever

فاصبُرْ لتَقطيعِ القَذالِ ومَنْ أَصُنْ

فاصبُرْ لتَقطيعِ القَذالِ ومَنْ أَصُنْ

عنه الحُسامَ أَدَعْهُ للمِشراطِ

عنه الحُسامَ أَدَعْهُ للمِشراطِ

So endure the slicing of your nape; whoever I shield

The sword has protected, leave him to the cleaver

From the sword, I leave to the lancet.

Tell those hastening to his aid

قُلْ للغُواةِ المُسرِعينَ لِنَصْرهِ

قُلْ للغُواةِ المُسرِعينَ لِنَصْرهِ

إسراعَ وارِدَةِ القَطا الفُرَّاطِ

إسراعَ وارِدَةِ القَطا الفُرَّاطِ

Tell the wayward men hastening to aid him,

The hastening of moths to the lamp of death

As swiftly as the first sandgrouse coming to drink:

I will resume elaborating on your honors

سأعيدُ بسطَ القولِ في أعراضِكم

سأعيدُ بسطَ القولِ في أعراضِكم

والجَوْرُ للسُّفهاءِ خيرُ بساطِ

والجَوْرُ للسُّفهاءِ خيرُ بساطِ

I shall again unroll my words concerning your reputations,

And injustice is the best carpet for fools

And injustice is the best carpet for fools.

Experience their flashes of illusion and deduce

شامُوا بَوارِق َحَيْنِهم واستنبطوا

شامُوا بَوارِق َحَيْنِهم واستنبطوا

ماءَ المَنِيَّةِ أَيَّما استِنْباطِ

ماءَ المَنِيَّةِ أَيَّما استِنْباطِ

They sighted their doom's lightning and drew forth

The water of demise however deduced

The water of death—and what a drawing it was!

A farmer of a field and a fool of a beard

حُرَّاثُ مَزْرَعَةٍ وأحمَقُ لِحيَةٍ

حُرَّاثُ مَزْرَعَةٍ وأحمَقُ لِحيَةٍ

ومُعَلِّمٌ يُنْمى إلى خيَّاطِ

ومُعَلِّمٌ يُنْمى إلى خيَّاطِ

Farm-tillers, a foolish beard,

And a teacher inclined to a tailor

And a schoolmaster descended from a tailor.

If the plagiarizer of poetry was limited, they would exceed

لو حُدَّ مُنْتَهِبُ القَريضِ تجاوَزوا

لو حُدَّ مُنْتَهِبُ القَريضِ تجاوَزوا

في الحَدِّ أو قُطعوا منَ الآباطِ

في الحَدِّ أو قُطعوا منَ الآباطِ

Were the plunderer of verse punished, they would overstep

The limit or be cut off from the prepuces

The penalty's bounds, or have their arms cut off at the armpits.

Refrain for I do not expose lineage that

كُفُّوا فلستُ أُعَرِّضُ الحَسَبَ الذي

كُفُّوا فلستُ أُعَرِّضُ الحَسَبَ الذي

لا خِلْطَ فيه لمَعْشَرٍ أَخلاطِ

لا خِلْطَ فيه لمَعْشَرٍ أَخلاطِ

Desist! I will not expose the noble pedigree that

Has no mixing with the riffraff

Has no admixture to a motley band.