أَتانيcame to me كِتابُكَyour letter ذاكَthat الَّذيwhich
أَتاني كِتابُكَ ذاكَ الَّذي
تَهَدَّدتَyou threatened فيهِin it ضَلالاًin error وَنوكاand stupidity
تَهَدَّدتَ فيهِ ضَلالاً وَنوكا
Your letter reached me, that one in which
Your letter has reached me, the one
You threatened me, in error and stupidity.
In which you threatened misguidance and impudence
وَلَولاand were it not for مَكانُthe station of أَبيكَyour father الدَنِيُّlowly
وَلَولا مَكانُ أَبيكَ الدَنِيُّ
لَقَدindeed كانَwould have been شِعرُكَyour verse وَشياًbrocade مَحوكاwoven
لَقَد كانَ شِعرُكَ وَشياً مَحوكا
And were it not for your father's lowly station,
And were it not for your father’s lowly status
Your verse would indeed have been woven brocade.
Your poetry would have been mere nonsense
وَلَكِنand yet وَرِثتَyou inherited عَنِfrom المَلأَمانِthe vile wretch
وَلَكِن وَرِثتَ عَنِ المَلأَمانِ
فَهماًan understanding غَليظاًdull وَرَأياًand a judgment رَكيكاfeeble
فَهماً غَليظاً وَرَأياً رَكيكا
But you inherited from the vile wretch
But you have inherited from the wretched ones
A dull understanding and a feeble judgment.
A crude mind and despicable opinion
قَضَتdecreed لَكَfor you اِبنَتُهُhis daughter أَنthat تُناكَyou be fucked
قَضَت لَكَ اِبنَتُهُ أَن تُناكَ
وَعاقَتكَand hindered you زُهرَتُهُhis beauty أَنthat تَنيكاyou fuck
وَعاقَتكَ زُهرَتُهُ أَن تَنيكا
His daughter decreed that you be fucked,
His daughter ordained you to copulate with her
And his beauty kept you from fucking.
And his blossom refused you, to disgrace you
وَأَصدَقُand most truly ماever كُنتَyou were شُبهاًa likeness بِهِto him
وَأَصدَقُ ما كُنتَ شُبهاً بِهِ
إِذاwhen مَرِضَfell ill الرَيرُthe thin marrow أَوor ماتَdied فيكاwithin you
إِذا مَرِضَ الرَيرُ أَو ماتَ فيكا
And you resemble him most truly
The truest resemblance you held
When the thin marrow sickens or dies within you.
Was when a mule got sick or died in you
عَلىdespite أَنَّthe fact that قُبحَكَyour ugliness مِنpart of عاجِلِimmediate الthe
عَلى أَنَّ قُبحَكَ مِن عاجِلِ ال
عَذابِtorment المُبينِmanifest عَلىupon ناكِحيكاthose who fuck you
عَذابِ المُبينِ عَلى ناكِحيكا
Yet your ugliness is part of the immediate
Except your ugliness is from the imminent
Manifest torment upon those who fuck you.
Torment upon those who married you
فَقُلso tell لِيَme ياO وَغدُwretch لِمwhy لَمdid not تُرَدَّyou be sent back
فَقُل لِيَ يا وَغدُ لِم لَم تُرَدَّ
مِنfrom حَيثُwhere أَقبَلتَyou came رَدّاًa turning-back وَشيكاswift
مِن حَيثُ أَقبَلتَ رَدّاً وَشيكا
So tell me, you wretch, why were you not sent back
So tell me, o degenerate, why have you not
The way you came, without delay?
Returned from whence you came, hastily retreating
وَلِمand why لَمdid not يَثُبhe repent فيكَconcerning you مِنof ذَنبِهِhis sin
وَلِم لَم يَثُب فيكَ مِن ذَنبِهِ
فَيَأكُلكَand then eat you مُحتَسِباًseeking reward مَنthe one who خَريكاshat you
فَيَأكُلكَ مُحتَسِباً مَن خَريكا
And why did he not repent his sin concerning you,
And why has none of his sins persisted in you
Then eat you, seeking reward—the one who shat you?
To consume you, o vilest of the vile
وَكَيفَand how تُجاريyou compete إِلىtoward غايَةٍa goal
وَكَيفَ تُجاري إِلى غايَةٍ
وَأُمُّكَand your mother كَشخانَةٌa bawd مِنbecause of أَبيكاyour father
وَأُمُّكَ كَشخانَةٌ مِن أَبيكا
And how can you race toward a goal,
And how can you aspire to any feat
When your mother is a bawd, thanks to your father?
When your mother is an old prostitute of your father
Sol 6.1