وَلَهُAnd for himكَاتِبُis a secretaryسِرٍّof a secret......خَطَّwho wroteفِيهِin itبِعِنَايَةٍwith care
And for him is a secretary of a secret... who wrote in it with care
فَسَيَكْفِيكَهُمُSo He will suffice you against themاللَّهُAllahإِلَىuntilآخِرِthe end ofآيَةٍthe verse
So Allah will suffice you against them until the end of the verse
وَلِآخَرَAnd for another
And for another:
الْخُبْزُBreadيُبْطِيis delayedحِينَwhenيَدْعُوhe callsبِهِfor it......كَأَنَّهُAs if itيَقْدُمُis comingمِنْfromقَافٍQaf
Bread is delayed when he calls for it... As if it is coming from Qaf
وَيَمْدَحُAnd he praisesالْمِلْحَsaltلِأَصْحَابِهِto his companions
And he praises salt to his companions
يَقُولُSayingهَذَاthis isمِلْحُsalt ofسِيرَافَSiraf
Saying: This is salt of Siraf
سِيَّانِEqual areأَكْلُeatingالْخُبْزِbreadفِيinدَارِهِhis house
Equal are eating bread in his house
وَقَلْعُand gouging outعَيْنَيْهِhis two eyesبِخَطَّافٍwith a hook
And gouging out his two eyes with a hook
وَلِآخَرَAnd for another
And for another:
فَتًىA youthلَاwho does notيَغَارُget jealousعَلَىoverعُرْسِهِhis bride
A youth who does not get jealous over his bride
وَلَكِنْButيَغَارُhe is jealousعَلَىoverخُبْزِهِhis bread
But he is jealous over his bread
فَمِنْهُSo from himيَدُthe hand ofالْجُودِgenerosityمَقْبُوضَةٌis clenched
So from him the hand of generosity is clenched
وَكَفُّAnd the palm ofالسَّمَاحَةِlargesseفِيis inعَجْزِهِhis rear
And the palm of largesse is in his rear
وَلِآخَرَAnd for another
And for another:
يَصُونُونَThey protectأَثْوَابَهُمْtheir garmentsفِيinالتُّخُوتِthe chests
They protect their garments in the chests
وَأَزْوَاجُهُمْAnd their wivesيَخْتَرِقْنَtraverseالسِّكَكَthe streets
And their wives traverse the streets
يُنَحُّونَThey turn awayمَنْwhoeverرَامَseeksرُغْفَانَهُمْtheir loaves
They turn away whoever seeks their loaves
وَيُدْنُونَAnd they draw closeمَنْwhoeverرَامَseeksحَلَّundoingالنُّكُكِthe trousers
And they draw close whoever seeks undoing the trousers
وَلِآخَرَAnd for another
And for another:
وَلَوْAnd ifأَنَّthatالذُّبَابَthe flyتَرَاءَىappearedيَوْماًone day
And if the fly appeared one day
عَدَتْRunningغَرْثَىhungryلِصَحْفَتِهِtowards his bowlتَرُومُseeking
Running hungry towards his bowl seeking
لَنَادَىIt would call outفِيinالْعَشِيرَةِthe clanأَدْرِكُونِيRescue me
It would call out in the clan: Rescue me
أَلَاAhأَيْنَwhere areالْقَمَاقِمُthe great onesوَالْقُرُومُand noble lords
Ah, where are the great ones and noble lords
فَيَاSo ohوَيْلَwoe toالذُّبَابِthe flyإِنْifأَدْرَكُوهُthey catch it
So oh woe to the fly if they catch it
وَفِيAnd inالْهَيْجَاbattleعَدُوُّهُمْtheir enemyسَلِيمُis safe
And in battle their enemy is safe
وَلِآخَرَAnd for another
And for another:
أَمَّاAs forالرَّغِيفُthe loafلَدَىatالْخُوَانِthe dining table
As for the loaf at the dining table
فَمِنْIt is fromكَرِيمَاتِthe honoredالْحَرَمِsanctuary
It is from the honored sanctuary
مَاNotإِنْeverيُجَسُّis it touchedوَلَاnorيَمَسُّhandled
Not ever is it touched nor handled
وَلَاNorيُذَاقُis it tastedوَلَاnorيُشَمُّsmelled
Nor is it tasted nor smelled
فَتَرَاهُSo you see itأَخْضَرَgreenيَابِساًand dry
So you see it green and dry
بَالِيَWorn outالنُّقُوشِin inscriptionsمِنَfromالْهَرَمِold age
Worn out in inscriptions from old age
وَلِآخَرَAnd for another
And for another:
أَتَيْنَاWe came toأَبَاAbuطَاهِرٍTahirمُفْطِرِينَfast-breakers
We came to Abu Tahir breaking our fast
عَلَىAtرَحْلِهِhis campفَرَجَعْنَاso we returnedصِيَاماًfasting
At his camp, so we returned fasting
وَجَاءَAnd he broughtبِخُبْزٍbreadلَهُbelonging to himحَامِضٍsour
And he brought sour bread of his
وَقُلْتُAnd I saidدَعُوهُLeave itوَمُوتُواand dieكِرَاماًnobly
And I said: Leave it and die nobly
