رَفَعتُم عَلى قاضيكُمُ فَخَفَضتُمُ

رَفَعتُم عَلى قاضيكُمُ فَخَفَضتُمُ

وَحاوَلتُمُ خِزياً لَهُ فَخَزيتُمُ

وَحاوَلتُمُ خِزياً لَهُ فَخَزيتُمُ

You brought charges against your judge—and brought yourselves low.

You raised a complaint against your judge, only to bring yourselves low.

You sought disgrace for him, but were yourselves disgraced.

And you sought disgrace for him, only to suffer disgrace yourselves.

وَطالَ لَعَمري ما سَعِدتُم بِسَعدِهِ

وَطالَ لَعَمري ما سَعِدتُم بِسَعدِهِ

وَلَو أَنَّهُ يَشقى إِذَن لَشَقيتُمُ

وَلَو أَنَّهُ يَشقى إِذَن لَشَقيتُمُ

Long, by my life, you prospered through his good fortune;

And long, by my life, have you prospered through his good fortune.

had he met with misery, you too would have been miserable.

And were he to suffer, then you too would surely suffer.

وَما كانَ إِلّا سِترَكُم لَو عَقَلتُمُ

وَما كانَ إِلّا سِترَكُم لَو عَقَلتُمُ

وَلَكِنَّكُم عَن رُشدِكُم قَد عَميتُمُ

وَلَكِنَّكُم عَن رُشدِكُم قَد عَميتُمُ

He was nothing but your shield, if only you had understood,

And he was nothing but your covering, had you but understood.

but you had gone blind to your own right course.

But you have indeed grown blind to your own good sense.

فَها هُوَ ذا يَقضي عَلى الرَغمِ مِنكُمُ

فَها هُوَ ذا يَقضي عَلى الرَغمِ مِنكُمُ

فَموتوا بِغَيظٍ وَاصنَعوا كَيفَ شيتُمُ

فَموتوا بِغَيظٍ وَاصنَعوا كَيفَ شيتُمُ

And here he is, dispensing judgment in spite of you.

So here he is, passing judgment in spite of you.

So die of rage, and do whatever you please;

So die of rage, and do as you please.

وَحُكّوا عَلى ظَهرِ الصَعيدِ سِتاهَكُم

وَحُكّوا عَلى ظَهرِ الصَعيدِ سِتاهَكُم

فَلَن تَعشُروهُ في العُلى لَو خَريتُمُ

فَلَن تَعشُروهُ في العُلى لَو خَريتُمُ

rub your backsides against the surface of the earth—

And rub your arses on the surface of the earth.

you will never attain a tenth of his eminence, though you shit yourselves.

For you will never reach a tenth of his eminence, even if you shit.