وَرَئيسٍand a leader ذيpossessing خِسَّةٍbaseness
وَرَئيسٍ ذي خِسَّةٍ
كُلُّeveryone مَنwhom شِئتَyou choose لائِمُهone who reproaches him
كُلُّ مَن شِئتَ لائِمُه
And a leader of base character—
With a president of meanness
Whoever you please reproaches him.
Anyone who wishes can blame him
جَنَّنتَهُdrove him mad وِلايَةٌa position of authority
جَنَّنتَهُ وِلايَةٌ
قَلَّwas scarce فيهاin it مُسالِمُهone at peace with him
قَلَّ فيها مُسالِمُه
Authority drove him mad;
A governorship drove him mad
Few were at peace with him in it.
Wherein the peaceful are few
ماnot رَأىsaw الناسُthe people أَنَّهُthat he
ما رَأى الناسُ أَنَّهُ
قَطُّever دَرَّتflowed مَكارِمُهhis acts of generosity
قَطُّ دَرَّت مَكارِمُه
People never saw
The people did not see him
His bounty flow—not once.
Ever shedding his glories
قُلتُI said إِذwhen راحَbecame غارِقاًdrowning
قُلتُ إِذ راحَ غارِقاً
فيin بِحارٍseas تُلاطِمُهbatter him
في بِحارٍ تُلاطِمُه
I said, when he was drowning
I said, as he went down
In seas that battered him:
Drowning in clashing seas
عَنafter قَريبٍa short while تَرَونَyou will see حاenvier (first fragment)
عَن قَريبٍ تَرَونَ حا
سِدَهُhis envier (final fragment) وَهوَwhile he راحِمُهpitying him
سِدَهُ وَهوَ راحِمُه
Soon you will see his envi-
Soon you will see misfortune take
er pitying him.
Its toll, while he shows mercy
لَعَنَmay curse اللَهُGod مَنwhoever يُشاshares (first fragment)
لَعَنَ اللَهُ مَن يُشا
رِكُهُshares with him (final fragment) أَوor يُزاحِمُهvies with him
رِكُهُ أَو يُزاحِمُه
May God curse whoever sha-
May God curse whoever
res with him or vies with him.
Partners with or rivals him