لمdid not أُطِلهاprolong it كماas أطالَlengthened رِشاءًa well-rope
لم أُطِلها كما أطالَ رِشاءً
ماتحٌa water-drawer ساءwas poor ظنُّهhis opinion بقليبِof a well
ماتحٌ ساء ظنُّه بقليبِ
I did not draw it out as a rope was lengthened
I did not praise them as long as Rishā' praised,
By a water-drawer who thought ill of a well.
A critic whose suspicions wronged my heart.
حاشَfar be it للَّهfrom God ليسis not مثليone like me تَظَنَّىharbored suspicion
حاشَ للَّه ليس مثلي تَظَنَّى
ظنَّa suspicion سَوْءill بمُستقاكَof your water source القريبِthe nearby
ظنَّ سَوْء بمُستقاكَ القريبِ
God forbid! One like me would not harbor
God forbid I should be suspected so!
An ill suspicion of your nearby water source.
He suspected ill of your dear faithful friend.
غيرbut أنيthat I امرؤٌa man وجَدتُI found مقالاًmatter for speech
غير أني امرؤٌ وجَدتُ مقالاً
مُستتِبّاًreadily available فيin كلevery قَرْمٍchief نجيبِnoble
مُستتِبّاً في كل قَرْمٍ نجيبِ
Yet I am a man who found matter for speech,
Yet I am a man who has heard it said
Readily at hand in every noble chief.
Noble clans have faults that spread and extend.
فأطلتُso I prolonged المديحَthe praise ماas long as طالgrew long فيهمabout them
فأطلتُ المديحَ ما طال فيهم
معdespite أنِّيthat I قصَّرتُI fell short غيرَnot معيبِblameworthy
مع أنِّي قصَّرتُ غيرَ معيبِ
So I prolonged my praise as long as it ran on about them,
So I prolonged my praises, blameless though brief -
Though I fell short, without deserving blame.
Not as long as the faults that Rishā' did append.
Sol 6.1