قَد قَشَرتُ العَصا وَلَم أَعلَقِ السَي

قَد قَشَرتُ العَصا وَلَم أَعلَقِ السَي

رَ وَأَعدَدتُ لِلهِجاءِ لِساني

رَ وَأَعدَدتُ لِلهِجاءِ لِساني

I have stripped the staff, but have not attached the leather

I have stripped the stick and did not hang the sword

I have bared the staff of war and kept my saddle strapped, honing my tongue for stinging satire.

strap, and I have readied my tongue for satire.

And I prepared my tongue for satire

So beware my assault and the striking point of my verse, and dread the visitation of my poetic demon.

فَاِحذَروا صَولَتي وَمَوقِعَ شِعري

فَاِحذَروا صَولَتي وَمَوقِعَ شِعري

وَاِتَّقوا أَن يَزورَكُم شَيطاني

وَاِتَّقوا أَن يَزورَكُم شَيطاني

So beware my onslaught and the impact of my verse;

So beware of my assault and the impact of my poetry

O my boon companions, O sons of Nawbakht, do not let my hooded mantle be lost within your midst.

And beware lest my demon visit you.

And beware lest my devil tempt you

Two hundred dirhams was its cost, yet a mere two hundred will not suffice to please your brother.

يا نَدامايَ يا بَني نَوَّبَختٍ

يا نَدامايَ يا بَني نَوَّبَختٍ

لا يَضيعَنَّ بَينَكُم طَيلَساني

لا يَضيعَنَّ بَينَكُم طَيلَساني

O my drinking companions, O sons of Nawbakht,

Oh my regret, O sons of misfortune

I visited you only to stand in a place of gain; I did not visit you to stand in a place of loss.

Let not my cloak be lost among you.

Do not let my long tongue go astray among you

مائَتا دِرهَمٍ شِراهُ وَلَكِن

مائَتا دِرهَمٍ شِراهُ وَلَكِن

لَيسَ تُرضي أَخاكُمُ المِئَتانِ

لَيسَ تُرضي أَخاكُمُ المِئَتانِ

Its purchase price is two hundred dirhams, and yet

Two hundred dirhams he bought but

The two hundred do not satisfy your brother.

Two hundred do not satisfy your brother

إِنَّما زُرتُكُم لِمَوضِعِ رِبحٍ

إِنَّما زُرتُكُم لِمَوضِعِ رِبحٍ

لَم أَزُركُم لِمَوضِعِ الخُسرانِ

لَم أَزُركُم لِمَوضِعِ الخُسرانِ

I visited you only with a view to profit;

I only visited you for profit

I did not visit you with a view to loss.

I did not visit you for loss