قُلsay لِقاضيto the judge الفُسوقِdebauchery والإدبارِand misfortune
قُل لِقاضي الفُسوقِ والإدبارِ
عَضُدِsupport البُلهِthe fools عُمْدَةِmainstay الفُجّارِthe wicked
عَضُدِ البُلهِ عُمْدَةِ الفُجّارِ
Say to the judge of vice and misfortune,
Say to the judge of wickedness and retreat
support of fools, mainstay of the wicked,
Supporter of folly, pillar of the wicked
والذيand the one who قدalready غَداhas become سَفينةَa ship جَهْلٍignorance
والذي قد غَدا سَفينةَ جَهْلٍ
وَلَهُand he has مِنfrom قُرونهِhis horns كالصّواريlike masts
وَلَهُ مِن قُرونهِ كالصّواري
who has become a ship of ignorance,
Who has become a ship of ignorance
with his horns like masts:
With horns on him like tent pegs
لكَto you أشكوI complain منof زَوْجةa wife صَيَرتنيshe made me
لكَ أشكو من زَوْجة صَيَرتني
غائباًabsent بَيْنَamong سائرِall الحُضّارِthose present
غائباً بَيْنَ سائرِ الحُضّارِ
To you I complain of a wife who has made me
I complain to you of a wife who made me
absent among all those present.
Absent among all people
غَيّبتنيshe hid me عَلَيَّfrom me ماwhat أطمَعَتنيshe made me crave
غَيّبتني عَلَيَّ ما أطمَعَتني
فأناso I اليومَtoday مُفْكِرٌpondering فيin انتظاريmy waiting
فأنا اليومَ مُفْكِرٌ في انتظاري
She hid me from myself through what she made me crave;
She made me long for what I hoped for
so today I ponder as I wait.
So today I am thinking while waiting
غِبتُI was absent حتّىto the point that لوif أنّهمthat they صَفَعونيthey slapped me
غِبتُ حتّى لو أنّهم صَفَعوني
قلتُI said كفّواstop باللهِby God عنfrom صَفْعِslapping جاريmy neighbor
قلتُ كفّوا باللهِ عن صَفْعِ جاري
I was so absent that, if they slapped me,
I was absent until even if they slapped me
I would say, 'For God's sake, stop slapping my neighbor!'
I would say stop, by Allah, slapping my neighbor
فَنَهاريso my day منَfrom البّلادةِdullness ليلٌnight
فَنَهاري منَ البّلادةِ ليلٌ
فيin التساويequality الليلُthe night مثلُlike النّهارِthe day
في التساوي الليلُ مثلُ النّهارِ
My day, from sheer dullness, is night;
So my day from stupidity is night
in their sameness, night is just like day.
At night is like day equally
دارَturned رأسيmy head عنaway from بابِthe door داريmy house فباللso, by God (continued)
دارَ رأسي عن بابِ داري فبالل
هِcompletion of 'God' اخبِرونيtell me ياO سادتيmy lords أينَwhere داريmy house
هِ اخبِروني يا سادتي أينَ داري
My head turned away from my doorway; so, by
My head turned from my house door so by Allah
God, tell me, my lords, where is my house?
Inform me, my masters, where is my house
مَلَكتنيshe mastered me عيارةًa female rogue وعياراًand a male rogue
مَلَكتني عيارةً وعياراً
حينَwhen زادَتْshe increased بالدردَبيسِwith calamity عياريmy measure
حينَ زادَتْ بالدردَبيسِ عياري
She mastered me, a she-rogue and a he-rogue,
She possessed me, a blunder and blunderer
when she increased my measure with calamity.
When she increased with the tambourine, my blundering
أينَwhere مُخُّbrain الجمالِthe camels منcompared with طبعِthe nature مُخِّيmy brain
أينَ مُخُّ الجمالِ من طبعِ مُخِّي
فيin التّساويequality وأينَand where مُخُّbrain الحمارِthe donkey
في التّساوي وأينَ مُخُّ الحمارِ
How do camels' brains compare with the nature of mine
Where is the brain of my brain
in equality—and what of a donkey's brain?
And where is the donkey's brain equally
غَفَرَmay he forgive اللهGod رُبّماsometimes رُحتُI went للبحto the sea (continued)
غَفَرَ الله رُبّما رُحتُ للبح
رِcompletion of 'sea' منَfrom البردِthe cold أصطّليI warm myself بالنّارِby the fire
رِ منَ البردِ أصطّلي بالنّارِ
God forgive me! Sometimes I went to the
May Allah forgive me, maybe I went to the sea
sea to warm myself by fire against the cold.
