ما ضرطةٌ بَدَرَتْ وهباً بواهبةٍ

ما ضرطةٌ بَدَرَتْ وهباً بواهبةٍ

لمن هجاه كحظٍّ ناله أَبَدا

لمن هجاه كحظٍّ ناله أَبَدا

No fart that escaped Wahb could bestow

No reproach ever stained a gift from one who gives

on his satirist, ever, a fortune like the one Wahb gained.

To him who rails, as fate allots, he'll ne'er succeed

يا ليتني نِلْتُ ممَّا نال طائفةً

يا ليتني نِلْتُ ممَّا نال طائفةً

وأَنَّني ضارطٌ عند الوزير غدا

وأَنَّني ضارطٌ عند الوزير غدا

Oh, if only I had gained a share of what he gained,

Would that I gained some part of what another won

and were farting before the minister tomorrow!

And that I served as chamberlain tomorrow morn

قد أكثر الناس في وهبٍ وضرطته

قد أكثر الناس في وهبٍ وضرطته

حتى لقد مُلَّ ما قالوا وقد بردا

حتى لقد مُلَّ ما قالوا وقد بردا

People have said so much about Wahb and his fart

Too much men blame or flatter gifts and place

that their words have grown tiresome and have already gone cold.

Till praise and blame alike seem trite and worn

لا تَعْلُ ضرطةُ هاجيه كضرطته

لا تَعْلُ ضرطةُ هاجيه كضرطته

في الذاكرين ولا يُحْسَدْ كما حُسِدا

في الذاكرين ولا يُحْسَدْ كما حُسِدا

Let his satirist's fart not rise as high as his own

No blame can touch the giver like the blame

among those who recount it, nor let him be envied as Wahb was.

That memory brings, nor envy wound like scorn

يا وهبُ لا تكترث للعائبيك بها

يا وهبُ لا تكترث للعائبيك بها

فإنما أنت غيثٌ ربما رَعَدا

فإنما أنت غيثٌ ربما رَعَدا

O Wahb, pay no heed to those who fault you for it,

O Wahb, heed not those who blame your gifts

for you are but a raincloud that sometimes thunders.

For you're a rain that rumbles ere the morn

ولم يزل عيبُ من قلَّت معايِبُهُ

ولم يزل عيبُ من قلَّت معايِبُهُ

يُحْصَى ويُترك ما قد أعجز العددا

يُحْصَى ويُترك ما قد أعجز العددا

And the fault of one whose failings are few has always

Small faults in great men still get counted wrong

been counted, while what has defied counting is left alone.

While graver faults in small men go unmourned

انظر إلى أحمدٍ ضرَّاطِ عسكره

انظر إلى أحمدٍ ضرَّاطِ عسكره

هَلْ عابَهُ أحَدٌ أو عَدَّه أحَدَا

هَلْ عابَهُ أحَدٌ أو عَدَّه أحَدَا

Look at Ahmad, his army's inveterate farter:

Look at Ahmad, steward of the army, say

Has anyone reproached him—or reckoned him somebody?

Has anyone reviled or shamed that lord?

يُعيَّرُ المرءُ ما استحيا مُعَيِّرَهُ

يُعيَّرُ المرءُ ما استحيا مُعَيِّرَهُ

ولا يُعَيَّرُ آتي العار مُعْتَمِد

ولا يُعَيَّرُ آتي العار مُعْتَمِد

A man is reproached so long as he feels shame before his reproacher;

A man gets shamed as long as he's ashamed

nor is one who deliberately commits disgrace reproached.

But he whom shame has left, none can shame with words