غَمَّني عِشقُكَ لِلشَط

غَمَّني عِشقُكَ لِلشَط

رَنجِ هَذا يا اِبرَهيمُ

رَنجِ هَذا يا اِبرَهيمُ

Your passion has saddened me—for

Your love of chess troubles me, O Ibrahim

this chess, O Ibrahim.

This is a futile endeavor, my friend

عَمَلٌ في غَيرِ برْ

عَمَلٌ في غَيرِ برْ

رٍ وَاِختِلافٌ وَلُزومُ

رٍ وَاِختِلافٌ وَلُزومُ

An occupation devoid of

It was established without righteousness

virtue, with disagreement and persistence.

By a cursed devil, the outcast

إِنَّما أَسَّسَهاوَيْ

إِنَّما أَسَّسَهاوَيْ

حَكَ شَيطانٌ رَجيمُ

حَكَ شَيطانٌ رَجيمُ

None founded it—woe to

It has made people play, so what wisdom is this?

you!—but an accursed devil.

The chess game brings ill fate, so avoid it, O unfortunate one

هَبكَ فيها أَلعَبَ النا

هَبكَ فيها أَلعَبَ النا

سِ فَماذا يا حَكيمُ

سِ فَماذا يا حَكيمُ

Suppose you are its best player among

Let whoever wishes say what they want, but my words are straightforward

all people—what then, O wise man?

It only came with a single dowry, which is disgraceful

لُعبَةُ الشَطَرَنجِ شُؤمٌ

لُعبَةُ الشَطَرَنجِ شُؤمٌ

فَاِجتَنِبها يا شؤومُ

فَاِجتَنِبها يا شؤومُ

The game of chess is an ill omen;

And the one who plays it will be deprived on Judgment Day

so avoid it, O ill-omened one.

The truth of what I have whispered about it will soon be evident to the schemer

فَلَيقُل ما شاءَ مَن شا

فَلَيقُل ما شاءَ مَن شا

ءَ فَقَولي مُستَقيمُ

ءَ فَقَولي مُستَقيمُ

So let whoever wishes say what he

It is only for people whose status is grand

wishes; for my words are sound.

A king who collects taxes, or a minister or confidant

إِنَّما جاءَت بِمُهرٍ

إِنَّما جاءَت بِمُهرٍ

واحِدٍ وَهوَ وَخيمُ

واحِدٍ وَهوَ وَخيمُ

She has borne a foal,

Or men who inherited riches to endure fate

just one, and it is baneful.

So remember what the one who abstains from it has in his hands when he gets up

وَالَّتي يُنزى عَلَيها ال

وَالَّتي يُنزى عَلَيها ال

يَومَ مَن يُنزى عَقيمُ

يَومَ مَن يُنزى عَقيمُ

And she upon whom a stud is made to mount

Is it anything but a little pleasure that does not last?

today, whichever stud it be, is barren.

So when the house is reached, he is a loser and blamed

وَسَيبلو صِدقَ ما فَسْ

وَسَيبلو صِدقَ ما فَسْ

سَرتُ فيها مَن يَرومُ

سَرتُ فيها مَن يَرومُ

And the truth of what I have

explained about it will be tested by whoever wishes.

إِنَّما هِيَ لِأُناسٍ

إِنَّما هِيَ لِأُناسٍ

شَأنُهُم شَأنٌ عَظيمُ

شَأنُهُم شَأنٌ عَظيمُ

It is only for people

whose standing is great:

مَلِكٌ يُجبى إِلَيهِ

مَلِكٌ يُجبى إِلَيهِ

أو وَزيرٌ أَو نَديمُ

أو وَزيرٌ أَو نَديمُ

a king to whom tribute is brought,

or a minister, or a boon companion,

أَو رَجالٌ وَرِثوا الأَم

أَو رَجالٌ وَرِثوا الأَم

والَ لِلدَهرِ سُلومُ

والَ لِلدَهرِ سُلومُ

or men who have inherited

wealth, at peace with time.

فَاِدَّكِر ما بِيَدِ القا

فَاِدَّكِر ما بِيَدِ القا

ئِمِ عَنها إِذ يَقومُ

ئِمِ عَنها إِذ يَقومُ

So consider what is in the hand of the one

who leaves it when he rises:

هَل سِوى شَيءٍ يَسيرٍ

هَل سِوى شَيءٍ يَسيرٍ

مِن سُرورٍ لا يَدومُ

مِن سُرورٍ لا يَدومُ

Is there anything but a little

pleasure that does not last?

فَإِذا ما أُبلِغَ البَي

فَإِذا ما أُبلِغَ البَي

تَ فَمَحسورٌ مَلومُ

تَ فَمَحسورٌ مَلومُ

Then, when he is brought

home, he is exhausted and reproached.