To warm myself by the fire from the cold
وَتَجرَّدتand I stripped للسبَّاحةِto swim فيin الآthe mirage (continued)
وَتَجرَّدت للسبَّاحةِ في الآ
لcompletion of 'mirage' لِظَنّيbecause I thought بهِof it الزُّلالَclear water الجاريflowing
ل لِظَنّي بهِ الزُّلالَ الجاري
And I stripped to swim in a
And I undressed to swim in the waves
mirage, thinking it clear, flowing water.
Thinking it was the flowing stream
ولكمand how often قدindeed عَصَبْتُI bandaged رجليmy foot لرؤياbecause of a dream
ولكم قد عَصَبْتُ رجلي لرؤيا
أوطأتنيit made me tread حُلماًin a dream علىon مِسْمارِa nail
أوطأتني حُلماً على مِسْمارِ
How often I have bandaged my foot because of a dream
And how often I bandaged my leg for a dream
that made me tread upon a nail in my sleep!
That made me walk on nails
وَلَكمand how often رُمتُI sought قَلعَpulling out ضِرْسٍa molar ضَروبthrobbing
وَلَكم رُمتُ قَلعَ ضِرْسٍ ضَروب
بعدماafter ضَرَّit hurt غايةthe utmost الأضرارharm
بعدما ضَرَّ غاية الأضرار
How often I sought to pull a throbbing molar
And how often I pulled out a molar
after it had caused the utmost harm,
After it pained, the utmost of pains
فإذاthen suddenly بيI found myself قَلَعْتُI pulled out بعدَafter عَنائيmy toil
فإذا بي قَلَعْتُ بعدَ عَنائي
وأجتهاديِand my exertion القويَّthe sturdy one منfrom among أزراريmy buttons
وأجتهاديِ القويَّ من أزراري
only to find I had pulled out, after all my toil
So I pulled out after my great effort
and exertion, the sturdy one among my buttons!
And exertion, my buttons
وَرَحىًand a mill جُزتُهاI passed through it لِطَحنٍfor grinding فماand did not زِلْcease (continued)
وَرَحىً جُزتُها لِطَحنٍ فما زِلْ
تُcompletion of 'I ceased' ضَلالاin confusion أدورُI circle حولَaround المدارِthe circuit
تُ ضَلالا أدورُ حولَ المدارِ
I passed through a mill for grinding, and kept
And a millstone I sought to grind but still
circling in confusion around its track,
Straying, I circle around
وأُناديand I call out وَقَدْwhile already سَئِمتُI grew weary منَof الرَّكthe running (continued)
وأُنادي وَقَدْ سَئِمتُ منَ الرَّك
ضِcompletion of 'running' تُرىI wonder أَينَwhere مُنْتَهىthe end مِضْمارِيmy racecourse
ضِ تُرى أَينَ مُنْتَهى مِضْمارِي
and calling out, tired of
And I call out, tired of trotting
running: 'I wonder, where does my racecourse end?'
I wonder, where is the end of my race
أناI أَختارُI prefer لوif قَعَدْتُI sat down منَfrom الجَهthe exertion (continued)
أنا أَختارُ لو قَعَدْتُ منَ الجَه
دcompletion of 'exertion' ولكنbut أَمشيI walk بِغَيْرِwithout اختياريmy choice
د ولكن أَمشي بِغَيْرِ اختياري
I would prefer to sit down from
I choose to sit instead of strive
exhaustion, but I walk against my will.
But I walk without choosing
أناI أنسىI forget أَنّيthat I نَسيتُI forgot فلاso not يَخْfear (continued)
أنا أنسى أَنّي نَسيتُ فلا يَخْ
شىcompletion of 'fear' مُسِريone who confides in me أذاعةَdivulging الأَسرارِthe secrets
شى مُسِري أذاعةَ الأَسرارِ
I forget that I have forgotten, so one
I forget I forgot so my guide need not
who confides in me need not fear his secrets being spread.
Fear spreading my secrets
أناI سَطلُthe pail الشّرايِحيِّthe meat-seller بِماbecause of what أوI was filled (continued)
أنا سَطلُ الشّرايِحيِّ بِما أو
دعتُcompletion of 'I was filled' منof عجّةٍomelet ومنand of إنزارِinzār (unclear term)
دعتُ من عجّةٍ ومن إنزارِ
I am the meat-seller's pail, for what has been put
I am a bucket of blunders with what
into me of omelet and inzār.
