ردَدْتَyou returned عليَّto me مدحِيmy praise بعدafter مَطْلٍstalling
ردَدْتَ عليَّ مدحِي بعد مَطْلٍ
وقدand already دنَّسْتَyou soiled ملبسَهits garment الجديداthe new
وقد دنَّسْتَ ملبسَه الجديدا
You returned my praise to me after stalling,
You echoed back my praise after a long absence,
though you had already soiled its new garment.
Though you had soiled its new garb.
وقلتَand you said امْدحpraise بهwith it منwhomever شئتَyou wish غيريother than me
وقلتَ امْدح به من شئتَ غيري
ومنand who ذاthis one يقبلaccepts المدْحthe praise الرَّديداreturned
ومن ذا يقبل المدْح الرَّديدا
And you said, “Use it to praise whomever you wish, other than me.”
You said, "Praise with it whoever you wish but me!"
And who would accept returned praise,
And who would accept insincere praise?
ولاand not سِيمَاthe like (ولا سيما: especially) وقدand already أعمَقْتَyou embedded deeply فيهin it
ولا سِيمَا وقد أعمَقْتَ فيه
مخازِيَكَyour disgraces اللواتيwhich لنْwill not تَبيداvanish
مخازِيَكَ اللواتي لنْ تَبيدا
especially since you have embedded deep within it
Especially when you have plunged into it
your disgraces, which will never vanish?
Your faults that will never perish.
وماand there is no للْحَيِّfor the living فيin أكْفانshrouds مَوْتٍdeath
وما للْحَيِّ في أكْفان مَوْتٍ
لبوسٌgarment بعدماafter امتلأتْthey became filled صديداpus
لبوسٌ بعدما امتلأتْ صديدا
And the living have, in the shrouds of death,
What use are clothes to the living in the shrouds of death,
no garment to wear once they have filled with pus.
Worn after they had filled with maggots?
Sol 6.1