قَبَحتَshame on you لوif كنتyou were أمرءًa man صالحاًupright
قَبَحتَ لو كنت أمرءً صالحاً
تعرفyou know ماwhat الحقthe truth منfrom الباطلِfalsehood
تعرف ما الحق من الباطلِ
Shame on you! Had you been an upright man,
Shame on you! Had you been an upright man,
able to distinguish truth from falsehood,
who knew truth from falsehood,
كفَفتَyou refrained عنfrom شتميinsulting me بلاwithout إخنهٍrancor
كفَفتَ عن شتمي بلا إخنهٍ
ولمand did not تورَّطyou become entangled كِفَّةًsnare الحابلِthe trapper
ولم تورَّط كِفَّةً الحابلِ
you would have refrained from reviling me without a grudge,
you would have refrained from insulting me, without rancor,
and would not have blundered into the trapper’s noose.
and not become entangled in the trapper’s snare.
لكنbut أبتrefused نفسكyour soul فعلَthe practice of النهىreason
لكن أبت نفسك فعلَ النهى
والحزمand prudence والنجدةِand valor والنائلِand bounty
والحزم والنجدةِ والنائلِ
But your nature rejected the ways of good sense,
But your soul rejected the ways of reason,
firm resolve, courage, and generosity.
and prudence, valor, and generosity.
فتحتَyou opened ليfor me بالشتمwith insults حتىuntil بداappeared
فتحتَ لي بالشتم حتى بدا
مكنونconcealed غِشٍdeceit فيin الحشاthe breast داخلِwithin
مكنون غِشٍ في الحشا داخلِ
By reviling me, you gave me free rein, until
You gave me an opening with insults, until there appeared
the hidden rancor deep within my breast came forth.
concealed deceit lodged within the breast.
فاجهدso exert yourself وقُلand speak لاdo not تتركleave off جاهداًstriving hard
فاجهد وقُل لا تترك جاهداً
شَتمreviling امريءa man ذيpossessing نجدةٍvalor عاقلِsensible
شَتم امريء ذي نجدةٍ عاقلِ
So do your utmost and speak; leave no effort unspent
So exert yourself and speak; spare no effort
in reviling a courageous, sensible man.
in reviling a man of valor and good sense.
تعذلنيyou reproach me فيfor قهوةٍwine مُزَّةٍtart
تعذلني في قهوةٍ مُزَّةٍ
درياقةٍwine تُجلَبis brought منfrom بابلِBabylon
درياقةٍ تُجلَب من بابلِ
You reproach me over a sharp-tasting wine,
You reproach me for tart wine,
a theriac brought from Babylon.
a wine brought from Babylon.
ولوand if رآهاhe saw it خرَّhe fell down منout of حُبّهاlove of it
ولو رآها خرَّ من حُبّها
يسجُدhe prostrates himself للشيطانto Satan بالباطلِwrongfully
يسجُد للشيطان بالباطلِ
Had he seen it, he would have fallen down for love of it,
And were he to see it, he would fall down for love of it,
prostrating himself to Satan in false worship.
wrongfully prostrating himself before Satan.
ياO شرّworst بكرٍBakr كلّهاall of it محتِدأin lineage
يا شرّ بكرٍ كلّها محتِدأ
ونُهزةَand prey المختلسِthe snatcher الآكلِthe devourer
ونُهزةَ المختلسِ الآكلِ
O vilest of all Bakr in lineage,
O worst of all Bakr in lineage,
easy prey for the thieving devourer!
and prey for the snatching devourer!
عِرضَكyour honor وفرّهpreserve it ودعنيand leave me وماand what
عِرضَك وفرّه ودعني وما
أهواهI love it ياO أحمقmore foolish منthan باقلِBāqil
أهواه يا أحمق من باقلِ
Preserve your honor, and leave me and what
Preserve your honor, and leave me with what
I desire, you fool—more witless than Bāqil!
I love, O you more foolish than Bāqil!
