ملكتمyou came to rule ياO بنيsons of العباسal-Abbas عنby قَدَرٍfate
ملكتم يا بني العباس عن قَدَرٍ
بغيرwithout حقٍّany right ولاand without فضْلٍsuperiority علىover أحدِanyone
بغير حقٍّ ولا فضْلٍ على أحدِ
You came to rule, O sons of al-Abbas, by fate,
You have unjustly assumed power, O Abbasids
without any right or superiority over anyone.
Without right or merit over anyone
تُقدَّمونَyou are given precedence أمامahead of الناسthe people كلِّهمُall of them
تُقدَّمونَ أمام الناس كلِّهمُ
وأنتُمُyet you ياO بنيsons of العباسal-Abbas كالنَّقَدِlike short-legged sheep
وأنتُمُ يا بني العباس كالنَّقَدِ
You are placed ahead of all the people,
You put yourselves forward before all people
yet you, O sons of al-Abbas, are like short-legged sheep.
Yet you, O Abbasids, are like false coins
شبهتكمI have likened you إنif بغىseeks باغٍa seeker لكمfor you مثلاًa likeness
شبهتكم إن بغى باغٍ لكم مثلاً
صُغرىthe smallest الأصابعof the fingers تُثْنيbends أوَّلَfirst in العددِthe count
صُغرى الأصابع تُثْني أوَّلَ العددِ
I have likened you—if anyone seeks a likeness for you—to
If one who wishes ill upon you wanted a parable
the smallest finger, which bends first when counting.
It would be the smallest fingers that bend the first joint
Sol 6.1