اِسمَعlisten هُديتَmay you be guided أَباAbu (father of) يَحيىYahya مَقالَthe words of أَخٍa brother
اِسمَع هُديتَ أَبا يَحيى مَقالَ أَخٍ
يُصفيsincerely offers لَكَto you الوُدَّaffection فيin سِرٍّsecret وَإِجهارِand openly
يُصفي لَكَ الوُدَّ في سِرٍّ وَإِجهارِ
Listen, may you be guided, Abu Yahya, to the words of a brother
Listen to the speech of my brother Abu Yahya
who offers you pure affection, in secret and openly.
Who sincerely expresses his affection for you in secret and openly
ماذاwhat عَلَيهِagainst him بِلاwithout جُرمٍoffense وَلاnor تِرَةٍa grievance
ماذا عَلَيهِ بِلا جُرمٍ وَلا تِرَةٍ
أَتَتهُcame upon him كَفُّthe hand of الَّذيthe one who يُدعىis called بِمِنقارِas Minqar
أَتَتهُ كَفُّ الَّذي يُدعى بِمِنقارِ
What had he done—without offense or wrong—
What wrong or blemish has he done
that the hand of the man called Minqar fell upon him?
That the claws of the one called Beaked should strike him
أَعنيI mean اِبنَthe son of مَنthe woman whose فَقَأَتgouged out فيin الرِحمِthe womb مُقلَتَهاher eyeball
أَعني اِبنَ مَن فَقَأَت في الرِحمِ مُقلَتَها
فَياشِلٌpenis-heads لِأُناسٍof people غَيرِnot أَحرارِfree
فَياشِلٌ لِأُناسٍ غَيرِ أَحرارِ
I mean the son of her whose eyeball was gouged out in the womb
I mean the son of her whose pupil was ruptured in the womb
by the penis-heads of men who were not free.
So miserable for folk who are not free
زَنَتshe fornicated زَماناًfor a time فَلَمّاthen when عَنَّسَتshe passed marrying age هَرَماًthrough old age
زَنَت زَماناً فَلَمّا عَنَّسَت هَرَماً
قادَتshe procured عَلىfor كُلِّevery قَوّادٍpimp وَخَمّارِand wine-seller
قادَت عَلى كُلِّ قَوّادٍ وَخَمّارِ
She fornicated for years; then, when she grew old, past marrying,
She whored for a time, then when she aged
she procured for every pimp and wine-seller.
She led every pimp and wine-seller
رَمَتshe cast forth بِاِبنِwith a son نَذلِbase الوالِدَينِboth parents لَهُhe has
رَمَت بِاِبنِ نَذلِ الوالِدَينِ لَهُ
أُمٌّa mother مُقَنَّعَةٌveiled بِالذُلِّin abasement وَالعارِand shame
أُمٌّ مُقَنَّعَةٌ بِالذُلِّ وَالعارِ
She cast forth a son of two base parents; his
She directed the son of vile parents towards him
mother is veiled in abasement and shame.
A mother cloaked in humiliation and shame
ماnot أَلفُa thousand فَيشَلَةٍpenis-heads فيin جَوفِthe hollow of كَعثَبِهاher cunt
ما أَلفُ فَيشَلَةٍ في جَوفِ كَعثَبِها
تَوَسُّعاًowing to spaciousness مِنهُof it إِلّاexcept الطَيرُbirds فيin الغارِa cave
تَوَسُّعاً مِنهُ إِلّا الطَيرُ في الغارِ
A thousand penis-heads in the hollow of her cunt
I know no emptiness in her womb except
are, owing to its vastness, no more than birds in a cave.
Birds in a cave could settle in
عَوراءُa one-eyed woman تَألَفُkeeps company with أَهلَpeople of البَغيِfornication مِنout of شَبَقٍlust
عَوراءُ تَألَفُ أَهلَ البَغيِ مِن شَبَقٍ
وَلاand not تَحَوَّبُshrinks from سُخطَwrath الخالِقِthe Creator الباريthe Maker
وَلا تَحَوَّبُ سُخطَ الخالِقِ الباري
One-eyed, she keeps company with fornicators out of lust,
The shameless whore befriends the sinful
and does not shrink from the wrath of the Creator, the Maker.
