أَياO أَسَدَlion الأَدابِof letters عَطفَةَa compassionate turn راحِمٍof a merciful person
أَيا أَسَدَ الأَدابِ عَطفَةَ راحِمٍ
عَلىtoward نَقَدٍa small sheep أَودىdid away بِأَشعارِهِwith his poems النَقدُcriticism
عَلى نَقَدٍ أَودى بِأَشعارِهِ النَقدُ
O lion of letters, show a merciful soul’s compassion
To a little sheep whose poems criticism has destroyed.
أَتَخُبُdo you woo? (unclear as written) مِنّيfrom me كُلَّevery لَخناءَfoul-smelling woman عانِسٍspinster
أَتَخُبُ مِنّي كُلَّ لَخناءَ عانِسٍ
وَكَيفَand how وَخُطبانُand the suitors الخُطوبِof calamities لَهاfor her نَقدُready cash
وَكَيفَ وَخُطبانُ الخُطوبِ لَها نَقدُ
Do you [woo?] from me every foul-smelling spinster?
And how, when calamities’ suitors have ready cash for her?
Sol 6.1