I called out of folly and clamor
وَلَكَمْand how often قدindeed رأيتُI saw فيin الماءِthe water شيخاًan old man
وَلَكَمْ قد رأيتُ في الماءِ شيخاً
وهوwhile he جاثٍcrouching فيin الحبِّthe water jar كالعبارِlike the ferryman
وهو جاثٍ في الحبِّ كالعبارِ
How often I have seen an old man in the water,
And how often in water I saw an old man
crouching in the water jar like a ferryman.
Bowing in love like a pole
شيخُan old man سوءٍwickedness كالثلجlike snow ذَقناًin beard ولكنbut
شيخُ سوءٍ كالثلج ذَقناً ولكن
وَجهُهُhis face فيin سوادِهِits blackness كالقارlike pitch
وَجهُهُ في سوادِهِ كالقار
A wicked old man, snow-white of beard, yet
An evil old man, white-bearded but
his face as black as pitch.
His dark face like tar
أشبَهُmost resembling النّاسِthe people بيto me وَقَدand indeed يشبهresembles التّيthe he-goat (continued)
أشبَهُ النّاسِ بي وَقَد يشبه التّي
سُcompletion of 'he-goat' أخاهُhis brother فيin حَومةِthe precinct الجزّارِthe butcher
سُ أخاهُ في حَومةِ الجزّارِ
He resembled me most of all; a
Most resembling me, and a fox
he-goat may resemble his brother in the butcher's yard.
May resemble its brother at the butcher's
صاحَhe shouted مِثليlike me أذْwhen صِحتُI shouted مِنهbecause of him عِناداًdefiantly
صاحَ مِثلي أذْ صِحتُ مِنه عِناداً
بأنتِهارٍwith a rebuke ياO صاحfriend مثلَlike انتهارِa rebuke
بأنتِهارٍ يا صاح مثلَ انتهارِ
He shouted like me when I shouted defiantly at him,
He shouted like me, I shouted back stubbornly
with a scolding, my friend, like my own scolding.
"Shout!" I cried like a cry
فأعتَرانيthen seized me رُعْبٌterror وَناديتُand I cried out ماnot كُنْI was (continued)
فأعتَراني رُعْبٌ وَناديتُ ما كُنْ
تُcompletion of 'I was' إخالُI supposed اللصوصَthe thieves فيin الأَزيارِthe water jars
تُ إخالُ اللصوصَ في الأَزيارِ
Terror seized me, and I cried, 'I never
I was gripped by fear and called
imagined thieves in water jars!'
"I'm not a harborer of thieves in dens!"
لَمْdid not يَغِظنيanger me مِنهُabout him سوىexcept أنّهُthat he عَبَّhe frowned (continued)
لَمْ يَغِظني مِنهُ سوى أنّهُ عَبَّ
سَcompletion of 'he frowned' مثليlike me وافتَرَّand he grinned مثلَlike افتراريmy grinning
سَ مثلي وافتَرَّ مثلَ افتراري
Nothing about him angered me except that he
Nothing angered me but that he
frowned like me, and grinned just as I grinned.
Hissed like me and slandered like my slander
أينَwhere تُرسيmy shield وأينand where دِرعيmy armor الحقينيcome to my aid
أينَ تُرسي وأين دِرعي الحقيني
أمَّmother of عمروٍʿAmr بِصارميwith my sharp sword البتّارِthe cleaving one
أمَّ عمروٍ بِصارمي البتّارِ
Where is my shield? Where is my armor? Bring me,
Where do you moor and where is my coat of mail
Umm ʿAmr, my sharp, cleaving sword!
Umm Amroo, with my sharp sword
إنْif أَمُتْI die كُنْتُI shall be فيamong الغزاةِthe warriors شهيداًa martyr
إنْ أَمُتْ كُنْتُ في الغزاةِ شهيداً
أوor أعشْI live كُنتُI shall be أشطرَthe craftiest الشطّارthe rogues
أو أعشْ كُنتُ أشطرَ الشطّار
If I die, I shall be a martyr among the warriors;
If I die, I'll be a martyr in battle
or if I live, I shall be the craftiest of rogues.
Or live, I'm the bravest of the brave
ثُمَّthen أَثخَنْتُI battered ذلكَthat الزّيرَthe water jar ضَرْباًwith blows
ثُمَّ أَثخَنْتُ ذلكَ الزّيرَ ضَرْباً
بحُساميwith my sword حتّىuntil هوىit fell لانكسارِto shatter
بحُسامي حتّى هوى لانكسارِ
Then I dealt that water jar grievous blows
Then I struck that hated one with blows
with my sword, until it fell and shattered.
