أخَالدُO Khalid لاnot جَزَاكreward you اللهُGod خَيراًwith good
أخَالدُ لا جَزَاك اللهُ خَيراً
وand فيin أُمِّكَyour mother منof أمِيرِan emir
و في أُمِّكَ من أمِيرِ
O Khalid, may God reward you with no good!
Oh Khālid, may God not reward you well,
And in your mother—what an emir! [Wording unclear.]
And may the Emir be displeased with your mother!
تَمَنَّىyou aspire to الفخَرglory فيamong قَيسٍQays وَقَسرٍand Qasr
تَمَنَّى الفخَر في قَيسٍ وَقَسرٍ
كأنَّكَas though you were مِنamong سَرَاةِthe nobles بَنِيthe sons of جَرِيرِJarir
كأنَّكَ مِن سَرَاةِ بَنِي جَرِيرِ
You aspire to glory among Qays and Qasr,
You wished for glory among Qays and Qasr,
as though you were among the nobles of Banu Jarir.
As if you were from the stables of Banū Jarīr,
جَريرٌJarir مِنfrom ذَويthe people of يَمَنٍYemen أصِيلٌof pure descent
جَريرٌ مِن ذَوي يَمَنٍ أصِيلٌ
كَرِيمُnoble الأَصلlineage ذُوpossessing خَطرٍstanding كبيرِgreat
كَرِيمُ الأَصل ذُو خَطرٍ كبيرِ
Jarir is of Yemen’s people, of pure descent,
Jarīr is from pure Yemeni stock,
noble in lineage, possessing great standing.
Of noble lineage, a man of great prestige,
وأنتَand you زَعَمتَyou claimed أنَّكَthat you are مِنfrom يزيدٍYazid
وأنتَ زَعَمتَ أنَّكَ مِن يزيدٍ
وَقَدand indeed أُدحِقتُمُyou were driven out دَحَقَthe expulsion of العُبورِSirius
وَقَد أُدحِقتُمُ دَحَقَ العُبورِ
And you claimed that you descended from Yazid,
Yet you claimed to be from Yazīd’s line,
though you were all driven out, as Sirius was driven out.
Though you have been crushed like chasing deer!
وأمُّكَand your mother علجةٌa foreign wench وأبوكand your father وغدٌa base wretch
وأمُّكَ علجةٌ وأبوك وغدٌ
وَمَاand not الأَذنَابُthe tails عَدلٌan equal للصُّدُورِto the foreparts
وَمَا الأَذنَابُ عَدلٌ للصُّدُورِ
And your mother is a foreign wench, and your father a base wretch;
Your mother is a she-camel and your father a tomorrow,
tails are no match for the foreparts.
Flies can hardly match up to mules!
وأنتَand you كَساقِطٍlike something fallen بَينَbetween الحَشَايَاthe cushions
وأنتَ كَساقِطٍ بَينَ الحَشَايَا
يَصِيرُit comes إِلَىto الخَبِيثthe vile مِنَof المَصِيرِthe outcome
يَصِيرُ إِلَى الخَبِيث مِنَ المَصِيرِ
And you are like something fallen between cushions,
You are like refuse amid rubble
which comes to a vile end.
That ends up with the wicked.
ومثلُand like نَعامَةٍan ostrich تُدعىis called بَعِيراًa camel
ومثلُ نَعامَةٍ تُدعى بَعِيراً
تعاظمهاit seems too much for her غِذاwhen (apparent textual error) ماever (emphatic) قيلit is said طيريfly!
تعاظمها غِذا ما قيل طيري
And like an ostrich that is called a camel,
You are like an ostrich called a camel,
which finds it daunting when told, ‘Fly!’
Aggrandizing itself whenever deemed a bird,
وإنand if قِيلit is said احمِليcarry! قَالَتshe said فَإِنِّيfor indeed I am
وإن قِيل احمِلي قَالَت فَإِنِّي
منamong الطيرِthe birds المُربَّةِthat stay بِالوُكُورِin the nests
من الطيرِ المُربَّةِ بِالوُكُورِ
And if told, ‘Carry!’ she says, ‘For I am
And if told: “Carry,” it would say
one of the birds that keep to their nests.’
I am a bird bred among mountain cocks!
وكنتand you were لدىin the presence of المغيرةal-Mughira عَيرan ass سُوءٍwretchedness
وكنت لدى المغيرة عَير سُوءٍ
يَبُولُit urinates مِنَfrom المَخَافَةِfear للزَّئيرِat the roaring
يَبُولُ مِنَ المَخَافَةِ للزَّئيرِ
And in al-Mughira’s presence you were a wretched ass,
You were donkey dung with Al-Mughīrah
urinating from fear at the roaring
Pissing itself in fear of the lion’s roar!
لأعلاَجٍof foreign louts ثمانِيَةٍeight وَشَيخٍand an old man
لأعلاَجٍ ثمانِيَةٍ وَشَيخٍ
كَبِيرadvanced السِّنِّin age ذِيwith بَصَرٍeyesight ضَرِيرِimpaired
كَبِير السِّنِّ ذِي بَصَرٍ ضَرِيرِ
of eight foreign louts and an old man,
Born of a cure-all and an old blind shaykh
advanced in years, with impaired sight.
Who, when stricken, cried: “Feed me!” then fouled his bed!
تَقُولُyou say لِماbecause of what أَصابَكَbefell you أطعِمُونِيgive me
تَقُولُ لِما أَصابَكَ أطعِمُونِي
شراباًa drink ثُمَّthen بُلتَyou urinated علىon السَّرِيرthe bed
شراباً ثُمَّ بُلتَ على السَّرِير
You say, because of what befell you, ‘Give me
a drink!’ Then you urinated on the bed.
Partial English translation: 20 of 22 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1