إذاif أجادَdid well الذيthe one who يُشبِّهُهُlikens him
إذا أجادَ الذي يُشبِّهُهُ
وأحكَمand perfected الوصفَthe description فيهof him بالنَّعْتِwith epithets
وأحكَم الوصفَ فيه بالنَّعْتِ
If the one likening him does it well,
If he who makes the simile is skillful
and perfects his description with epithets,
And apt in weaving praiseful lines of verse,
قالhe said كُرَاتُballs الأديمthe leather قدalready حُشِيَتْwere stuffed
قال كُرَاتُ الأديم قد حُشِيَتْ
بسِمْسِمٍwith sesame قُمِّعَتْwere capped بكَيْمَخْتِwith shagreen
بسِمْسِمٍ قُمِّعَتْ بكَيْمَخْتِ
he says: “Balls of leather have been stuffed
He'll say, 'These globes of leather have been stuffed
with sesame, capped with shagreen.”
With flakes of steel all burnished by the forge.'
Sol 6.1