تقولُ هَشَيمة فِيما تقُولُ

تقولُ هَشَيمة فِيما تقُولُ

مَلَلتَ الحَيَاة أَبَا مَعمَرِ

مَلَلتَ الحَيَاة أَبَا مَعمَرِ

Hashaymah says, among other things:

Hashima says in her saying,

You have grown weary of life, Abu Ma'mar.

You complained of life, O Abu Ma'mar,

ومَالِي أَلاَّ أَمَلَّ الحَيَاةَ

ومَالِي أَلاَّ أَمَلَّ الحَيَاةَ

وهَذَا بِلاَلٌ عَلَى المِنبَرِ

وهَذَا بِلاَلٌ عَلَى المِنبَرِ

And why should I not grow weary of life,

And why should I not complain of life?

With this Bilal upon the pulpit?

This is Bilal on the pulpit,

وهذَا أخُوهُ يَقُودُ الجيوش

وهذَا أخُوهُ يَقُودُ الجيوش

عظيمُ السرادُقِ والعَسكرِ

عظيمُ السرادُقِ والعَسكرِ

And here is his brother, commanding armies,

And this is his brother leading armies,

Grand in pavilion and host.

Great in canopy and troops.

دقيقين لا حُرمَةً يَعرِفَانِ

دقيقين لا حُرمَةً يَعرِفَانِ

لِجَارٍ وَلاَ سَائِلٍ مُعتَرِي

لِجَارٍ وَلاَ سَائِلٍ مُعتَرِي

Two petty men, who know no respect

Subtle, with no sanctity they know,

For a neighbor or a beggar who comes calling.

For neighbor or begging stranger.

وأما ابنُ سَلمَى فَشِبهُ الفَتَاة

وأما ابنُ سَلمَى فَشِبهُ الفَتَاة

بَكُورٌ عَلَى الكُحلِ والمِجمَرِ

بَكُورٌ عَلَى الكُحلِ والمِجمَرِ

And as for Ibn Salma, he is like a girl,

As for Ibn Salma, he's like a girl

Up early for kohl and the incense burner.

In kohl and bracelet early in the morning,

دَبُوب العشَاءِ إِذَا أَطعمت

دَبُوب العشَاءِ إِذَا أَطعمت

حَلِيلَةُ كُلِّ فَتًى مُعورِ

حَلِيلَةُ كُلِّ فَتًى مُعورِ

A prowler at supper, whenever food is served

Serving dinner parties when night falls,

By the wife of every needy young man.

A boytoy for every debauched fellow.

وأمَّا ابنُ أشعَثَ ذُو التُّرَّهَات

وأمَّا ابنُ أشعَثَ ذُو التُّرَّهَات

وذُو الكِذبِ والزُّورِ وَالمُنكرِ

وذُو الكِذبِ والزُّورِ وَالمُنكرِ

And as for Ibn Ash'ath, the man of foolish nonsense,

And Ibn Ushath, full of nonsense,

And a man of lies, falsehood, and wrongdoing,

Lies, fraud, and disgrace.

فَلَو قِيل عَبدٌ شَرَتهُ التِّجَارُ

فَلَو قِيل عَبدٌ شَرَتهُ التِّجَارُ

سَبِيٌّ مِنَ الرُّومِ لَم يُنكرِ

سَبِيٌّ مِنَ الرُّومِ لَم يُنكرِ

If he were called a slave bought by merchants,

If it were said "A slave whose trade enriched merchants,

A captive from the Romans, it would not be denied.

A captive from Rome," none would doubt it.

