استبق ودَّ أبي المقا

استبق ودَّ أبي المقا

تل حين تأكل من طعامِهْ

تل حين تأكل من طعامِهْ

Keep the goodwill of Abu al-Muqā—

Preserve Abu al-Muqatil's goodwill

—til, when you eat his food.

when you eat of his food.

سيان كسرُ رغيفِه

سيان كسرُ رغيفِه

أو كسرُ عظمٍ من عظامِهْ

أو كسرُ عظمٍ من عظامِهْ

It is all one to him: breaking his loaf,

It is all the same: breaking his loaf

or breaking one of his bones.

or breaking one of his bones.

وتراه من خوفِ النزيـ

وتراه من خوفِ النزيـ

ـلِ به يروَّعُ في منامِهْ

ـلِ به يروَّعُ في منامِهْ

And you see him, for fear of the gue—

And you see him, for fear of a guest

—st, terror-stricken by him in his sleep.

lodging with him, terrified in his sleep.

فإذا مررتَ ببابِه

فإذا مررتَ ببابِه

فاحفظْ رغيفكَ من غلامهْ

فاحفظْ رغيفكَ من غلامهْ

So when you pass by his door,

So when you pass by his door,

guard your loaf from his servant.

guard your loaf from his servant.

أرفع يمينك عن طعامهْ

أرفع يمينك عن طعامهْ

إن كنت ترغبُ في كلامِهْ

إن كنت ترغبُ في كلامِهْ

Keep your right hand away from his food

Lift your right hand away from his food

if you desire his conversation.

if you want him to speak.

فالموتُ أهونُ عندهُ

فالموتُ أهونُ عندهُ

من مضغِ ضيفٍ والتقامِهْ

من مضغِ ضيفٍ والتقامِهْ

For death is easier for him

For death is more bearable to him

than a guest’s chewing and swallowing.

than a guest's chewing and swallowing.

ويصومُ كرهاً ضيفُهْ

ويصومُ كرهاً ضيفُهْ

لم يَنْوِ أجراً في صيامِهْ

لم يَنْوِ أجراً في صيامِهْ

And his guest is forced to fast,

And his guest fasts unwillingly,

with no thought of reward for his fasting.

having intended no reward for his fasting.