وَعَنْAnd on the authority ofحُذَيْفَةَHudhayfahبْنِson ofمُحَمَّدٍMuhammadالطَّائِيِّAl-Ta'iقَالَwho said
And on the authority of Hudhayfah ibn Muhammad al-Ta'i who said:
قَالَSaidالرَّشِيدُAl-RashidلَاI doأَعْرِفُnot knowلِمُوَلَّدٍfor a Mowlid poetأَهْجَىa more satirical verseمِنْthanقَوْلِthe saying ofأَبِيAbuنُوَاسٍNuwas
Al-Rashid said: I do not know for a Mowlid poet a more satirical verse than the saying of Abu Nuwas:
وَمَاAnd you did notرَوَّحْتَنَاrefresh usلِتَذُبَّso that you defendعَنَّاfrom us
And you did not refresh us so that you defend from us
وَلَكِنْButخِفْتَyou fearedمَرْزِئَةَthe nuisance ofالذُّبَابِthe flies
But you feared the nuisance of the flies
شَرَابُكَYour drinkكَالسَّرَابِis like a mirageإِذَاwhenالْتَقَيْنَاwe meet
Your drink is like a mirage when we meet
وَخُبْزُكَAnd your breadعِنْدَis atمُنْقَطَعِthe cutoff ofالتُّرَابِthe earth
And your bread is at the cutoff of the earth
وَلِآخَرَAnd for another
And for another:
خَانَBetrayedعَهْدِيmy covenantعَمْروٌAmrوَمَاand I did notخُنْتُbetrayعَهْدَهُhis covenant
Amr betrayed my covenant and I did not betray his covenant
وَجَفَانِيAnd he shunned meوَمَاand I did notتَغَيَّرْتُchangeبَعْدَهُafter him
And he shunned me and I did not change after him
لَيْسَThere isلِيfor meمَاas long asحَيِيتُI liveذَنْبٌany sinإِلَيْهِtowards him
There is for me as long as I live no sin towards him
غَيْرَOther thanأَنِّيthat Iيَوْماًone dayتَغَدَّيْتُhad lunchعِنْدَهُat his place
Other than that I one day had lunch at his place
الْخَلِيلُAl-Khalilبْنُson ofأَحْمَدَAhmad
Al-Khalil ibn Ahmad:
كَفَّاهُHis two handsلَمْwere notتُخُلَقَاcreatedلِلنَّدَىfor generosity
His two hands were not created for generosity
وَلَمْAnd nor wasيَكُthereبُخْلُهُمَاtheir stinginessبِدْعَةًan innovation
And nor was their stinginess an innovation
فَكَفٌّSo a palmعَنِfromالْخَيْرِgoodمَقْبُوضَةٌis clenched
So a palm is clenched from good
كَمَاJust asانْقَبَضَتْis clenchedمِائَةٌa hundredتِسْعَةٌminus nine
Just as a hundred is clenched minus nine
وَلِآخَرَAnd for another
And for another:
أَتَيْتُI came toأَبَاAbuعَمْروٍAmrأُرَجِّيhoping forنَوَالَهُhis gift
I came to Abu Amr hoping for his gift
فَزَادَSo increasedأَبُوAbuعَمْروٍAmrعَلَىuponحُزْنِيmy griefحُزْناًgrief
So Abu Amr added grief upon my grief
فَكُنْتُSo I wasكَبَاغِيlike the seeker ofالْقَرْنِthe hornأَسْلَمَwho surrenderedأُذُنَهُhis ear
So I was like the seeker of the horn who surrendered his ear
فَآبَSo he returnedبِلَاwithoutأُذُنٍan earوَلَمْand did notيَسْتَفِدْgainقَرْناًa horn
So he returned without an ear and did not gain a horn
[مَسَاوِئُThe vices ofمَنِwhoeverاسْتَدْعَىinvitesالْهِجَاءَsatireوَمَنْand whoeverهَجَاsatirizesنَفْسَهُ]himself
[The vices of whoever invites satire and whoever satirizes himself]
قَالَSaidأَبُوAbuالْعَتَاهِيَةِAl-Atahiyah
Abu Al-Atahiyah said:
خَرَجْتُI went outمَعَwithالْمَهْدِيِّAl-Mahdiإِلَىforالصَّيْدِhunting
I went out with Al-Mahdi for hunting
فَتَفَرَّقَand his companionsأَصْحَابُهُdispersedوَبَقِيتُand I remainedمَعَهُwith him
and his companions dispersed and I remained with him
وَقَدْAndأَقْبَلَapproachedعَلَيْنَاupon usالْمَطَرُthe rain
And the rain approached upon us
فَانْتَهَيْنَاSo we reachedإِلَىaمَلَّاحٍsailorمَعَهُwho hadزَوْرَقٌa boat
So we reached a sailor who had a boat
فَقَالَHe saidلَنَاto usادْخُلَاEnterمِنْfromهَذَاthisالْمَطَرِrain
He said to us: Enter from this rain
فَدَخَلْنَاSo we enteredوَوََقَعَتِand fellالرَّعْدَةُshiveringعَلَىuponالْمَهْدِيِّAl-Mahdi
So we entered and shivering fell upon Al-Mahdi
مِنْfromشِدَّةِthe intensity ofالْبَرْدِthe cold
from the intensity of the cold
فَقَالَSo saidلَهُto himالْمَلَّاحُthe sailor
So the sailor said to him:
هَلْWouldلَكَyouأَنْthatأُلْقِيَI castعَلَيْكَupon youجُبَّتِي؟my tunic?
