نعم نعم حدثتني وهي صادقةٌ

نعم نعم حدثتني وهي صادقةٌ

ظنونُ قلبي وقالت لي تيقن بذا

ظنونُ قلبي وقالت لي تيقن بذا

Yes, yes, they spoke to me, and they were truthful—

Yes, yes, she told me truthful

my heart’s suspicions—and told me: “Be certain of this.”

The suspicions of my heart, and she said to me with certainty

إن الأراذل عن جاورتَهم سترى

إن الأراذل عن جاورتَهم سترى

ف يكل يومٍ أتى منهم بلاً وأذى

ف يكل يومٍ أتى منهم بلاً وأذى

Indeed, [if] you live beside the vile, you will see

That the wicked, from their proximity, you will see

affliction and harm coming from them every day.

Every day comes from them harm and offence

والبلهُ والحمقُ والنوكى وذو سفهٍ

والبلهُ والحمقُ والنوكى وذو سفهٍ

وجاهل وملإمارٍ قد لغا وهذَى

وجاهل وملإمارٍ قد لغا وهذَى

And the simpletons, the fools, the dullards, and the man of folly,

And foolishness, and idiocy, and jest, and foolish one

And an ignoramus and [unclear word], who has babbled and raved—

And ignorant, talker, has transgressed and raved

دعهم وسر مُعرضا عنهم فإنهمُ

دعهم وسر مُعرضا عنهم فإنهمُ

للعرض مقذرةٌ بل للعيون قَذَى

للعرض مقذرةٌ بل للعيون قَذَى

Leave them and go on, turning away from them, for they are

Leave them and go apart from them, for they

a stain upon honor—nay, grit in the eyes.

Are despised for dignity, rather an irritation to the eyes

لو يسمحوا لي بكوني خادماً لهمُ

لو يسمحوا لي بكوني خادماً لهمُ

كانوا همُ الرجل إجلالاً وكنتُ حِذا

كانوا همُ الرجل إجلالاً وكنتُ حِذا

If they allowed me to be their servant,

If they allow me to be their servant

they themselves would be the foot, out of reverence, and I the shoe.

They would be the honoured man, and I would be the sandal