A Digital Repository of Medieval Texts
Click to printMuḥammad ibn Idrīs al-Shāfiʿī. ""Were it not that poesy tarnished scholars"." Global Medieval Sourcebook.

Text based on al-Shāfiʿī, M. 1911. Dīwān al-Imām Muḥammad ibn Idrīs al-Shāfiʿī, ed. Maḥmūd Ibrāhīm Haybah. al-Qāhirah: Maṭbaʿat al-Taqaddum, p.18 .

ولو لا الشعر بالعلماء يزري | "Were it not that poesy tarnished scholars"

Source Information

ولو لا الشعر بالعلماء يزري | "Were it not that poesy tarnished scholars"

by Muḥammad ibn Idrīs al-Shāfiʿī

Text Source:

al-Shāfiʿī, M. 1911. Dīwān al-Imām Muḥammad ibn Idrīs al-Shāfiʿī, ed. Maḥmūd Ibrāhīm Haybah. al-Qāhirah: Maṭbaʿat al-Taqaddum, p.18

Responsibility Statement:
  • Text based on al-Shāfiʿī, M. 1911. Dīwān al-Imām Muḥammad ibn Idrīs al-Shāfiʿī, ed. Maḥmūd Ibrāhīm Haybah. al-Qāhirah: Maṭbaʿat al-Taqaddum, p.18
  • Translation by Sherif Abdelkarim
  • Encoded in TEI P5 XML by Danny Smith
Editorial Principles:

Transcriptions and translations are encoded in XML conforming to TEI (P5) guidelines. The original-language text is contained within <lem> tags and translations within <rdg> tags.

Texts are translated into modern American English with maximum fidelity to the original text, except where it would impair comprehension or good style. Archaisms are preserved where they do not conflict with the aesthetic of the original text. Scribal errors and creative translation choices are marked and discussed in the critical notes.

Publication Details:

Published by The Global Medieval Sourcebook.

The Global Medieval Sourcebook is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Transcription
من ديوان الشافعي from Dīwān al-Shāfiʿī
ولو لا الشعر بالعلماء يزري          لكنت اليوم أشعر من لبيد Were it not that poesy tarnished scholars
          I would have now Labīd
c
Critical note:

The great Arab poet (d.c.660).

outshone,
وأشجع في الوغى من كل ليث          وآل مهلب وبني يزيد Shown more courageous than every battle-lion,
          The House Muhallab,
c
Critical note:

A powerful Arab family of generals and governors.

the Banī Yazīd.
c
Critical note:

The storied ruling tribe.
ولولا خشية الرحمن ربي          حسبت الناس كلهم عبيدي Were it not for fearing al-Raḥmān,
c
Critical note:

A name of Allāh that encompasses the very possession of mercy.

my Master,
          I would have counted the people—all people—my slaves.
Translation
من ديوان الشافعي from Dīwān al-Shāfiʿī
ولو لا الشعر بالعلماء يزري          لكنت اليوم أشعر من لبيد Were it not that poesy tarnished scholars
          I would have now Labīd
c
Critical note:

The great Arab poet (d.c.660).

outshone,
وأشجع في الوغى من كل ليث          وآل مهلب وبني يزيد Shown more courageous than every battle-lion,
          The House Muhallab,
c
Critical note:

A powerful Arab family of generals and governors.

the Banī Yazīd.
c
Critical note:

The storied ruling tribe.
ولولا خشية الرحمن ربي          حسبت الناس كلهم عبيدي Were it not for fearing al-Raḥmān,
c
Critical note:

A name of Allāh that encompasses the very possession of mercy.

my Master,
          I would have counted the people—all people—my slaves.
Critical Notes
Translation
Line number 1
Critical note:

The great Arab poet (d.c.660).

Translation
Line number 2
Critical note:

A powerful Arab family of generals and governors.

Translation
Line number 2
Critical note:

The storied ruling tribe.

Translation
Line number 3
Critical note:

A name of Allāh that encompasses the very possession of mercy.

Sorry, but there are no notes associated with any currently displayed witness.