ياO ليتwould that شعريmy knowledge لوif سئلتyou were asked وقدand already
يا ليت شعري لو سئلت وقد
أنشدتyou recited مدحيmy praise فيكof you منone who سمِعَهْheard it
أنشدت مدحي فيك من سمِعَهْ
Oh, would that I knew—if you were asked, after
Oh, how I wish I had asked, after
reciting my praise of you to someone who heard it,
Reciting my praises of you, whoever heard it
ماذاwhat أثبتdid you reward عليهfor it قائلهits speaker
ماذا أثبت عليه قائله
هلquestion marker كنتyou were تلقىyou find فيin الجوابthe reply سِعَهْlatitude
هل كنت تلقى في الجواب سِعَهْ
"What did you give its author in return?"
What proof I presented for what I said
would you find any latitude in your reply?
Would you find latitude in answering?
كلّاno indeed لأنكbecause you إنif صدقتyou told the truth فقدthen indeed
كلّا لأنك إن صدقت فقد
أقررتyou admitted أنكthat you أرضَعُthe stingiest الرَضَعَهْthe misers
أقررت أنك أرضَعُ الرَضَعَهْ
No—for if you told the truth, you would have
No, because if you were truthful then you
admitted that you are the stingiest of misers.
Would have acknowledged that you nurse infants
ومتىand whenever كذبتyou lied فتلكthen that شرهماthe worse of the two
ومتى كذبت فتلك شرهما
والإفكand falsehood يجمعcombines مأثماًsin وضعهand degradation
والإفك يجمع مأثماً وضعه
And if you lied, that would be the worse of the two:
And if you lied that would be worse
falsehood combines sin and degradation.
Lies combine sin and disgrace
وإنand if استرحتyou took comfort إلىin السكوتsilence فماthen there is no
وإن استرحت إلى السكوت فما
لكfor you فيهin it منfrom لؤمbaseness (likely intended: reproach) الكرامthe noble-hearted دعهrespite
لك فيه من لؤم الكرام دعه
And if you took comfort in silence, there would be no
And if you took refuge in silence, it would not
respite for you there from the noble-hearted's reproach.
Befit your noble nature, leave it
أتراكdo you imagine yourself توهمهمyou make them suppose إذاwhen سألواthey asked
أتراك توهمهم إذا سألوا
فسكتthen you fell silent أمراًsomething لاnot تُلامyou are blamed معهwith it
فسكت أمراً لا تُلام معه
Do you think you make them imagine, when they ask
Do you want them to assume, if they ask
and you fall silent, something that leaves you blameless?
And you stay silent, it's beyond reproach?
كلّاno indeed ولكنand yet يعلمونthey know معاًall together
كلّا ولكن يعلمون معاً
أنthat قدindeed سلكتyou followed مسالكpaths الخدعهdeceit
أن قد سلكت مسالك الخدعه
No; rather, they would all know
No, they know together
that you had indeed followed the paths of deceit.
That you have taken the path of deceit
كتمconcealed اللسانthe tongue عليكon your behalf فاستمعتyet listened
كتم اللسان عليك فاستمعت
فطنٌkeen minds لماto what جمجمتyou muttered مستمعهattentive
فطنٌ لما جمجمت مستمعه
Your tongue kept your secret, yet there listened
Holding your tongue, you listened
keen minds, attentive to what you muttered.
Keenly to my murmuring ear
وكذاand likewise عقولminds ذويof those possessing العقولreason علىto
وكذا عقول ذوي العقول على
أسرارsecrets أهلof the people of الجهلignorance مطَّلعهprivy
أسرار أهل الجهل مطَّلعه
Thus, too, the minds of those endowed with reason
Just so, reasonable minds are focused
are privy to the secrets of the ignorant.
On the secrets of the ignorant
قدalready كنتI had تبتrepented منof الهجاءsatire فإنbut if
قد كنت تبت من الهجاء فإن
شاءwish اللئامthe base أعدتهاI shall restore it جَذَعهyoung and vigorous
شاء اللئام أعدتها جَذَعه
I had already repented of satire; but if
You had given up satire, but if
the base wish it, I shall restore it to youthful vigor.
Scoundrels desired, you brought it back to life
Sol 6.1