And cares not for the wrath of the Creator
لَرَهزَةٌsurely a thrust مِنfrom غَوِيٍّa debauchee فيin مَضارِطِهاher fart-holes
لَرَهزَةٌ مِن غَوِيٍّ في مَضارِطِها
أَشهىmore desirable إِلىto قَلبِهاher heart مِنthan أَلفِa thousand دينارِdinars
أَشهى إِلى قَلبِها مِن أَلفِ دينارِ
Surely a debauchee's thrust into her fart-holes
A dinar to a lustful vagrant is more pleasing
is sweeter to her heart than a thousand dinars.
To her heart than a thousand dinars
بِدُبرِهاin her anus إِبنَةٌan itch for sodomy شَنعاءُhideous مُقلِقَةٌtormenting
بِدُبرِها إِبنَةٌ شَنعاءُ مُقلِقَةٌ
أَحَرُّhotter فيin لَذعِهاits sting مِنthan جَمرَةِa coal of النارِfire
أَحَرُّ في لَذعِها مِن جَمرَةِ النارِ
In her anus is a hideous, tormenting itch for sodomy,
Behind her a hideous, restless daughter
hotter in its sting than a burning coal.
More burning in her sting than embers of fire
ياO مَنone whose رَأَتsaw عَينُهُhis eye عَوراءَa one-eyed woman مُعوِرَةًwith genitals exposed
يا مَن رَأَت عَينُهُ عَوراءَ مُعوِرَةً
تُناكُis fucked فيin دُبرِهاher anus مِنwith غَيرِno إِنكارِobjection
تُناكُ في دُبرِها مِن غَيرِ إِنكارِ
O you whose eye has seen a one-eyed woman laid bare,
O you whose eye has seen the deformed whore
being fucked in her anus without objection.
Fornicating behind her without objection
جاءَتshe came بِنَغلٍwith a bastard وَقاحٍbrazen بارِدٍdull وَضِرٍfilthy
جاءَت بِنَغلٍ وَقاحٍ بارِدٍ وَضِرٍ
ذيof مَولِدِbirth نَجِسٍimpure مِنwith غَيرِno تَطهارِpurification
ذي مَولِدِ نَجِسٍ مِن غَيرِ تَطهارِ
She brought forth a brazen, dull, filthy bastard,
She came with a shameless, cold, harmful bastard
of impure birth, without purification.
Of an unclean birth without purification
صُلبِhard الحَماليقِthe inner eyelids لاnot يَلويturns بِناظِرِهِwith his eye
صُلبِ الحَماليقِ لا يَلوي بِناظِرِهِ
عَلىtoward الحَياءِmodesty وَلَوeven if شُكَّتthey were pierced بِمِسمارِwith a nail
عَلى الحَياءِ وَلَو شُكَّت بِمِسمارِ
Hard-eyed, he never turns his gaze
The loins of porters do not shy with their gaze
toward modesty, even if his eyes are pierced with a nail.
From indecency, even if skewered with a nail
وَكَيفَand how يَأنَفُhas self-respect نَذلٌa base man ساقِطٌfallen وَقِحٌshameless
وَكَيفَ يَأنَفُ نَذلٌ ساقِطٌ وَقِحٌ
لاnot يَستَقيدُsubmits لِإِعذارٍto fair admonition وَإِنذارِand warning
لا يَستَقيدُ لِإِعذارٍ وَإِنذارِ
And how could a base, fallen, shameless wretch have self-respect,
How can degraded filth have dignity or shame
who yields to neither fair admonition nor warning?
Or heed rebuke and warning
وَلَيسَand not يَصلُحُis fit إِنif كَشَّفتَyou lay bare هِمَّتُهُhis ambition
وَلَيسَ يَصلُحُ إِن كَشَّفتَ هِمَّتُهُ
إِلّاexcept لِفاحيشَةٍfor lewdness أَوor حَملِcarrying مِزمارِa flute
إِلّا لِفاحيشَةٍ أَو حَملِ مِزمارِ
Nor, if you lay his ambition bare, is he fit
If her identity were revealed
except for lewdness or carrying a flute.
