قُلتُI said لَهاto her حينَwhen أَكثَرَتshe increased عَذَليreproaching me
قُلتُ لَها حينَ أَكثَرَت عَذَلي
وَيحَكِalas for you أَزرَتhave brought low بِناus المُروءاتُnoble deeds
وَيحَكِ أَزرَت بِنا المُروءاتُ
I said to her, when she reproached me at length:
I said to her when she reproached me at length:
“Alas for you—our chivalrous virtues have brought us low.”
“Alas for you! Noble deeds have brought us low.”
قالَتshe said فَأَينَthen where الأَملاكُthe kings قُلتُI said لَهاto her
قالَت فَأَينَ الأَملاكُ قُلتُ لَها
لاdo not تَسأَليask عَنهُمُabout them فَقَدfor indeed ماتواthey died
لا تَسأَلي عَنهُمُ فَقَد ماتوا
She asked, “Then where are the kings?” I said to her:
She said, “Then where are the kings?” I said to her:
“Do not ask about them; they have died.”
“Do not ask about them, for they have died.”
قالَتshe said وَلِمand why ذاكَthat قُلتُI said فَاِعتَبِريthen take heed
قالَت وَلِم ذاكَ قُلتُ فَاِعتَبِري
هذاthis وَزيرُthe vizier of الإِمامِthe imam زَيّاتُZayyat (oil seller)
هذا وَزيرُ الإِمامِ زَيّاتُ
She asked, “And why is that?” I said, “Then take heed:
She said, “And why is that?” I said, “Then take heed:
Here is al-Zayyāt, the Imam’s vizier.”
Here is the imam’s vizier—Zayyat, the oil seller.”
