ياO عمدةَpillar of الأمراءِthe princes والوزراءِand the ministers
يا عمدةَ الأمراءِ والوزراءِ
ياO عِدَّةَsupport of الأدباءِthe men of letters والشعراءِand the poets
يا عِدَّةَ الأدباءِ والشعراءِ
O pillar of princes and ministers!
O leader of princes and ministers
O support of men of letters and poets!
O pride of literati and poets
ياO غرَّةَbright brow of الزمنِthe age البهيمِdark وناظرَand eye of الthe
يا غرَّةَ الزمنِ البهيمِ وناظرَ ال
كرمِgenerosity الصميمِpure وواحدَand peerless among الفضلاءِthe virtuous
كرمِ الصميمِ وواحدَ الفضلاءِ
O bright brow of the dark age, and eye of
O decoy of the brutal age, and seer of sincere generosity and peer of noblemen
pure generosity, and peerless among the virtuous!
Have you seen the resolve of a scorpion that crept on a foot by which it takes steps to the heights
أرأيتَHave you seen همَّةَthe ambition of عقربٍa scorpion دَبَّتْit crept علىupon
أرأيتَ همَّةَ عقربٍ دَبَّتْ على
قدمٍa foot بهاwith it تخطوyou stride إلىtoward العلياءِthe heights
قدمٍ بها تخطو إلى العلياءِ
Have you seen the ambition of a scorpion that crept upon
When it climbed to the greatest ascent by its sting
a foot with which you stride toward the heights?
The rank of the great was belittled by it
لماwhen ارْتَقَتْit ascended باللَّسْعِby stinging أعظمَthe loftiest مُرْتَقىheight
لما ارْتَقَتْ باللَّسْعِ أعظمَ مُرْتَقى
أخْنَتْbrought ruin عليهاupon it رُتْبَةُthe rank of العُظَماءِthe great
أخْنَتْ عليها رُتْبَةُ العُظَماءِ
When, by stinging, it ascended to the loftiest height,
If you taste the harm of scorpions, let
the rank of the great brought ruin upon it.
The scorpions of the temples remain during prosperity
إنْif ذُقْتَyou have tasted ضَرَّاءَthe torment of العقاربِthe scorpions فابْقَيَنْthen remain
إنْ ذُقْتَ ضَرَّاءَ العقاربِ فابْقَيَنْ
بعقاربِwith the scorpions of الأصداغِthe temples فيin السَّرَّاءِbliss
بعقاربِ الأصداغِ في السَّرَّاءِ
If you have tasted scorpions' torment, then may you remain
O goodness of the sting of a scorpion whose antidote
with the scorpion-curls at the temples, in bliss.
Is the saliva of the beloved with pure coffee
ياO طيبَsweetness of لسعةِa sting of عقربٍa scorpion ترياقهاits antidote
يا طيبَ لسعةِ عقربٍ ترياقها
ريقsaliva الحبيبِthe beloved's بقهوةٍwith wine عذراءِvirgin
ريق الحبيبِ بقهوةٍ عذراءِ
How sweet a scorpion's sting, whose antidote is
the beloved's saliva with virgin wine!
Partial English translation: 10 of 12 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1