ما جَبَلا طَيء بِأَمنَع مِن

ما جَبَلا طَيء بِأَمنَع مِن

زادِ عَليّ زَميلِ صِقلابِ

زادِ عَليّ زَميلِ صِقلابِ

The two mountains of Ṭayyiʾ are no more impregnable than

No mountain of Tay' is more impregnable

the provisions of ʿAlī, the companion of Ṣiqlāb.

Than 'Ali, the polished sword blade of Allah.

ذاكَ اِمرُؤ إِن أَرَدتِ كِسرَتَهُ

ذاكَ اِمرُؤ إِن أَرَدتِ كِسرَتَهُ

جادَت لَنا عَينُهُ بِتَسيابِ

جادَت لَنا عَينُهُ بِتَسيابِ

That is a man: if you want his piece of bread,

That man, if you want to break him

his eye lavishes torrents of tears upon us.

His eyes rain curses on you.

النَّاسُ أَصحابُهُ فَإِن ذَكَروا ال

النَّاسُ أَصحابُهُ فَإِن ذَكَروا ال

خُبزَ فَلَيسوا لَهُ بِأَصحابِ

خُبزَ فَلَيسوا لَهُ بِأَصحابِ

People are his companions; but if they mention the

People are his friends. But if they mention no

bread, they are no companions of his.

Bread, they're no friends of his.

مَن يَشتَري اللَّحمَ ثُمَّ يُدخِلُهُ الت

مَن يَشتَري اللَّحمَ ثُمَّ يُدخِلُهُ الت

تَنورَ وَالرِفقُ باب أَبوابِ

تَنورَ وَالرِفقُ باب أَبوابِ

He is one who buys meat, then puts it into the

Who buys meat, then puts it in the

oven—and thrift opens many doors—

Oven, gentleness is the door of doors,

حَتّى إِذا بَلَّ حَرفَ كِسرَتِهِ

حَتّى إِذا بَلَّ حَرفَ كِسرَتِهِ

مِن دَسَمٍ جامِدٍ وَمُنسابِ

مِن دَسَمٍ جامِدٍ وَمُنسابِ

until, once he has moistened the edge of his piece of bread

Until it's cooked to the point of breaking

with congealed and flowing fat,

Into juicy, congealed fatness,

خاصَمَ في اللَّحمِ كَي يَصِحَّ لَهُ الر

خاصَمَ في اللَّحمِ كَي يَصِحَّ لَهُ الر

رَدّ قَنوعاً بِريح جَواذِبِ

رَدّ قَنوعاً بِريح جَواذِبِ

he quarrels over the meat, so that he may

Disputes over the meat, so as to justify

return it, content with the aroma of jūdhāb puddings.

Taking it back, satisfied with a whiff of aromas,

مِن لُؤمِهِ أَنَّهُ إِذا مَنَعَ النَّا

مِن لُؤمِهِ أَنَّهُ إِذا مَنَعَ النَّا

سُ لَوى شِدقَهُ بِإِغرابِ

سُ لَوى شِدقَهُ بِإِغرابِ

Part of his meanness is that, when he refuses

In his villainy, that if people withhold

people, he twists the corner of his mouth with a loud laugh.

Anything, he twists his lip in estrangement.