بِالأَعوَرَينِin the two one-eyed men المُعوِرَينِthe flawed pair أَخَلَّlet down بيme
بِالأَعوَرَينِ المُعوِرَينِ أَخَلَّ بي
أَمَليmy hope وَعاوَدَنيand returned to me تَمَكُّنfirm hold ياسيmy despair
أَمَلي وَعاوَدَني تَمَكُّن ياسي
In those two one-eyed, flawed men, I was let down
With the wicked one-eyed I was misled
by my hope, and despair once more took firm hold of me.
My hopes betrayed, and tyranny’s yoke instead
وَمِنَand of الضَلالَةِfolly أَنthat رَجَوتُI hoped for لِحاجَتيfor my need
وَمِنَ الضَلالَةِ أَن رَجَوتُ لِحاجَتي
إِخلاصَthe sincerity of مَسعودٍMasʿud وَرِفدَand the bounty of طِماسِTimas
إِخلاصَ مَسعودٍ وَرِفدَ طِماسِ
And it was folly that I hoped, in my need, for
Lost in error I, seeking my own needs
Masʿud's sincerity and Timas's bounty—
Prayed for the aid of Mas'ud, that cur of breeds
لاnot يَبرَحُceases to be المَضّاضُstinging pain كُحلَkohl for صَحيحَتيmy sound eye
لا يَبرَحُ المَضّاضُ كُحلَ صَحيحَتي
رِجسَينِtwo foul creatures مَرذولَينِboth despised فيamong الأَرجاسِthe foul
رِجسَينِ مَرذولَينِ في الأَرجاسِ
(may stinging pain ever remain the kohl of my sound eye!)—
My eyes yet smart with pains that will not quit
two foul creatures, despised among the foul.
Two filthy knaves, they revel in their pits
وَإِذاand when عَدَدتُI count up عَلىagainst طِماسٍTimas عَيبَهُhis fault
وَإِذا عَدَدتُ عَلى طِماسٍ عَيبَهُ
لَمnot أَرضَam I satisfied with أَلفاظيmy words وَلاnor أَنفاسيmy breaths
لَم أَرضَ أَلفاظي وَلا أَنفاسي
And when I count Timas's faults against him,
And when I count the faults of Timas out
I am satisfied neither with my words nor with my breaths.
My words, my breath find not their way about
أَدنوI draw near وَأُقصِرُand fall short عَنof مَداهُhis extent وَإِنَّماand only
أَدنو وَأُقصِرُ عَن مَداهُ وَإِنَّما
أَرميI shoot مِنَfrom المَلعونِthe accursed man فيat بُرجاسِa target
أَرمي مِنَ المَلعونِ في بُرجاسِ
I draw near, yet fall short of his full measure; I only
I draw near and stop short of his full extent
shoot at a target in that accursed man.
From that cursed one, far distant is my bent
هَلّاwhy not أَبوAbu (father of) الفَرَجِal-Faraj اِستَعارَborrowed مَدائِحيmy praise-poems
هَلّا أَبو الفَرَجِ اِستَعارَ مَدائِحي
أَوor رَدَّناreferred us فيهاconcerning them إِلىto العَبّاسِal-Abbas
أَو رَدَّنا فيها إِلى العَبّاسِ
Why did Abu al-Faraj not borrow my praise-poems,
Would that Abu Faraj borrow my rhymes
or refer us, concerning them, to al-Abbas?
Or we restore them to the Abbas' times
قَمَرٌa moon جَلاdispelled ظُلَمَthe darkness of الخُطوبِcalamities ضِياؤُهُhis light
قَمَرٌ جَلا ظُلَمَ الخُطوبِ ضِياؤُهُ
عَنّاfrom us وَبَدرٌand a full moon راهِنُenduring الإيناسِcomfort
عَنّا وَبَدرٌ راهِنُ الإيناسِ
A moon whose light dispelled the darkness of calamities
A moon shone out, dispelling gloom full bright
from us, a full moon of enduring comfort.
Lighting our path, a waxing orb of light
لَمnot أَنسَI forgot ماwhat سَبَقاthey both were first إِلَيهِto it وَلَمand not أَكُنI was
لَم أَنسَ ما سَبَقا إِلَيهِ وَلَم أَكُن
لِيَدِof the kindness of الصَديقِthe friend المُستَماحِwhose bounty is sought بِناسِat all forgetful
لِيَدِ الصَديقِ المُستَماحِ بِناسِ
I have not forgotten what those two were first to do, nor have I been
Not forgetting what came before me then
forgetful of the kindness of a friend whose bounty is sought,
For friendship's hand I'll never grasp again
وَنُبُوَّand the coldness of ضِدِّهِماtheir opposite وَلَستُand I am not بِواجِدٍable to find
وَنُبُوَّ ضِدِّهِما وَلَستُ بِواجِدٍ
عِندَamong الكِلابِdogs رَضِيَّthe worthy فِعلِconduct of الناسِpeople
عِندَ الكِلابِ رَضِيَّ فِعلِ الناسِ
nor of their opposite's coldness; I cannot find
Their opposites we become, and I'll not find
among dogs the worthy conduct of men.
With curs the deeds of men to please my mind
Sol 6.1