قُلْ للأَشونيّ ولا تَحْتَشِمْ

قُلْ للأَشونيّ ولا تَحْتَشِمْ

قوْلَ امْرِئٍ بالحَقِّ مُحْتَجِ

قوْلَ امْرِئٍ بالحَقِّ مُحْتَجِ

Tell al-Ashuni, and do not be shy,

Say to Ashsha'uniy and do not be ashamed,

the words of a man pleading the truth:

The saying of a man truthful in his plea,

يا مَنْ بَراهُ اللهف لمّا بَرا

يا مَنْ بَراهُ اللهف لمّا بَرا

منْ بَرَدٍ صِرْفٍ ومن ثَلْجِ

منْ بَرَدٍ صِرْفٍ ومن ثَلْجِ

O you whom God [apparently intended] fashioned, when He fashioned you,

O you whom separation has exposed when it exposed

from pure hail and from snow,

Some hail, sleet, and snow,

وقِشْرِ رُمّانٍ وشَبٍّ ومنْ

وقِشْرِ رُمّانٍ وشَبٍّ ومنْ

سُكٍّ وعَفْصٍ قابِضٍ فَجِّ

سُكٍّ وعَفْصٍ قابِضٍ فَجِّ

and pomegranate rind and alum, and from

And pomegranate peel, and youthful folly, and

sukk paste and unripe, astringent gallnuts.

A clenched juiceless unripe date,

عَقْدُكَ كافورٌ بلا مِرْيَةٍ

عَقْدُكَ كافورٌ بلا مِرْيَةٍ

وعَقْلُكَ الهَلْهَلُ منْ بَنْجِ

وعَقْلُكَ الهَلْهَلُ منْ بَنْجِ

Your make-up is camphor, beyond doubt,

Your necklace is camphor without a doubt

and your threadbare mind is made of henbane.

And your mind the ringing of the bells,

ولَفْظُكَ البارِدُ يا سيّدي

ولَفْظُكَ البارِدُ يا سيّدي

منْ زَمْهَريرٍ هَبَّ في فَجِّ

منْ زَمْهَريرٍ هَبَّ في فَجِّ

And your cold utterance, my master,

And your cool utterance, my master,

comes from a freezing blast that blew through a mountain pass,

Is from the babbling that blows in the crevices,

لُفَّ على المَعْنى الضّعيفِ القُوَى

لُفَّ على المَعْنى الضّعيفِ القُوَى

كخِرْوِ قِطٍّ لُفَّ في خَمْجِ

كخِرْوِ قِطٍّ لُفَّ في خَمْجِ

wrapped around a meaning feeble in strength,

It folds over weak meanings to make them strong

like a cat's turd wrapped in putrid matter.

Like the folding of the guinea fowl in the thickets,

عَجِبْتُ منْ زَوْجِكَ ما بالُها

عَجِبْتُ منْ زَوْجِكَ ما بالُها

لمْ تَسْتَغثْ منْكَ بقُولَنْجِ

لمْ تَسْتَغثْ منْكَ بقُولَنْجِ

I marvel at your wife: how is it

I wondered what was up with your wife, why didn’t she

she has not cried for help with colic brought on by you?

Appeal to you for help with a cooing,

ما بالُها لم ينْصَرِفْ خصْمُها

ما بالُها لم ينْصَرِفْ خصْمُها

بفالَجٍ منْكَ بِلا فُلْجِ

بفالَجٍ منْكَ بِلا فُلْجِ

How is it her opponent has not withdrawn

Why didn’t her opponent turn away from her

paralyzed by you, without victory?

Cured by you without incision,

ما بالُها لم يعْتَرِضْ خِدْرَها

ما بالُها لم يعْتَرِضْ خِدْرَها

خَدْرٌ على السُّكْنى معَ الثّلْجِ

خَدْرٌ على السُّكْنى معَ الثّلْجِ

How is it her private chamber has not been assailed

Why didn’t her cheek heal from the slap

by numbness from dwelling with snow?

Of silence with snow on a cheek,

أظُنّها قد سحَقَتْ فُلْفاً

أظُنّها قد سحَقَتْ فُلْفاً

فذلِكَ السّحْقُ هوَ المُنْجي

فذلِكَ السّحْقُ هوَ المُنْجي

I suppose she has ground pepper,

I reckon she pounded beans,

for that grinding is what saves her.

