إذاwhen ساءwas poor ظنٌّan expectation بمسترفَدٍof one whose bounty is sought
إذا ساء ظنٌّ بمسترفَدٍ
أطالlengthened القصيدَthe ode لهfor him المادحُthe praise-poet
أطال القصيدَ له المادحُ
When expectations of one solicited for bounty are poor,
When one expects little of someone whose bounty is sought,
the panegyrist lengthens his ode to him;
The praise-poet lengthens his ode for him.
وقِدْماًand of old إذاwhen استبعِدwas deemed distant المستقَىthe water source
وقِدْماً إذا استبعِد المستقَى
أطالlengthened الرِّشاءَthe well-rope لهfor it الماتحُthe water-drawer
أطال الرِّشاءَ له الماتحُ
and since ancient times, when the water-seeker found the water far down,
And of old, when the water source was deemed distant,
the well-drawer lengthened the rope for him.
The water-drawer lengthened his rope to reach it.
Sol 6.1