قلtell لابنto Ibn (son of) بلبلBulbul (“nightingale”) لِمْwhy غلِطْerred (continued next line)
قل لابن بلبل لِمْ غلِطْ
تَyou (suffix completing “you erred”) وأنتَwhile you are شهمٌsharp-witted قُلقلُnimble; lively
تَ وأنتَ شهمٌ قُلقلُ
Tell Ibn Bulbul: why have you erred,
Tell the nightingale's son, why hast thou erred
though you are sharp-witted and nimble?
Thou, while a brave nightingale, did chirp.
أنّىhow يكونcan be أباa father لِصَقto a falcon (continued next line)
أنّى يكون أبا لِصَق
رٍfinal fragment of “falcon” منone who أبوهhis father بلبلُBulbul (“nightingale”)
رٍ من أبوه بلبلُ
How can he be father to a falcon—
Whence comes a father to the whistling air
he whose father is Bulbul, “Nightingale”?
Whose sire is a nightingale with goodly note?
نسبٌlineage يناقِضُcontradicts كنيةًa parental byname (kunya)
نسبٌ يناقِضُ كنيةً
ماnot مثلُthe like of ذاthis بكfor you يجمُلُis becoming
ما مثلُ ذا بك يجمُلُ
A lineage contradicting a parental byname—
A lineage contradicting the surname,
such a thing does not become you.
None like it becomes thee.
أغفلتhave you been heedless? عمّاof what فيهماin both of them
أغفلت عمّا فيهما
ماnot عذرُan excuse مثلكfrom one like you يُقبلُis accepted
ما عذرُ مثلك يُقبلُ
Have you overlooked what lies in both?
Thou hast ignored what was in them both,
No excuse from one like you is accepted.
No excuse of thine can be accepted.
Sol 6.1