وافىcame إليَّto me بمدحةٍwith a poem of praise قدindeed أخبرتrevealed
وافى إليَّ بمدحةٍ قد أخبرت
عنabout كلّevery بيتٍverse جيدٍgood منfrom أينَwhere جَاit came
عن كلّ بيتٍ جيدٍ من أينَ جَا
He came to me with a poem of praise that revealed
He came to me with verses of praise, claiming
Where every good verse had come from.
That every fine line was his own creation.
فسكتُّso I kept silent عنهabout him فجاءنيthen he came to me بهجائهِwith his satire
فسكتُّ عنه فجاءني بهجائهِ
لأجيبهso I might answer him هيهاتfar from it أخلفهdisappointed him الدجىthe darkness
لأجيبه هيهات أخلفه الدجى
So I kept silent about him; then he came to me with his satire,
I held my peace, so he assailed me with satire -
So that I might answer him—far from it! The darkness disappointed him.
Alas, I'll not respond; night's veil conceals him.
منone who كانَwas فيin حالِthe condition of المدائحpoems of praise ساقطاًof no account
من كانَ في حالِ المدائح ساقطاً
عندِيin my eyes فكيفَthen how يكونhe would be فيin حالthe condition of الهجاsatire
عندِي فكيفَ يكون في حال الهجا
One who was of no account when offering praise
One fallen in praise - how could he fare in blame?
In my eyes—what would he be when offering satire?
Partial English translation: 5 of 6 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1