Would you like me to cast my tunic upon you?
فَقَالَHe saidنَعَمْYes
He said: Yes
فَأَلْقَاهَاSo he cast itعَلَيْهِupon him
So he cast it upon him
فَمَاAnd he continuedزَالَtoيَتَقَرْقَفُshiverحَتَّىuntilنَامَhe slept
And he continued to shiver until he slept
ثُمَّThenأَقْبَلَarrivedالْخَدَمُthe servantsوَالْغِلْمَانُand pages
Then the servants and pages arrived
وَأَلْقَوْاand they castعَلَيْهِupon himالْخَزَّsilkوَالْوَشْيَand brocade
and they cast upon him silk and brocade
فَلَمَّاSo whenانْتَبَهَhe awokeأَمَرَhe orderedبِدَفْعِthe giving ofذَلِكَthatإِلَىtoالْمَلَّاحِthe sailor
So when he awoke he ordered the giving of that to the sailor
وَقَالَAnd saidيَاOأَبَاAbuالْعَتَاهِيَةِAl-AtahiyahأَلَاWill you notهَجَوْتَنِي!satirize me?
And said: O Abu Al-Atahiyah, will you not satirize me?
فَقُلْتُSo I saidيَاOأَمِيرَCommanderالْمُؤْمِنِينَof the Faithfulوَكَيْفَand howتَطِيبُwould be pleasedنَفْسِيmy soulبِهِجَائِكَ؟with satirizing you?
So I said: O Commander of the Faithful, and how would my soul be pleased with satirizing you?
قَالَHe saidفَإِنِّيFor indeedأَسْأَلُكَI ask youبِاللَّهِby Allah
He said: For indeed I ask you by Allah
فَقُلْتُSo I said
So I said:
يَاOلَابِسَwearer ofالْوَشْيِbrocadeعَلَىoverشَيْبِهِhis grey hair
O wearer of brocade over his grey hair
مَاHowأَقْبَحَugly isالْأَشَيْبَthe grey-haired manفِيinالدَّاحِthe running
How ugly is the grey-haired man in the running
فَنَقَرَSo he tappedنَقْرَةًa tapثُمَّthenقَالَsaidزِدْنِيGive me more
So he tapped a tap then said: Give me more
فَقُلْتُSo I said
So I said:
لَوْIfشِئْتَyou wishedأَيْضاًalsoجُلْتَyou would strutفِيinخَامَةٍa tunic
If you wished also you would strut in a tunic
وَفِيAnd inوَشَاحَيْنِtwo sashesوَأَوْضَاحٍand ornaments
And in two sashes and ornaments
فَقَالَHe saidوَيْلَكَWoe to youزِدْنِيgive me more
He said: Woe to you, give me more
فَقُلْتُSo I said
So I said:
كَمْHow manyمِنْofعَظِيمِgreatالشَّأْنِstandingفِيinنَفْسِهِhimself
How many of great standing in himself
قَدْHasبَاتَspent the nightفِيinجُبَّةِthe tunic ofمَلَّاحٍa sailor
Has spent the night in the tunic of a sailor
قِيلَIt was saidوَشَرِبَAnd drankيَزِيدُYazidبْنُson ofمُعَاوِيَةَMuawiyahذَاتَoneيَوْمٍday
It was said: And Yazid ibn Muawiyah drank one day
وَعِنْدَهُAnd with him wasالْأَخْطَلُAl-Akhtalفَلَمَّاso whenثَمِلَhe became intoxicated
And with him was Al-Akhtal, so when he became intoxicated
قَالَHe saidيَاOأَخْطَلُAkhtalاهْجُنِيsatirize meوَلَاand do notتُفْحِشْbe foul
He said: O Akhtal, satirize me and do not be foul
فَأَنْشَأَSo he beganيَقُولُreciting
So he began reciting:
أَلَاAhاسْلَمْbe safeسَلِمْتَmay you be safeأَبَاAbuخَالِدٍKhalid
Ah, be safe, may you be safe, Abu Khalid
وَحَيَّاكَAnd may greet youرَبُكَyour Lordبِالْعَنْقَزِwith the Anqaz