For that pounding is what saved her,

سافَتْهُ في وَجٍّ وفي خردَلٍ

سافَتْهُ في وَجٍّ وفي خردَلٍ

ومَنْ لِذاكَ الوَجْهِ بالوَجِّ

ومَنْ لِذاكَ الوَجْهِ بالوَجِّ

She blended it with sweet flag and with mustard;

She cooked him with vinegar and mustard,

and who can procure sweet flag for that face?

And who can stand up to that face with vinegar!

ما حالُ مَنْ جاوَرَ منْكَ الصَّبا

ما حالُ مَنْ جاوَرَ منْكَ الصَّبا

والقُرُّ مُضْنٍ شَرُّهُ مُشْجِي

والقُرُّ مُضْنٍ شَرُّهُ مُشْجِي

How fares one beside the east wind you give off,

What is the state of one neighboring you, morning

when the cold debilitates and its harm brings sorrow?

And stove are painful, how evil is its burning,

فلا فَمٌ يُعْمِلُ في لَفْظَةٍ

فلا فَمٌ يُعْمِلُ في لَفْظَةٍ

ولا يَدٌ تَدْنو الى فَرْجِ

ولا يَدٌ تَدْنو الى فَرْجِ

So no mouth labors to utter a word,

So no mouth works to utter a word,

nor does a hand approach the genitals.

And no hand dares extend to a knee,

وإنْ تشوّفْتَ الى زَوْجَةٍ

وإنْ تشوّفْتَ الى زَوْجَةٍ

ثانِيةٍ حَسْبُكَ منْ زَوْجِ

ثانِيةٍ حَسْبُكَ منْ زَوْجِ

And if you yearn for a wife,

And if you desire another wife,

a second one, enough for you as a spouse is

To have one is enough of a wife,

عَجوزِ يَنَّيْرٍ بِها تَجتَزي

عَجوزِ يَنَّيْرٍ بِها تَجتَزي

تأتِيكَ للأرْياحِ في فَوْجِ

تأتِيكَ للأرْياحِ في فَوْجِ

January's old crone; with her you may make do.

An old croaker that you can toy with,

She comes to you among the winds, in a throng.

Who comes to you in a horde,

تُضْحِكُ لِحْيَيْكَ لَها رِعْدَةٌ

تُضْحِكُ لِحْيَيْكَ لَها رِعْدَةٌ

ضِحْكَ الحَصا في مَطْرَحِ المَوْجِ

ضِحْكَ الحَصا في مَطْرَحِ المَوْجِ

Her shivering sets your two jaws laughing,

She laughs her gap-toothed laugh for you,

like pebbles laughing where the waves break.

The laughter of gravel on a storm-battered beach,

فَسُقْ لَها خالَكَ منْ بَعْدِ ما

فَسُقْ لَها خالَكَ منْ بَعْدِ ما

تَجْعَلُهُ للخَبْثِ في دُرْجِ

تَجْعَلُهُ للخَبْثِ في دُرْجِ

So bring her your fine cloth, after

Then deny her your maternal uncle after

you have put it, for mischief, in a drawer.

You make him into depravity in a jar,

واحْمِلْ لها البَيْنَ وبَرْدَ الكُلا

واحْمِلْ لها البَيْنَ وبَرْدَ الكُلا

نَوْعَينِ في تَخْتٍ وفي خُرْجِ

نَوْعَينِ في تَخْتٍ وفي خُرْجِ

And carry her separation and the chill of kidneys,

And carry for her eggs and icy water,

two kinds, in a chest and in a saddlebag.

Two kinds in one bag and one pot,

وبِتْ بِها في مَسْقَطٍ للنّدَى

وبِتْ بِها في مَسْقَطٍ للنّدَى

في بُرْدَةٍ أو مَقْطَعٍ بَرْجي

في بُرْدَةٍ أو مَقْطَعٍ بَرْجي

And spend the night with her where the dew falls,

And live with her in a place dripping dew

in a cloak or a length of Barji cloth.

