ماnot رأىhave seen الناسُthe people كابنِlike the son of هرثمةَHarthama العاthe helpless (word beginning)
ما رأى الناسُ كابنِ هرثمةَ العا
جزِhelpless (word ending) فيin فرطthe excess of جُبْنِهِhis cowardice مِنْany شبيهِequal
جزِ في فرط جُبْنِهِ مِنْ شبيهِ
People have seen no equal to Ibn Harthama, the helpless,
None have seen a coward like Ibn Harthama
In the extremity of his cowardice.
Excessive in his cowardice, he had no peer
عائذٌtaking refuge دهرَهُthroughout his life إذاwhenever سطعrose النَّقْthe battle-dust (word beginning)
عائذٌ دهرَهُ إذا سطع النَّقْ
عُbattle-dust (word ending) بمعنىin the meaning of مُصَحَّفِa mispointed version of اسمِthe name of أبيهhis father
عُ بمعنى مُصَحَّفِ اسمِ أبيه
All his life, whenever battle-dust rises, he takes refuge
His lifetime he took refuge whenever perils gleamed
In 'defeat'—the meaning of his father's name with its dots altered.
With his father's name misspelt, as was made clear
Sol 6.1