وإنِّيand indeed I لنَظَّامُsurely a skilled stringer القوافيrhymes بفِطنَتيthrough my wit
وإنِّي لنَظَّامُ القوافي بفِطنَتي
ولستُand I do not أرىsee نَحْراًa neck ففيمَso why أُنَظِّمُshould I string (rhymes)?
ولستُ أرى نَحْراً ففيمَ أُنَظِّمُ
And indeed, through my wit, I am a skilled stringer of rhymes;
yet I see no neck—so why should I string them?
وليand I have فَرَسٌa horse منfrom نَسلِthe stock of أعوجَAʿwaj رائعٌsplendid
ولي فَرَسٌ من نَسلِ أعوجَ رائعٌ
ولكِنْand yet علىaccording to قَدرِthe measure of الشَّعيرِbarley يُحَمحِمُhe whinnies
ولكِنْ على قَدرِ الشَّعيرِ يُحَمحِمُ
And I have a splendid horse descended from Aʿwaj;
yet he whinnies in proportion to his barley.
وأُقسِمُand I swear ماnot قَصَّرْتُI have fallen short فيماin what يَزيدُنيraises me
وأُقسِمُ ما قَصَّرْتُ فيما يَزيدُني
عُلُوّاًhigher ولكنand yet عِنْدَbefore مَنْwhom أتقدَّمُam I to advance?
عُلُوّاً ولكن عِنْدَ مَنْ أتقدَّمُ
And I swear I have not fallen short in what would raise me
higher—but before whom am I to advance?
Sol 6.1