In the cold or in a tower overlooking the land,

وإنْ أرَدْتَ الغَسْلَ فاعْدُدْ لَهُ

وإنْ أرَدْتَ الغَسْلَ فاعْدُدْ لَهُ

خَلاًّ وبالقِثّاءِ فاسْتَنْجِ

خَلاًّ وبالقِثّاءِ فاسْتَنْجِ

And if you wish to wash, measure out for it

And if you want to wash, prepare for it

vinegar, and cleanse your private parts with cucumber.

Vinegar and clean yourself with a sun-dried brick,

وامْزُجْ بِمامِيثا وحَبِّ الفَنا

وامْزُجْ بِمامِيثا وحَبِّ الفَنا

لَخْلَخَةً مُتْقَنةَ المَزْجِ

لَخْلَخَةً مُتْقَنةَ المَزْجِ

And mix with mamitha and nightshade berries

And mix wild thyme and seed of unrest

a thoroughly blended aromatic preparation.

For a well-blended footbath,

وابْنِ بفَجِّ الرّيحِ عِلِّيّةً

وابْنِ بفَجِّ الرّيحِ عِلِّيّةً

تَقْصِدُها في حَذَرِ الهَرْجِ

تَقْصِدُها في حَذَرِ الهَرْجِ

And build an upper room in the wind's mountain pass,

And build with the wind’s crevice a wind-catcher

to which you resort in fear of turmoil.

That it heads for in dread of the din,

واغْنَ بقُطْنِ الثّلْجِ عنْ مَتْجَرٍ

واغْنَ بقُطْنِ الثّلْجِ عنْ مَتْجَرٍ

يُغْنيكَ عنْ جَمعٍ وعنْ حَلْجِ

يُغْنيكَ عنْ جَمعٍ وعنْ حَلْجِ

And dispense with a shop by using snow's cotton,

And make do with cotton of snow instead of a fur coat

which spares you gathering and ginning.

That spares you gathering or begging,

واغْزِلْهُ بالرّيحِ وهَيّئْ لهُ

واغْزِلْهُ بالرّيحِ وهَيّئْ لهُ

مَرَمّةَ المَصْقولِ والكَنْجِ

مَرَمّةَ المَصْقولِ والكَنْجِ

And spin it with the wind, and prepare for it

And spin it with the wind and ready for it

a loom for polished cloth and kanj.

The smooth pulley and winch,

والصِّنَّ والصِّنَّبْرَ فاجْعَلْهُما

والصِّنَّ والصِّنَّبْرَ فاجْعَلْهُما

عِيداً كَعيدِ العَجِّ والثَّجِّ

عِيداً كَعيدِ العَجِّ والثَّجِّ

And Sinn and Sinnabr—make the two

And Chinese porcelain, make them

a feast like that of ritual cries and sacrificial blood.

A holiday like the holiday of the Holy Pilgrimage,

واهْجُرْ مَخيطَ الثّوبِ واحْلِقْ بِه

واهْجُرْ مَخيطَ الثّوبِ واحْلِقْ بِه

وطُفْ طَوافَ النّاسِ في الحجِّ

وطُفْ طَوافَ النّاسِ في الحجِّ

Forsake stitched clothing, and shave for it,

And avoid the clothes’ tailor and shave yourself with it,

and circumambulate as people do during the Hajj.

And circumambulate the circumambulation of people at the Hajj,

ما أنتَ إلا بارِدٌ شارِدٌ

ما أنتَ إلا بارِدٌ شارِدٌ

منْ فَلَكِ البُرّادِ في أوْجِ

منْ فَلَكِ البُرّادِ في أوْجِ

You are nothing but a cold, wayward fellow

You’re nothing but cold and absent,

from the sphere of the cold ones, at apogee.

Lost from the orbit of the Refrigerator in difficulty,

جفاؤُكَ الفَظُّ الذي نالَني

جفاؤُكَ الفَظُّ الذي نالَني

صيّرَني للفِكْرِ في هَرْجِ

صيّرَني للفِكْرِ في هَرْجِ

Your coarse aloofness, which befell me,

Your rude coldness which has come over me

has plunged me into a turmoil of thought.

Has made me fall into confused thinking,

عُمْرِيَ ما إنْ نالَني مِثْلُهُ

عُمْرِيَ ما إنْ نالَني مِثْلُهُ

منْ ضَيْمِ سَبْتيٍّ ولا طَنْجي

منْ ضَيْمِ سَبْتيٍّ ولا طَنْجي

By my life, nothing like it has befallen me

Never in my life has anything like it

from the oppression of a Ceutan or a Tangier man.