And may your Lord greet you with the Anqaz
وَرَوَّىAnd may irrigateعِظَامَكَyour bonesبِالْخَنْدَرِيسِwith aged wine
And may your bones be irrigated with aged wine
قَبْلَBeforeالْمَمَاتِdeathوَلَمْand you did notتَعْجِزِgrow helpless
Before death and you did not grow helpless
أَكَلْتَYou ateالدَّجَاجَthe chickensفَأَفْنَيْتَهَاand annihilated them
You ate the chickens and annihilated them
فَهَلْSo is thereفِيinالْحَنَانِيصِthe little chicksمِنْanyمَغْمَزِfault
So is there in the little chicks any fault
وَدِينُكَAnd your religionحَقّاًtrulyكَدِينِis like the religion ofالْحِمَارِthe donkey
And your religion truly is like the religion of the donkey
بَلْNayأَنْتَyou areأَكْفَرُmore disbelievingمِنْthanهُرْمُزَHormuz
Nay, you are more disbelieving than Hormuz
فَرَفَعَSo he raisedيَدَهُhis handوَلَطَمَهُand slapped him
So he raised his hand and slapped him
وَقَالَAnd saidيَاOابْنَson ofاللَّخْنَاءِthe vile womanمَاnotبِكُلِّwith allهَذَاthisأَمَرُتُكَ!did I command you!
And said: O son of the vile woman, not with all this did I command you!
قَالَHe saidوَدَخَلَand enteredأَبُوAbuدُلَامَةَDulamahعَلَىuponالْمَنْصُورِAl-Mansur
He said: And Abu Dulamah entered upon Al-Mansur
وَعِنْدَهُAnd with him wereالْمَهْدِيُّAl-Mahdiوَعِيسَىand Isaبْنُson ofمُوسَىMusa
And with him were Al-Mahdi and Isa ibn Musa
فَقَالَSo saidلَهُto himالْمَنْصُورُAl-MansurاهْجُSatirizeبَعْضَsomeمَنْof thoseفِيinالْمَجْلِسِthe gathering
So Al-Mansur said to him: Satirize some of those in the gathering
فَقَالَSo he saidفِيtoنَفْسِهِhimself
So he said to himself:
مَنْWhomأَهْجُو،shall I satirize,الْخَلِيفَةَthe caliphأَمْorابْنَthe son ofأَخِيهِ؟his brother?
Whom shall I satirize, the caliph or the son of his brother?
مَاNotأَحَدٌanyoneأَحَقَّmore deservingبِالْهِجَاءِof satireمِنِّيthan me
Not anyone is more deserving of satire than me
فَقَالَSo he said
So he said:
أَلَاAhأَبْلِغْconveyلَدَيْكَto youأَبَاAbuدُلَامَةَDulamah
Ah, convey to you, Abu Dulamah
فَلَسْتَFor you are notمِنَfromالْكِرَامِthe nobleوَلَاnorكِرَامَةَany nobility
For you are not from the noble nor any nobility
جَمَعْتَYou gatheredدَمَامَةًuglinessوَجَمَعْتَand you gatheredلُؤْماًbaseness
You gathered ugliness and you gathered baseness
غَذَاكَNourished youاللُّؤْمُbasenessتَتْبَعُهُfollowed byالدَّمَامَةُugliness
Baseness nourished you followed by ugliness
إِذَاWhenلَبِسَhe wearsالْعَمَامَةَthe turbanقُلْتَyou sayقِرْدٌa monkey
When he wears the turban you say: A monkey
وَخِنْزِيرٌAnd a pigإِذَاwhenوَضَعَhe placesالْعَمَامَةَthe turban down
And a pig when he places the turban down
فَضَحِكَSo laughedالْمَنْصُورُAl-Mansurوَأَمَرَand orderedلَهُfor himبِجَائِزَةٍa prize
So Al-Mansur laughed and ordered for him a prize