أَيُّهاO الرَجلُman إِنَّماonly أَنتَyou ذِئبٌa wolf
أَيُّها الرَجلُ إِنَّما أَنتَ ذِئبٌ
فيamong ذِئابٍwolves مِنَfrom المَعاشِرِthe communities طُلسِdusky
في ذِئابٍ مِنَ المَعاشِرِ طُلسِ
O man, you are nothing but a wolf
Among dusky wolves of human society.
حَقُّكَyour due الآنَnow إِنif قَلَستَyou regurgitated مُداماًwine
حَقُّكَ الآنَ إِن قَلَستَ مُداماً
أَنthat تُداوىyou be treated مِنَfrom الخُمارِthe hangover بَقَلسِwith a stout rope
أَن تُداوى مِنَ الخُمارِ بَقَلسِ
Your due now, if you have vomited wine,
Is to be treated for your hangover with a stout rope.
شَهِدَattested اللُبُّreason أَنَّthat ماwhat أَفسَدَcorrupted المَعthe intellect (first part)
شَهِدَ اللُبُّ أَنَّ ما أَفسَدَ المَع
قولَending of 'intellect' أَمرٌa matter إِمرٌdreadful بِغَورٍin lowland وَجَلسِand highland
قولَ أَمرٌ إِمرٌ بِغَورٍ وَجَلسِ
Reason attests that what corrupts the intellect
Is a dreadful thing, in lowland and highland.
تَذَرُّleaves الحازِمَthe resolute man الحَصيفَthe discerning مِنَamong القَوthe people (first part)
تَذَرُّ الحازِمَ الحَصيفَ مِنَ القَو
مِending of 'people' غَويّاًastray كَأَنَّهُas though he were حِلفُa sworn ally of أَلسِmadness
مِ غَويّاً كَأَنَّهُ حِلفُ أَلسِ
It leaves the resolute, discerning man among the people
Astray, as though he were a sworn ally of madness.
وَإِذاand if لَمdid not تَنَلattain يَداكَyour two hands اِغتِصابيseizing me by force
وَإِذا لَم تَنَل يَداكَ اِغتِصابي
رامَتاthey both sought بِالخِداعِthrough deceit كَيديscheming against me وَخَلسيand robbing me stealthily
رامَتا بِالخِداعِ كَيدي وَخَلسي
And if your two hands cannot seize me by force,
They seek through deceit to scheme against me and rob me.
لَستُI am not حِفَa companion of المُدامِwine بَلrather حِلسَa mat بَيتٍa house
لَستُ حِفَ المُدامِ بَل حِلسَ بَيتٍ
مِثلَlike مَيتٍa dead man قَدalready زايَلَhas left النِضوَthe worn-out camel حِلسيmy saddlecloth
مِثلَ مَيتٍ قَد زايَلَ النِضوَ حِلسي
I am no companion of wine, but a mat in a house,
Like a dead man: my saddlecloth has left the worn-out camel.
كَيفَhow لِلجِسمِfor the body أَنto يَكونَbe إِذاwhen أَبdespairs (first part)
كَيفَ لِلجِسمِ أَن يَكونَ إِذا أَب
لَسَending of 'despairs' إِلفيmy companion العِقابَpunishment إِحراقَburning بُلسِlentils
لَسَ إِلفي العِقابَ إِحراقَ بُلسِ
How can the body fare when despair overtakes
My companion under punishment, burned like lentils?
ماwhat لِنَفسيfor my soul بَينَamong النُفوسِthe souls مُعَنّاtormented (first part)
ما لِنَفسي بَينَ النُفوسِ مُعَنّا
ةًfeminine ending of 'tormented' إِذاif لَمhas not تَفُزgain بِطَوقٍwith a collar وَسَلسِand a string of beads
ةً إِذا لَم تَفُز بِطَوقٍ وَسَلسِ
What ails my soul, tormented among souls,
If it gains no collar and string of beads?
لَوif يُنادىwere cried for sale فيin كُلِّevery سوقٍmarket عَلَيهاfor it
لَو يُنادى في كُلِّ سوقٍ عَلَيها
ماnot اِشتَراهاwould buy it أَخوa man of رَشادٍsound judgment بِفَلسِfor a copper coin
ما اِشتَراها أَخو رَشادٍ بِفَلسِ
Were it cried for sale in every market,
No man of sound judgment would buy it for a copper coin.
قَدَرٌfate يُسمِنُfattens الحَصاةَthe pebble فَتُدعىso it is called
قَدَرٌ يُسمِنُ الحَصاةَ فَتُدعى
جَبَلاًa mountain أَوor يُذيبُmelts رَضوىRadwa بَهَلسِwith wasting sickness
جَبَلاً أَو يُذيبُ رَضوى بَهَلسِ
Fate fattens a pebble until it is called
A mountain—or melts Radwa away with wasting sickness.
كَيفَhow تَهديكَguides you لِلخَفيّاتِto hidden things عَينٌan eye
كَيفَ تَهديكَ لِلخَفيّاتِ عَينٌ
لاnot تَرىsees الآلَthe mirage فيin مَهامَهَvast deserts مُلسِsmooth
لا تَرى الآلَ في مَهامَهَ مُلسِ
How can an eye guide you to hidden things
When it cannot see the mirage in smooth deserts?