رَأَيتُ أَبا زُرارَةَ قالَ يَوماً

رَأَيتُ أَبا زُرارَةَ قالَ يَوماً

لِحاجِبِهِ وَفي يَدِهِ الحُسامُ

لِحاجِبِهِ وَفي يَدِهِ الحُسامُ

I saw Abu Zurara say one day

I saw Abu Zurarah one day

to his doorkeeper, a keen sword in his hand:

Say to his guard, sword in hand:

لَئِن وُضِعَ الخِوانُ وَلاحَ شَخصٌ

لَئِن وُضِعَ الخِوانُ وَلاحَ شَخصٌ

لِأَختَطِفَنَّ رَأسَكَ وَالسَلامُ

لِأَختَطِفَنَّ رَأسَكَ وَالسَلامُ

“If the dining table is laid and anyone appears,

"If the tables are set and a man draws near,

I shall surely snatch off your head—and that is final!”

I will sever your head without fear."

فَقالَ سِوى أَبيكَ فَذاكَ شَيخٌ

فَقالَ سِوى أَبيكَ فَذاكَ شَيخٌ

بَغيضٌ لَيسَ يَردَعُهُ الكَلامُ

بَغيضٌ لَيسَ يَردَعُهُ الكَلامُ

He said, “Except your father, for he is an old man,

The guard replied "Except for your father -

hateful, whom words cannot restrain.”

That old man cannot be deterred by chatter."

فَقامَ وَقالَ مِن حَنَقٍ إِلَيهِ

فَقامَ وَقالَ مِن حَنَقٍ إِلَيهِ

بِبَيتٍ لَم يَرُد فيهِ القِيامُ

بِبَيتٍ لَم يَرُد فيهِ القِيامُ

So he rose and, in anger, addressed him

Abu Zurarah rose in anger and said:

with a verse in which standing was not mentioned:

Verses to put the guard in dread:

أَبي وَاِبنا أَبي وَالكَلبُ عِندي

أَبي وَاِبنا أَبي وَالكَلبُ عِندي

بِمَنزِلَةٍ إِذا حَضَرَ الطَعامُ

بِمَنزِلَةٍ إِذا حَضَرَ الطَعامُ

“My father, my father's two sons, and the dog, to me,

"My father, my father's son and the dog as well,

are of equal rank when food arrives.”

Are equal to me when meals they do swell."

وَقالَ لَهُ اِبنِ لي يا اِبنَ كَلبٍ

وَقالَ لَهُ اِبنِ لي يا اِبنَ كَلبٍ

عَلى خَبَري أُصادَرُ أَم أُضامُ

عَلى خَبَري أُصادَرُ أَم أُضامُ

And he said to him, “Explain to me, you son of a dog:

And he said "You, son of a dog, tell me true -

given my account, am I to be fleeced or wronged?

Shall I kill you or let you spew?"

إِذا حَضَرَ الطَعامُ فَلا حُقوقٌ

إِذا حَضَرَ الطَعامُ فَلا حُقوقٌ

عَلَيَّ لِوالِدَيَّ وَلا ذِمامُ

عَلَيَّ لِوالِدَيَّ وَلا ذِمامُ

When food arrives, there are no rights

When food is served I have no duty

owed by me to my parents, nor any bond of duty.

To father or ties of family.

فَما في الأَرضِ أَقبَحُ مِن خِوانٍ

فَما في الأَرضِ أَقبَحُ مِن خِوانٍ

عَلَيهِ الخُبزُ يَحضُرُهُ الزِحامُ

عَلَيهِ الخُبزُ يَحضُرُهُ الزِحامُ

For nothing on earth is uglier than a dining table

So there is none on earth more vile

with bread upon it and a crowd gathered round.”

Than a guard eyeing food in file.