Sol 6.1

  1. امْزِجْ بريقكِ أَو بمدحِ العادِل

    فكلاهُما خُلقا لمزجِ البَابِلي

    Mix the wine with your saliva, or with praise of al-Adil;

    for both were created to blend with Babylonian wine.

  2. وصِفاتُ مَولانا أَجَلُّ وإِنَّها

    أَحْلَى وأَعذبُ في لسانِ القائل

    And our lord’s qualities are more exalted; indeed, they

    are sweeter and more pleasing on the speaker’s tongue.

  3. ملكُ الملوكِ وإِنْ سمعتَ بغيرِه

    فاعْلَم بأَنَّك قد سَمِعتَ بباطِل

    He is the king of kings, and if you hear of another,

    then know that you have heard a falsehood.

  4. ولقد ظَفِرْتُ ملءِ آمالي به

    ووصلتُ منه لغير نأْيِ النائِلِ

    And through him I have indeed attained the full measure of my hopes,

    and from him attained bounty that was not far to seek.

  5. وإِذا وصلتَ إِلى السحائِب قبَلَهُ

    فاعلم بأَنَّك ما ظفرتَ بطائِلِ

    And if you reach the clouds before reaching him,

    then know that you have gained nothing worthwhile.

  6. ورجوتَ نصرته بصنع شُويْعرٍ

    قد حلَّ في سِفل الحضيضِ السافل

    And you hoped for his help because of a poetaster’s deeds,

    who has settled at the bottom of the lowest abyss.

  7. ما زال للأَشعار أَعظمَ سَارقٍ

    جهراً وللأَعراضِ أَشرَهُ آكِل

    He has never ceased to be the greatest thief of poems,

    openly, and the most voracious devourer of reputations.

  8. ولسانُه الملعون في شَتْمِ الوَرى

    مثلُ المهنَّدِ في يمينِ الْقَاتِل

    And his accursed tongue, in reviling humankind,

    is like an Indian-steel sword in a killer’s right hand.

  9. فسطَا عليَّ بهجْوِه بل نَجْوه

    وأَتى عليَّ بشتْمه المتواصل

    So he assailed me with his satire—rather, his excrement—

    and laid me low with his unceasing abuse.

  10. هذي ظُلامةُ مُستغيثٍ طالب

    للعدل في زمن المليكِ العادِل

    This is the grievance of one crying for help and seeking

    justice in the days of the just king.