Afflicted me, not even a Saturday or a withdrawal!

فاسْتَغْفِرِ اللهَ ولا تَهْفُ في

فاسْتَغْفِرِ اللهَ ولا تَهْفُ في

كَتْبٍ مَدَى الدّهْرِ ولا دَرْجِ

كَتْبٍ مَدَى الدّهْرِ ولا دَرْجِ

So ask God's forgiveness, and never blunder in

So ask God for forgiveness and do not rush about

writing, for all time, or in a scroll.

In books forever and seats of honor,

ولا تُطِعْ بَرْدَكَ في مِثلِها

ولا تُطِعْ بَرْدَكَ في مِثلِها

إلا لعَبْدٍ لكَ أو عِلْجِ

إلا لعَبْدٍ لكَ أو عِلْجِ

And do not obey your coldness in anything like it,

And do not obey your coldness in the likes of this

except toward a slave of yours or a barbarian.

Except towards a slave of yours or a professional,

لازِلْتَ والشّارِبُ منْ خَسَّةٍ

لازِلْتَ والشّارِبُ منْ خَسَّةٍ

والرّيقُ منْ حامِضِ نارَنْجِ

والرّيقُ منْ حامِضِ نارَنْجِ

May you ever remain with a moustache of lettuce,

You have always been one who drinks what is not fresh,

and saliva of sour bitter orange;

And saliva from sour orange juice,

يَنَّيْرُ والجَدْيُ إذا عُدِّلا

يَنَّيْرُ والجَدْيُ إذا عُدِّلا

حَظُّكَ منْ شَهْرٍ ومنْ بُرْجِ

حَظُّكَ منْ شَهْرٍ ومنْ بُرْجِ

may January and Capricorn, when allotted,

May January and the new moon, when upright,

be your share of month and zodiac sign.

Be your fortune, and mansion, and zodiac sign,

وجِئتَ منْ صُلْبِكَ في مَعْشَرٍ

وجِئتَ منْ صُلْبِكَ في مَعْشَرٍ

منْ وَلَدٍ عُورٍ ومنْ عُرْجِ

منْ وَلَدٍ عُورٍ ومنْ عُرْجِ

And may you come among a company from your own loins,

And you came from your ancestry among a tribe

of one-eyed children and lame ones,

Of the bleary-eyed and the lame,

بيضٍ وسُودٍ فوقَ نِطْعِ الأذى

بيضٍ وسُودٍ فوقَ نِطْعِ الأذى

كأنّهُمْ قِطْعاتُ شِطْرَنجِ

كأنّهُمْ قِطْعاتُ شِطْرَنجِ

white and black upon the leather mat of affliction,

White and black over the harm they have inflicted

as though they were chess pieces.

As if they were chess pieces,

تَخالُهُمْ ياجوجَ دارَتْ بذِي ال

تَخالُهُمْ ياجوجَ دارَتْ بذِي ال

قَرْنَيْنِ يَدْعونَ الى خَرْجِ

قَرْنَيْنِ يَدْعونَ الى خَرْجِ

You would think them Yajuj, circling Dhu al-

Their meanness, O Yajuj, went round

Qarnayn, calling for tribute.

With Dhu ‘l-Qarnayn calling for mayhem,

وزيّنَتْ عُنْقَكَ نُغْنوغَةٌ

وزيّنَتْ عُنْقَكَ نُغْنوغَةٌ

كأنّها عُقْدةُ أتْرُنْجِ

كأنّها عُقْدةُ أتْرُنْجِ

And may a fleshy swelling adorn your neck,

And a necklace adorns your neck appearing to be

as though it were a knob of citron,

A knot of bitter orange,

ما هَبّ ريحُ الصّرِّ في بُقْعَةٍ

ما هَبّ ريحُ الصّرِّ في بُقْعَةٍ

وارْتَفَعَ الثّلْجُ على مَرْجِ

وارْتَفَعَ الثّلْجُ على مَرْجِ

as long as the bitter-cold wind blows anywhere,

No wind blew in a place

and snow mounts upon a meadow.

And the snow piled up on a pasture,