أَبا نَهشَلٍ رَأيُكَ المُقنِعُ

أَبا نَهشَلٍ رَأيُكَ المُقنِعُ

إِذا طَرَقَ الحادِثُ الأَشنَعُ

إِذا طَرَقَ الحادِثُ الأَشنَعُ

Abu Nahshal, your judgment is convincing

O Abū Nahshal, your convincing opinion,

when the most hideous calamity strikes.

When the most heinous event strikes,

فَماذا اِشتَهَيتَ مِنَ الخُتَّلِيِّ

فَماذا اِشتَهَيتَ مِنَ الخُتَّلِيِّ

وَهَل لَكَ في الثَورِ مُستَمتَعُ

وَهَل لَكَ في الثَورِ مُستَمتَعُ

So what did you desire from al-Khuttali,

What have you coveted from al-Khattali,

and is there any pleasure for you in the bull?

And do you take pleasure in revolution?

تُنادِمُهُ وَهوَ في حالَةٍ

تُنادِمُهُ وَهوَ في حالَةٍ

تَضُرُّ النَدامى وَلا تَنفَعُ

تَضُرُّ النَدامى وَلا تَنفَعُ

You drink with him while he is in a condition

You reproach him while he is in a state,

that harms drinking companions and brings no benefit.

That harms the penitent and does not benefit.

أَلَستَ تَرى في اِستِهِ إِصبَعاً

أَلَستَ تَرى في اِستِهِ إِصبَعاً

تَجولُ وَفي شِدقِهِ إِصبَعُ

تَجولُ وَفي شِدقِهِ إِصبَعُ

Do you not see a finger in his anus,

Do you not see a finger in his desire,

moving about, and a finger in the corner of his mouth?

Wandering, and a finger in his cheek?

وَيَنقُلُ بَينَكُمُ جَعسَةً

وَيَنقُلُ بَينَكُمُ جَعسَةً

إِذا كَظَّهُ القَدَحُ المُترَعُ

إِذا كَظَّهُ القَدَحُ المُترَعُ

And he passes a turd among you

And he passes cups among you,

when the brimming goblet bloats him.

When the overflowing cup intoxicates him.

إِذا ما أَغارَ عَلى سَلحَةٍ

إِذا ما أَغارَ عَلى سَلحَةٍ

رَبوضٍ فَخِنزيرَةٌ مُتبِعُ

رَبوضٍ فَخِنزيرَةٌ مُتبِعُ

When he raids a turd

If he raids the weapons,

lying on the ground, he is a sow with young at her heels.

Of rabbits burrowing, pigs will follow.

وَلَم يَكُ فيها اِبنُ كَلبِيِّنا

وَلَم يَكُ فيها اِبنُ كَلبِيِّنا

ليَصنَعَ بَعضَ الَّذي يَصنَعُ

ليَصنَعَ بَعضَ الَّذي يَصنَعُ

And in this, our Ibn Kalbi would not

And the son of our two dogs was not there,

do even part of what he does.

To do some of what he does.

فَوَيلٌ لِشِعرِ أَبي البَرقِ إِن

فَوَيلٌ لِشِعرِ أَبي البَرقِ إِن

أَطافَ بِهِ الأَشيَبُ الأَنزَعُ

أَطافَ بِهِ الأَشيَبُ الأَنزَعُ

So woe to Abu al-Barq's verse if

Woe to the poetry of Abul Baraq if,

the gray-haired man, bald at the temples, circles it!

The most violent gray hair revolves around it.

سَيَأكُلُهُ فَيُريحُ العِبا

سَيَأكُلُهُ فَيُريحُ العِبا

دَ مِن نَتنِهِ ثُمَّ لايَشبَعُ

دَ مِن نَتنِهِ ثُمَّ لايَشبَعُ

He will devour it, relieving people

It will eat it and relieve the servants

of its stench, then still not be sated.

Of its stench, then it will not be sated.