تمتَّع إن رأيتَ بِمِصر ثدياً

تمتَّع إن رأيتَ بِمِصر ثدياً

إذا ما استُرضِعَت درَّت برِيِّ

إذا ما استُرضِعَت درَّت برِيِّ

Enjoy yourself if you see a breast in Egypt

Enjoy, if you see Egypt has a breast

that, when asked to nurse, yields a thirst-quenching flow.

Whenever it is suckled, it drips with pure milk

لها لَبنٌ ينسي الطِّفلَ مِنكُم

لها لَبنٌ ينسي الطِّفلَ مِنكُم

إذا ما امتصَّها لَبنَ الثُّديِّ

إذا ما امتصَّها لَبنَ الثُّديِّ

It has milk that makes the child among you forget,

It has milk that makes any child amongst you forgetful

once he sucks it, the milk of breasts.

Whenever he sucks the milk of that breast

مقالمُ نَسخِكَ العِلم اللَّواتي

مقالمُ نَسخِكَ العِلم اللَّواتي

تُغشَّى بالأدِيمِ الآدَمِيِّ

تُغشَّى بالأدِيمِ الآدَمِيِّ

Your pen cases for copying knowledge are the ones

Your compiled book is a copy of my knowledge

sheathed in human hide.

Which is covered with the human leather

ولا تَختصَّ فَحلاً دُونَ فَحلٍ

ولا تَختصَّ فَحلاً دُونَ فَحلٍ

وصيَّةَ جاهِلٍ بهمُ غَبِيِّ

وصيَّةَ جاهِلٍ بهمُ غَبِيِّ

And do not favor one stallion over another—

Do not give preference to some men over others

the counsel of a foolish man ignorant of them.

Or the advice of an ignorant fool

وقارِب في العُلوم وكُن تَقيّاً

وقارِب في العُلوم وكُن تَقيّاً

وإلا لِم دُعيتَ أبا التَّقِيِّ

وإلا لِم دُعيتَ أبا التَّقِيِّ

And be moderate in the sciences, and be pious;

Be close in knowledge and pious

otherwise, why were you called Abu al-Taqi?

Otherwise why are you called the pious father

ولا تُظهِر لِمن تَلقى وَلاءً

ولا تُظهِر لِمن تَلقى وَلاءً

فعِندَهُمُ عَلاماتُ الوَليِّ

فعِندَهُمُ عَلاماتُ الوَليِّ

And show no allegiance to those you meet,

Do not show loyalty to those

for they have the marks of a devotee.

Who have the signs of loyalty amongst them

أمالَكَ في استِكَ الوَجعاءِ شُغلٌ

أمالَكَ في استِكَ الوَجعاءِ شُغلٌ

لَحاكَ اللَّهُ عَن آلِ النَّبيِّ

لَحاكَ اللَّهُ عَن آلِ النَّبيِّ

Does your aching arse not distract you—

Are you busy with the ill folk of your family

God curse you!—from the Prophet’s family?

May Allah distract you from the family of the Prophet