ياO شاعراًpoet بسقوطهof his downfall لمdid not يشعرnotice
يا شاعراً بسقوطه لم يشعر
ماnot كنتyou were أولthe first طامعaspirant لمdid not يظفرِsucceed
ما كنت أول طامع لم يظفرِ
O poet who did not notice his own downfall,
O poet, who did not feel his own fall,
You were not the first aspirant who failed to win.
You were not the first ambitious one to fail.
لوif كنتyou were تعرفknow والداًa father تسموrise in standing بهthrough him
لو كنت تعرف والداً تسمو به
لمwould not تنتسبclaim descent ضعةout of lowliness الىto تلعفرTal Afar
لم تنتسب ضعة الى تلعفر
Had you known a father through whom you could rise,
If you had known a noble father to aspire to,
You would not, in your lowliness, have traced your origins to Tal Afar.
You would not have claimed lowly lineage from Tala'far.
تاهacted haughtily ابنthe son of بائعةa woman selling الفسوقvice علىover الورىmankind
تاه ابن بائعة الفسوق على الورى
بقذالwith the nape of صفعانa much-slapped man ونكهةand the breath of ابخرa foul-breathed man
بقذال صفعان ونكهة ابخر
The son of a woman peddling vice lorded it over mankind,
Lost son of the whore, roaming the land,
With a much-slapped nape and fetid breath,
With the meanness of Qudhal and the stench of dung.
وبلادةand dullness فيin الشعرpoetry تشهدbears witness انهthat he is
وبلادة في الشعر تشهد انه
تيسa billy goat ولوand even if نصرتyou were aided بطبعby the poetic gift of البحتريal-Buhturi
تيس ولو نصرت بطبع البحتري
And dullness in verse that bears witness that he is
Your crudeness in poetry bears witness
A billy goat—even if you were aided by al-Buhturi's poetic gift.
That you are a billy-goat, even if you were aided by al-Buhturi's nature.
يحلوtastes sweet بأفواهin the mouths of الاناملthe fingertips صفعهslapping him
يحلو بأفواه الانامل صفعه
حتىso much so that كأنas though قذالهhis nape منof سكرsugar
حتى كأن قذاله من سكر
Slapping him tastes sweet in the mouths of fingertips,
It would be sweet for fingers to slap him,
So much so that his nape seems made of sugar.
As if his meanness were made of sugar.
Sol 6.1