وأما ابنُ ماهانَ بَعدَ الشَّقَاءِ

وأما ابنُ ماهانَ بَعدَ الشَّقَاءِ

وبعَد الخِيَاطةِ في كَسكرِ

وبعَد الخِيَاطةِ في كَسكرِ

And as for Ibn Mahan, after his wretchedness,

And Ibn Mahana, after misery

And after tailoring in Kaskar,

And tailoring in Kesker,

يَرُوحُ يُسامِي مُلوكَ العِرَاقِ

يَرُوحُ يُسامِي مُلوكَ العِرَاقِ

وقد عَاشَ حِيناً لَم يُذكر

وقد عَاشَ حِيناً لَم يُذكر

He goes forth vying with the kings of Iraq,

Visits the kings of Iraq

Though he once lived without being mentioned.

Though he once lived in disregard.

يروح إذَا رَاحَ في المُعسِرِين

يروح إذَا رَاحَ في المُعسِرِين

وإن أيسرَ النَّاسُ لَم يُوسِرِ

وإن أيسرَ النَّاسُ لَم يُوسِرِ

Whenever he goes out, he goes among the impoverished,

He visits when the destitute travel,

And even if people prosper, he does not.

Though the richest people won't enrich him.

واما المكَحَّلُ وَهبُ الهُنَاة

واما المكَحَّلُ وَهبُ الهُنَاة

فَلَو دُهِقَ الدَّهرَ لم يَصبرِ

فَلَو دُهِقَ الدَّهرَ لم يَصبرِ

And as for kohl-painted Wahb of the shameful deeds,

As for Al-Mukahhal Wahb the clown,

Even if tortured for all time, he could not abstain

If he lived forever, he'd show no patience

عن الصَّنجِ والزَّفنِ والمُسمِعَا

عن الصَّنجِ والزَّفنِ والمُسمِعَا

ت وقَرعِ القواقِيز والمِزهرِ

ت وقَرعِ القواقِيز والمِزهرِ

From cymbals, dancing, and female singers,

For tambourines, reed-flutes, entertainment,

And the clinking of goblets and strumming of the lute;

Castanets, and tinkling bells.

ولاَعَن هَنَاتٍ لَهُ لَو ظَهَرنَ

ولاَعَن هَنَاتٍ لَهُ لَو ظَهَرنَ

فَمَاتَ عَلَيهنَّ لم يُقبَرِ

فَمَاتَ عَلَيهنَّ لم يُقبَرِ

Nor from shameful deeds of his: if they were exposed,

He'd curse Haneen if she appeared,

And he died still guilty of them, he would not be buried.

Die cursing her, and not be buried.

وهذا ابنُ زَيدٍ له جُبَّةٌ

وهذا ابنُ زَيدٍ له جُبَّةٌ

تفوحُ من المسك والعَنبَرِ

تفوحُ من المسك والعَنبَرِ

And here is Ibn Zayd, who has a robe

And this is Ibn Zayd in a gown

That gives off the scent of musk and ambergris.

Redolent of musk and ambergris,

وهذا أبانٌ بُنَيُّ الوَلِيدِ

وهذا أبانٌ بُنَيُّ الوَلِيدِ

خطِيبٌ إذَا قَامَ لَم يُحضَرِ

خطِيبٌ إذَا قَامَ لَم يُحضَرِ

And here is Aban, al-Walid's little son,

This is Aban the son of al-Walid,

An orator who, when he rises, is not attended—

An orator, who when he stands can't be endured

أبعد الدواة وبعد الطروسِ

أبعد الدواة وبعد الطروسِ

وبعد انكبَابٍ عَلَى الدَّفترِ

وبعد انكبَابٍ عَلَى الدَّفترِ

After the inkwell and after the written sheets,

Beyond the inkstand. After pouring out

And after poring over his notebook?

On the notebook, if a guest came to him

ولَوحَلَّ ضَيفٌ بِهِ لم يزِدهُ

ولَوحَلَّ ضَيفٌ بِهِ لم يزِدهُ

عَلى الأَبيَضَينِ مَعَ الصَّعتَرِ

عَلى الأَبيَضَينِ مَعَ الصَّعتَرِ

And if a guest stayed with him, he would give him no more

He wouldn't offer more than the two whites

Than the two whites—bread and water—with thyme.

With soda.