اسمعناmade us hear بارنجBaring فيin صدّهhis rebuff
اسمعنا بارنج في صدّه
قولاa statement غريبstrange الشكلthe form فيin حدّهits edge
قولا غريب الشكل في حدّه
In his hostility, Baring treated us to
Baring, in his rebuff, made us hear
words strange in form and cutting in their edge.
a statement strange in form and sharp in its edge.
قدindeed سبhe reviled إسماعيلIsmail عندbefore ابنهhis son
قد سب إسماعيل عند ابنه
وسبand he reviled ربthe ruler of القطرthe land فيthrough جدّهhis grandfather
وسب رب القطر في جدّه
He reviled Ismail before his son,
He reviled Ismail before his son,
and, through his grandfather, reviled the country’s sovereign.
and reviled the land's ruler through his grandfather,
منfrom بعدafter أنthat أوسعhe filled تقريرهhis report
من بعد أن أوسع تقريره
مغامزاbarbs للدّينagainst religion منfrom حقدهhis rancor
مغامزا للدّين من حقده
This, after he had filled his report at length
after filling his report
with spite-born slurs against the faith.
with barbs against religion, born of his rancor.
وأنكرand he denied الشمسthe sun وأثنىand he praised علىupon
وأنكر الشمس وأثنى على
منone who باتremained طولthroughout الدهرall time فيin كيدهscheming against him
من بات طول الدهر في كيده
He denied the sun itself, yet praised
And he denied the sun and praised
one forever immersed in his scheming.
one who had forever been scheming against him.
وقالand he said إنthat النيلthe Nile منfrom فيضهhis overflowing bounty
وقال إن النيل من فيضه
وذاand this الرقىّprogress اليومtoday منfrom وجدهhis wealth
وذا الرقىّ اليوم من وجده
He claimed the Nile was an overflow of his bounty,
And he said the Nile flows from his bounty,
and that today’s progress sprang from his resources;
and today's progress comes from his wealth;
وإنهand that he والعدلand justice نبراسهhis beacon
وإنه والعدل نبراسه
قدindeed أُصلحwas reformed القطرthe land علىduring عهدهhis tenure
قد أُصلح القطر على عهده
that he—with justice for his lamp—
and that, with justice as his beacon,
had set the country right during his tenure.
the land had indeed been reformed during his tenure.
قلناwe said صدقناكwe believed you نهلhe drank (unclear here; likely 'then is ...?') هكذاthus
قلنا صدقناك نهل هكذا
يصولstrikes out سيفthe sword of الحقtruth منfrom غمدهits scabbard
يصول سيف الحق من غمده
We said, “We believe you—then is this how
We said, 'We believe you'—[then is] this how
the sword of truth leaps from its sheath?”
the sword of truth strikes out from its scabbard?
لكنbut منwhoever كانwas أخاa possessor of حكمةwisdom
لكن من كان أخا حكمة
وباقَىand maintained العهدthe covenant علىin keeping with وعدهhis promise
وباقَى العهد على وعده
Yet one endowed with wisdom,
But whoever is a man of wisdom
and faithful to the covenant of his promise,
and maintains the covenant according to his promise
لاnot يظهرdisplays التأثيرinfluence فيover أمةa nation
لا يظهر التأثير في أمة
ترىsees نوالthe attainment of السعدhappiness فيin بعدهhis absence
ترى نوال السعد في بعده
does not flaunt his sway over a nation
does not exert influence over a nation
that sees happiness attained in his absence.
that sees the attainment of happiness in his absence.
قالsaid فريقa group لمnot يكنwas قصدهhis intention
قال فريق لم يكن قصده
إلاexcept المزاحjesting المحضpure فيin ردّهhis reply
إلا المزاح المحض في ردّه
Some said his intention had been
Some said his intention had been
nothing but sheer jest in his reply.
nothing but pure jest in his reply.
فقلتso I said إنif كانhe was بناat our expense هازلاjesting
فقلت إن كان بنا هازلا
فليسthen it is not هذاthis الهزلjest منfrom وجدهhis affection
فليس هذا الهزل من وجده
I said, “If he was joking at our expense,
So I said: if he was jesting at our expense,
then this jest was no product of his own wit.”
then this jest does not spring from his affection.