With my sword until he fell shattered
فَجَرىthen flowed الماءُthe water فأختَشَيْتُso I took fright وإلاّand otherwise
فَجَرى الماءُ فأختَشَيْتُ وإلاّ
كُنْتُI would have أقفوI follow الآثارَthe tracks فيin التيارthe current
كُنْتُ أقفو الآثارَ في التيار
The water flowed out, and I took fright; otherwise
The water flowed so I was wary or else
I would have followed the tracks in the current.
I'd follow the traces in the current
أناI كالبانِlike the bān tree فيin قوامِيْmy stature وإنْand if أفyou single me out (continued)
أنا كالبانِ في قوامِيْ وإنْ أف
ردْتَنيcompletion of 'you single me out' كُنْتُI would be فيin التّهارشsnarling fights ضَاريfierce
ردْتَني كُنْتُ في التّهارش ضَاري
I am like a bān tree in stature, but if you
I'm like a cat in my slinking, and if
single me out, I would be fierce in snarling fights.
You single me out, I'm vicious in skirmishing
أناI مثلُlike الخَروفthe ram قُرناًin horns وإنْand if أسyou drop (continued)
أنا مثلُ الخَروف قُرناً وإنْ أس
قَطْتَcompletion of 'you drop' فائيmy letter fāʾ أُعَدُّI am counted فيamong الأَقذارfilth
قَطْتَ فائي أُعَدُّ في الأَقذار
I am like a ram in horns, but if you
I'm like a sheep, horned, and if
drop my fāʾ, I am counted among filth.
You drop my spit I'm vilest in filth
أناI تيسيرُease (taysīr) ماwhat يقادُis led بحذفby deleting الthe (continued)
أنا تيسيرُ ما يقادُ بحذف ال
ياءِletter yāʾ والرَاءِand the letter rāʾ حالةat the time of الإعسارِhardship
ياءِ والرَاءِ حالة الإعسارِ
I am 'ease' (taysīr)—a goat to be led if you delete the
I'm facilitating what is led by omitting
yāʾ and rāʾ in times of hardship.
The ya and ra, the state of poverty
أناI لوif رُمتُI sought للعلاجِfor treatment طَبيباًa doctor
أنا لو رُمتُ للعلاجِ طَبيباً
ماnot تَعَدَّيتُI went beyond دكّةَthe bench البيطارِthe veterinarian
ما تَعَدَّيتُ دكّةَ البيطارِ
If I sought a doctor to treat me,
If I went to a doctor for treatment
I would go no farther than the veterinarian's bench.
I wouldn't exceed the herbalist's booth
بعدَماafter كُنْتُI used to منْthrough ذَكائِيmy intelligence أَدريknow
بعدَما كُنْتُ منْ ذَكائِي أَدري
أنَّthat بَابيmy door منfrom صَنْعَةِthe work النّجارِthe carpenter
أنَّ بَابي من صَنْعَةِ النّجارِ
After I had known, through my cleverness,
After I was with my intelligence aware
that my door was the work of a carpenter,
My door was made by the carpenter
أحزِرُI guess البيضَthe eggs قبلَbefore أنْthat يكسروهُthey break it
أحزِرُ البيضَ قبلَ أنْ يكسروهُ
أنَّthat فيهِinside it البياضَthe white فوقَabove الصّفَارthe yolk
أنَّ فيهِ البياضَ فوقَ الصّفَار
I can guess, before they crack an egg,
I guessed the eggs before they cracked them
that inside it the white lies above the yolk.
The white was on the yolk
وَبِعَيْنيand with my own eye نَظَرتُI saw كوزَa jug زُجاجٍglass
وَبِعَيْني نَظَرتُ كوزَ زُجاجٍ
كانَit was عِنديwith me أوor هيit منَof الفخّارِearthenware
كانَ عِندي أو هي منَ الفخّارِ
And with my own eyes I saw a glass jug
And with my eye I looked at a glass jug
that I had—or perhaps it was earthenware.
That was with me or made of pottery
وكثيرٌand much مِنّيfor me علىdespite شيبِthe grayness رأسيmy head
وكثيرٌ مِنّي على شيبِ رأسي
حِفظُremembering هذيthese الأشياءِthings مثلَlike الصِّغارِthe children
حِفظُ هذي الأشياءِ مثلَ الصِّغارِ
It is quite a feat for me, gray-headed as I am,
And much of me despite my white hair
to remember these things as children do.
Memorizes these things like little children
Sol 6.1