هدمَ السّدَّ وهْوَ ما هوَ فارُ

هدمَ السّدَّ وهْوَ ما هوَ فارُ

كيْفَ شيْخٌ مُكايِدٌ غَدّارُ

كيْفَ شيْخٌ مُكايِدٌ غَدّارُ

A mere mouse demolished the dam;

He destroyed the dam, though it was not damaged

what, then, of a scheming, treacherous old man?

How can a deceitful old man become treacherous?

إنّما المُلْكُ ناقَةٌ وهوَ والْ

إنّما المُلْكُ ناقَةٌ وهوَ والْ

لهِ إذا لم يتُعاجِلوهُ قُدارُ

لهِ إذا لم يتُعاجِلوهُ قُدارُ

The kingdom is but a she-camel, and he, by

The kingdom is just a she-camel, and he is her calf

God, is Qudar, unless they hasten against him.

If they do not hurry, destiny will catch up with him

مِرْجَلٌ فوقَ قِدْرَةِ الغَدْرِ يغْلي

مِرْجَلٌ فوقَ قِدْرَةِ الغَدْرِ يغْلي

أُضْرِمَتْ تحْتَهُ منَ الشّرِّ نارُ

أُضْرِمَتْ تحْتَهُ منَ الشّرِّ نارُ

A cauldron boils above the pot of treachery;

A cooking pot boiling over with betrayal

beneath it, a fire of evil has been kindled.

A fire fueled by evil burns underneath it

ظاهرُ الشُّؤمِ في جَميعِ المَناحي

ظاهرُ الشُّؤمِ في جَميعِ المَناحي

خبَرٌ لمْ يغُضَّ منْهُ اخْتبارُ

خبَرٌ لمْ يغُضَّ منْهُ اخْتبارُ

His ill fortune is plain in every aspect—

Misfortune appears everywhere

a report that no test has diminished.

News that scrutiny cannot diminish

ورَسولُ النّحوسِ تنْكَمِشُ الأوْ

ورَسولُ النّحوسِ تنْكَمِشُ الأوْ

جُهُ منْ فالِهِ ويُخْشى البَوارُ

جُهُ منْ فالِهِ ويُخْشى البَوارُ

And an envoy of ill fortunes: faces shrink

The messenger of misfortune bows his head

from his omen, and ruin is feared.

Fearing his misfortune and dreading calamity

لوْ سَما للبُدورِ حالَ كَمالٍ

لوْ سَما للبُدورِ حالَ كَمالٍ

نالَها الخَسْفُ عاجِلاً والسِّرارُ

نالَها الخَسْفُ عاجِلاً والسِّرارُ

If he rose to the full moons in their perfection,

If only good fortune reached the houses

eclipse and the dark of the moon would overtake them at once.

They would be quickly engulfed and concealed

أو أتى للبِحارِ يجْلُبُ ماءً

أو أتى للبِحارِ يجْلُبُ ماءً

يبِسَتْ كلّما أتاها البِحارُ

يبِسَتْ كلّما أتاها البِحارُ

Or if he came to the seas to fetch water,

Or if the seas came to bring water

the seas would dry up whenever he came to them.

They would dry up whenever the seas arrived

لا تهُلْكَ الثّيابُ إنْ كان فيها

لا تهُلْكَ الثّيابُ إنْ كان فيها

إنّما في الثّيابِ لوْمٌ وعارُ

إنّما في الثّيابِ لوْمٌ وعارُ

Let not the garments awe you if he is in them;

It is not clothes that are ruined if they are worn

within those garments are only blame and shame.

It is the blame and shame in the clothes

إنْ سرى في رسالةٍ قُرِنَتْ بالن

إنْ سرى في رسالةٍ قُرِنَتْ بالن

نَحْسِ منها الأعْمالُ والأسْفارُ

نَحْسِ منها الأعْمالُ والأسْفارُ

If he travels by night on a mission, linked to

If a letter tied to misfortune travels

ill fortune are its undertakings and journeys.

Deeds and journeys will be cursed by it

جاءَ فيها الأميرَ يومَ طريفٍ

جاءَ فيها الأميرَ يومَ طريفٍ

فاسْتَباحَتْ حريمَهُ الكُفّارُ

فاسْتَباحَتْ حريمَهُ الكُفّارُ

On such a mission he came to the emir on the day of Tarifa,

It came on an auspicious day to the prince

so the unbelievers violated his harem.

So the infidels violated his harem

ثمّ في القَيْرَوانِ عادَ فكا

ثمّ في القَيْرَوانِ عادَ فكا

نَ الشّؤمُ مُستَصْحِباً له والفِرارُ

نَ الشّؤمُ مُستَصْحِباً له والفِرارُ

Then he returned at Kairouan, and so

Then in Kairouan he returned

ill fortune and flight were his companions.

And misfortune accompanied him, forcing him to flee

ولقَدْ ضاقَتِ الأمورُ على الموْ

ولقَدْ ضاقَتِ الأمورُ على الموْ

لَى وخابَتْ برُنْدَة الأوْطارُ

لَى وخابَتْ برُنْدَة الأوْطارُ

Matters indeed grew difficult for the lord,

Matters grew too tight for the ruler

and wishes went unfulfilled at Ronda.

The good fortune of his dynasty failed

وتولّى عنْها فكانَ له الفتْ

وتولّى عنْها فكانَ له الفتْ

حُ وطارَتْ في إثْرِهِ الأخْبارُ

حُ وطارَتْ في إثْرِهِ الأخْبارُ

And he withdrew from it; then his was the

He abandoned it, so he was granted victory

victory, and tidings flew in his wake.

And news of it flew after him

وجَلالِ الإلاهِ لوْ كانَ فيها

وجَلالِ الإلاهِ لوْ كانَ فيها

حاضِراً ما زَهَتْ بخَيْرٍ دارُ

حاضِراً ما زَهَتْ بخَيْرٍ دارُ

By God's majesty, had he been there

By the majesty of God! If he had stayed

in person, no house would have flourished in good fortune.

No house would have prospered with good

حكَمَ اللهُ أنّهُ يابِسُ السّا

حكَمَ اللهُ أنّهُ يابِسُ السّا

قِ كَذا الحُكْمُ ليسَ فيهِ اخْتِيارُ

قِ كَذا الحُكْمُ ليسَ فيهِ اخْتِيارُ

God decreed that he is dry-shanked;

God has decreed that the rain clouds are dry

such is the decree; there is no choice in it.

Such is the decree, it cannot be chosen