She would only be fit for abomination or playing the flute
فيin كُلِّevery يَومٍday تَرىyou see مِنfrom فَوقِهِabove him رَجُلاًa man
في كُلِّ يَومٍ تَرى مِن فَوقِهِ رَجُلاً
يَسوطُwhips مِنهُof him حِتاراًan anal rim غَيرَnot خَوّارِfeeble
يَسوطُ مِنهُ حِتاراً غَيرَ خَوّارِ
Every day you see a man above him,
Every day you see a man above her
whipping at his unyielding anal rim.
Lashing her repeatedly without tiring
جَلداًenduring عَلىunder كُلِّevery أَيرٍcock لَوif ضَرَبتَyou struck بِهِwith it
جَلداً عَلى كُلِّ أَيرٍ لَو ضَرَبتَ بِهِ
قَفاهُhis nape كَبَّwould bend forward لَهُfor it مِنwith غَيرِno خَوّارِfaltering
قَفاهُ كَبَّ لَهُ مِن غَيرِ خَوّارِ
Hardy under every cock—if you struck with one
A hide that if you struck its backside
his nape, he would bend forward for it without faltering.
Its snout would bend without tiring
ذوpossessing مِبعَرٍa shit-hole كُلَّevery يَومٍday يَستَقيدُsubmits إِلىto
ذو مِبعَرٍ كُلَّ يَومٍ يَستَقيدُ إِلى
نَيكٍfucking وَيُنشَرُand is unrolled فيهِin it أَلفُa thousand طومارِscrolls
نَيكٍ وَيُنشَرُ فيهِ أَلفُ طومارِ
With a shit-hole, he submits each day to
With a wide nostril, daily soliciting
fucking, and a thousand scrolls are unrolled inside it.
Pleasure, thousands of scrolls circulating
مازَحتُهُI bantered with him غَيرَnot ذيpossessing عِلمٍknowledge بِخِسَّتِهِof his baseness
مازَحتُهُ غَيرَ ذي عِلمٍ بِخِسَّتِهِ
فيin نَظمِcomposing مَمدَحَةٍa praise-poem مِنof حُرِّchoice أَشعارِverses
في نَظمِ مَمدَحَةٍ مِن حُرِّ أَشعارِ
I bantered with him, unaware of his baseness,
I jested with him, ignorant of his vileness,
in composing a praise-poem of choice verses.
In verses praising in eloquent poetry
فَأَظهَرَthen he showed التيهَarrogance مِنfrom جَهلٍignorance وَقابَلَنيand answered me
فَأَظهَرَ التيهَ مِن جَهلٍ وَقابَلَني
بِسَيِّئٍwith an affront لَمnot يَكُنwas مِنof حَقِّthe due of مِقدارِstanding
بِسَيِّئٍ لَم يَكُن مِن حَقِّ مِقدارِ
Then, in ignorance, he showed arrogance and answered me
But he showed ignorance and faced me
with an affront that did not befit my standing.
With evil, not befitting his worth
وَلَوand had أَحاطَfully grasped عُبَيدُUbayd اللَهِAllah مَعرِفَةًin knowledge
وَلَو أَحاطَ عُبَيدُ اللَهِ مَعرِفَةً
بِعُظمِthe greatness of شَأنيmy stature اِتَّقىguarded against نابيmy fang وَأَظفاريand my claws
بِعُظمِ شَأني اِتَّقى نابي وَأَظفاري
And had Ubayd Allah fully known
If Ubaydullah knew the extent
the greatness of my stature, he would have guarded against my fang and claws.
