ليI have خَليطانِtwo companions مُحكَمانِaccomplished يُجيداthey both excel (continued)
لي خَليطانِ مُحكَمانِ يُجيدا
نِending of 'excel' لِماat what يَعمَلانِهِthey both do it حاذِقانِboth skilled
نِ لِما يَعمَلانِهِ حاذِقانِ
I have two accomplished companions who excel
I have two skillful companions
at what they do, both highly skilled.
Expert in their craft
واحِدٌone يَعمَلُmakes القِسِيَّthe bows فَيَأتيand he brings
واحِدٌ يَعمَلُ القِسِيَّ فَيَأتي
كَto you بِهاwith them فيin اِستِقامَةِstraightness الميزانِthe balance
كَ بِها في اِستِقامَةِ الميزانِ
One makes bows and brings
One makes scales that weigh true
them to you, as true as a balance.
The other blades that cut keen
وَفَتىand a young man يَعمَلُmakes السَكاكينَthe knives فيin القَرthe horn (continued)
وَفَتى يَعمَلُ السَكاكينَ في القَر
نِending of 'horn' مُقِرٌّattesting بِحَذقِهِto his skill الثَقلانِhumankind and jinn
نِ مُقِرٌّ بِحَذقِهِ الثَقلانِ
And a young man makes knives with horn;
They ask to take from your head
humankind and jinn acknowledge his skill.
A horn, so see their strange request
وَهُماand both of them يَطلُبانِthey both seek قَرناًa horn عَلىupon رَأhead (continued)
وَهُما يَطلُبانِ قَرناً عَلى رَأ
سِكَending of 'your head' فَاِنظُرso consider فيin بَعضِsome of ماwhat يَسأَلانِthey both ask
سِكَ فَاِنظُر في بَعضِ ما يَسأَلانِ
Both ask for a horn upon your
I said, won't it hurt to cut what
head; consider some of what they ask.
You want, O youths?
قلتI said هلdoes ...? يؤلمhurt الفتىthe young man قطعcutting off ماwhat منـfrom
قلت هل يؤلم الفتى قطع ما منـ
ـهhim تريدانyou both want أيهاO الفتيانthe two young men
ـه تريدان أيها الفتيان
I said, “Does it hurt the young man to cut off what
Gently they replied, speak and understand
you two want from him, O young men?”
Rise, for I allow, stretch out your neck
فأجاباso they both answered بلطفٍwith gentleness قولspeech وفهمand understanding
فأجابا بلطفٍ قول وفهم
قمrise فأناfor I اذنthen لنوكيto my folly (uncertain) مدانيclose (uncertain)
قم فأنا اذن لنوكي مداني
They answered with gentle words and understanding:
Cut now what horns you have
“Rise—for I am then close to my folly [wording uncertain].
For in what you see is proof clear
فاقطعso cut off الآنnow ماwhat برأسكon your head منهاof them
فاقطع الآن ما برأسك منها
انindeed فيماin what ترىyou see لقطعfor cutting بيانan explanation
ان فيما ترى لقطع بيان
So cut off now the horns upon your head;
That's better than being called a name foul
indeed, what you see offers an explanation for cutting.
Look at the two horns
ذاكthat خيرٌbetter مماthan what تسمىyou are called اسمa name سوءٍof ill repute
ذاك خيرٌ مما تسمى اسم سوءٍ
فيقالand it is said انظرواlook, all of you الىat القرنانthe cuckold
فيقال انظروا الى القرنان
That is better than being called a shameful name,
and people saying, ‘Look at the cuckold!’”
Partial English translation: 14 of 16 Arabic lines translated.