وقائلةand a woman saying ماليwhat is the matter with me? أرىI see الجوthe sky مظلماًdarkened
وقائلة مالي أرى الجو مظلماً
بأعمالin the districts of مصرEgypt دونrather than كلevery مكانplace
بأعمال مصر دون كل مكان
And a woman said: Why do I see the sky darkened
She said, "Why do I see the sky so gloomy
in Egypt’s districts, unlike anywhere else?
With Egypt's affairs, unlike any other place?"
فقلتso I said ومصرand Egypt كالبلادlike other lands وإنand if يكنit should be
فقلت ومصر كالبلاد وإن يكن
علاهاrose over it دخانsmoke فهوthen it is بابنbecause of Ibn دخانDukhan
علاها دخان فهو بابن دخان
So I said: Egypt is like other lands, and if
So I said, "Egypt is like other countries, and even
smoke has risen over it, it is because of Ibn Dukhan.
If smoke has risen over it, it's just smoke."
لقدindeed سئمhas grown weary الإسلامIslam طولthe length of حياتهhis life
لقد سئم الإسلام طول حياته
ودارand revolved علىover قرنيهhis two horns ألفa thousand قرانplanetary conjunction
ودار على قرنيه ألف قران
Islam has indeed grown weary of his long life,
Islam has grown weary in its long life
and a thousand planetary conjunctions have wheeled over his two horns.
And a thousand eras have turned in its eye.
متىwhen تقبضwithdraw الأيامthe days عناfrom us بنانهhis fingers
متى تقبض الأيام عنا بنانه
وتبسطand extend كفthe hand of الأروعthe splendid one ابنson of بنانBanan
وتبسط كف الأروع ابن بنان
When will the days withdraw his fingers from us
When will the days release their claws from us
and extend the hand of the splendid Ibn Banan?
And the palm of the noblest son of Banan spread?
لقدindeed تركhas left الأعمالthe districts صرفاًutterly bare كأنهاas though they were
لقد ترك الأعمال صرفاً كأنها
قوالبmolds ألفاظwords بغيرwithout معانmeanings
قوالب ألفاظ بغير معان
He has indeed left the districts utterly bare, as though they were
Deeds have been left as if they were
molds of words without meanings.
Molds of words without meaning.
فصدقso believe مقالthe words of الناسthe people فيهabout him ولاand do not تقلsay
فصدق مقال الناس فيه ولا تقل
كلامthe talk of العدىenemies ضربa kind منof الهذيانdelirium
كلام العدى ضرب من الهذيان
So believe what people say about him, and do not say:
So believe what people say about him, and do not say
The talk of enemies is a kind of delirium.
The enemy's words are a kind of madness.
فاقسمso I swear لوif عاداهwere hostile to him كلبa dog أهانهwould humiliate him
فاقسم لو عاداه كلب أهانه
لأنهماbecause they both فيin القدرworth يستويانare equal
لأنهما في القدر يستويان
So I swear: were a dog to oppose him, it would humiliate him,
I swear, if a dog insulted him,
for the two are equal in worth.
They are equal in fate.
فأماnow, as for لسانيmy tongue فالكرامthen the noble تخافهfear it
فأما لساني فالكرام تخافه
وأيand what كريمnoble man لاdoes not يخافfear لسانيmy tongue
وأي كريم لا يخاف لساني
As for my tongue, the noble fear it,
As for my tongue, the noble fear it,
and what noble man does not fear my tongue?
And what noble would not fear my tongue?
وماand nothing بينناbetween us إلاexcept لأنيbecause I بواحدin One
وما بيننا إلا لأني بواحد
أدينI profess faith إذاwhen دانprofesses faith الخبثthe vile one بثانin a second
أدين إذا دان الخبث بثان
And nothing stands between us except that in One
There is nothing between us except that I, by one,
I believe, while the vile one believes in a second.
Am indebted, when villains are judged by another.
Sol 6.1