Of my status, he would fear my outcry and claws
ياO اِبنَson of الَّتيthe woman who ضَرَطَتfarted مِنfrom تَحتِbeneath نائِكِهاher fucker
يا اِبنَ الَّتي ضَرَطَت مِن تَحتِ نائِكِها
ضَرطَthe farting of الحِمارِan ass ضَغاcried out مِنfrom كَيِّthe cautery of بيطارِa farrier
ضَرطَ الحِمارِ ضَغا مِن كَيِّ بيطارِ
O son of her who farted beneath the man fucking her,
O son of her who farted from beneath her skirt
like an ass farting as it cries from a farrier's cautery.
The braying fart of a donkey's gallbladder
إِحدىone of النَوادِرِthe oddities مِنof قِردٍa monkey تَعَرُّضُهُits challenging
إِحدى النَوادِرِ مِن قِردٍ تَعَرُّضُهُ
مِنwith غَيرِno مَقدِرَةٍstrength لِلقَسوَرِagainst the lion الضاريravening
مِن غَيرِ مَقدِرَةٍ لِلقَسوَرِ الضاري
One of a monkey's oddities is its challenging
A rare joke, a monkey overstepping
the ravening lion without the strength to do so.
Without appreciating the fierce lion
إِنَّindeed المُحَنَّكَthe seasoned إِسماعيلَIsmail خَبَّرَنيinformed me
إِنَّ المُحَنَّكَ إِسماعيلَ خَبَّرَني
نَعَمyes وَناصَحَنيand advised me sincerely فيabout صِدقِthe truth of أَخباريmy reports
نَعَم وَناصَحَني في صِدقِ أَخباري
Indeed, the seasoned Ismail informed me,
Indeed, the experienced Ismael told me
yes, and gave me sincere counsel about the truth of my reports,
Yes, and counseled me with honest news
بِأَنَّthat فيin اِستِكَyour anus شَعراًhair مُنكَراًfoul خَشِناًcoarse
بِأَنَّ في اِستِكَ شَعراً مُنكَراً خَشِناً
مُقَطِّعاًshredding لِلخُصىthe testicles مِنwith غَيرِno أَشفارِblades
مُقَطِّعاً لِلخُصى مِن غَيرِ أَشفارِ
that in your anus there is foul, coarse hair,
That in your constitution is coarse, harsh poetry
shredding testicles without any blades.
Severing loins without claws
تُدميmakes bleed الأُيورَthe cocks إِذاwhen ماever جَوفَهاits hollow اِقتَحَمَتthey invaded
تُدمي الأُيورَ إِذا ما جَوفَها اِقتَحَمَت
خُشونَةٌa roughness مِنكَin you زادَتexceeded كُلَّevery مِقدارِmeasure
خُشونَةٌ مِنكَ زادَت كُلَّ مِقدارِ
Cocks are bloodied whenever they invade its hollow
When its insides are penetrated by your coarseness
by a roughness in you that exceeds all measure.
Every measure is increased
سُقيتَmay you be watered غَيثاًwith rain أَباAbu (father of) يَحيىYahya وَلاand may not سُقِيَتthey be watered
سُقيتَ غَيثاً أَبا يَحيى وَلا سُقِيَت
دِيارُthe dwellings of شانيكَyour hater صَوبَthe downpour of الواكِفِthe pouring الجاريthe flowing
دِيارُ شانيكَ صَوبَ الواكِفِ الجاري
May rain water you, Abu Yahya, but may it not water
Abu Yahya, you were watered with rain but not
your hater's dwellings with pouring, streaming rain.
The lands of your rivals by the flowing spring
لَقَدindeed أَتانيcame to me قَريضٌa poem مِنكَfrom you أَعجَبَنيdelighted me
لَقَد أَتاني قَريضٌ مِنكَ أَعجَبَني
حُسناًin beauty يُطَوِّلُprolongs فيهِupon it الدَهرَfor all time أَفكاريmy thoughts
حُسناً يُطَوِّلُ فيهِ الدَهرَ أَفكاري
Indeed, a poem came to me from you and delighted me
Verses have come to me from you that delighted me
with a beauty that keeps my thoughts upon it for all time.
