قالواthey said هجاكhe lampooned you أبوAbu (father of) حفصHafs فقلتso I said لهمto them
قالوا هجاك أبو حفص فقلت لهم
لاdo not تدخلواintervene بينناbetween us ياO معشرcompany of الحسدَهْthe envious
لا تدخلوا بيننا يا معشر الحسدَهْ
They said, “Abu Hafs has lampooned you.” I said to them:
They said Abu Hafs disparaged you, so I said to them,
Do not come between us, you envious lot.
Do not come between us, O envious group!
ماnot استأثرتْlaid sole claim دونكمto your exclusion كفَّيmy palm بصلعتهِto his bald pate
ما استأثرتْ دونكم كفَّي بصلعتهِ
فتحسدونيso you envy me عليهاfor it معشرcompany of القَفَدَهْnape-slappers
فتحسدوني عليها معشر القَفَدَهْ
My palm has not monopolized his bald pate to your exclusion,
My palms did not monopolize his bald head from you,
that you should envy me for it, you nape-slappers.
That you should envy me for it, O foolish group!
كمhow many ركْعةٍa bow in prayer ركعhe bowed الصَّفعانُthe oft-slapped fellow تحتbeneath يديmy hand
كم ركْعةٍ ركع الصَّفعانُ تحت يدي
ولمand did not يقلsay سمعlistened اللهGod لمنto whoever حمدَهْpraised Him
ولم يقل سمع الله لمن حمدَهْ
How many bows the oft-slapped fellow made beneath my hand,
How many prostrations did the slapper prostrate beneath my hand,
yet he never said, “God listens to whoever praises Him.”
Yet he did not say, May God hear the one who praises Him!
Sol 6.1