In beauty, occupying my thoughts for ages
وَفيهِand in it عَتبٌreproach نَفىbanished نَوميmy sleep وَوَكَّلَنيand charged me
وَفيهِ عَتبٌ نَفى نَومي وَوَكَّلَني
مِنَthrough الهُمومِcares بِرَعيِwith watching الكَوكَبِthe star الساريnight-traveling
مِنَ الهُمومِ بِرَعيِ الكَوكَبِ الساري
And in it was reproach that banished my sleep and charged me,
And in them, a reproach that denied my sleep and burdened me
amid my cares, with watching the night-wandering star.
With worries in tending the rising star
مَنwho ليfor me بِمِثلِكَwith one like you فيin ظَرفٍwit وَفيand in أَدَبٍrefinement
مَن لي بِمِثلِكَ في ظَرفٍ وَفي أَدَبٍ
وَحِفظِand preserving وُدِّthe affection of أَخٍa brother حُرٍّnoble وَإيثارِand selflessness
وَحِفظِ وُدِّ أَخٍ حُرٍّ وَإيثارِ
Who could give me your like in wit and refinement,
Who do I have like you in manners and propriety
and in preserving a noble brother's love and putting others first?
And preserving the love of a free brother and preferring him
حَلَلتَyou settled مِنّيwithin me مَحَلَّthe place of الروحِthe soul مِنin جَسَديmy body
حَلَلتَ مِنّي مَحَلَّ الروحِ مِن جَسَدي
فَصِرتَand became ليfor me أُنُساًcomfort مِنfrom دونِapart from سُمّارِnighttime companions
فَصِرتَ لي أُنُساً مِن دونِ سُمّارِ
You took in me the place the soul holds in my body,
You have taken the place of my soul in my body
and so became my comfort in place of nighttime companions.
Becoming a companion for me without evening entertainment
إِنَّindeed الغُثاthe scum اِبنَIbn (son of) أَبيAbi (father of) مَنصورَMansur بادَلَنيrepaid me
إِنَّ الغُثا اِبنَ أَبي مَنصورَ بادَلَني
بَغياًaggression وَأَنتَand you عَلَيهِagainst him بَعضُone of أَنصاريmy allies
بَغياً وَأَنتَ عَلَيهِ بَعضُ أَنصاري
Indeed, that scum Ibn Abi Mansur repaid me
Indeed, Ghassan ibn Abi Mansur betrayed me
with aggression, and you are one of my allies against him.
With enmity while you are among my supporters
لَأَنظِمَنَّI shall surely string القَوافيthe rhymes فيabout مَثالِبِهِhis faults
لَأَنظِمَنَّ القَوافي في مَثالِبِهِ
كَنَظمِlike stringing عِقدِthe necklace of كَسولِslow in المَشيِwalking مِعطارِmuch-perfumed
كَنَظمِ عِقدِ كَسولِ المَشيِ مِعطارِ
I shall surely string rhymes about his faults,
I will string rhymes about his vices
as one strings the necklace of a slow-gaited, perfumed woman,
Like stringing the anklets of a perfumed lazy walker
حَتّىuntil أُغادِرُهُI leave him لَحماًflesh عَلىon وَضَمٍa meat-board
حَتّى أُغادِرُهُ لَحماً عَلى وَضَمٍ
أَنحىbore down عَلىupon حَلقِهِhis throat ساطورُthe cleaver of جَزّارِa butcher
أَنحى عَلى حَلقِهِ ساطورُ جَزّارِ
until I leave him flesh upon a butcher's block,
Until I leave him as meat on a carving table
a butcher's cleaver having descended upon his throat;
The blades of butchers slash his throat
أَوor يَستَعيدَseeks to return إِلىto العُتبىreconciliation فَأَترُكُهُso I leave him
أَو يَستَعيدَ إِلى العُتبى فَأَترُكُهُ
لِأَنَّهُbecause he وَتِحٌpaltry مِنfrom نَسلِthe offspring of أَنزارِpaltry men
لِأَنَّهُ وَتِحٌ مِن نَسلِ أَنزارِ
or he seeks reconciliation, and I leave him alone,
Or he returns to apologizing, and I will leave him
for he is paltry, descended from paltry men.
Because he is a wretch from the family of little girls
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.