هَجَوتُ الفَضلَ دَهراً وَهوَ عِندي

هَجَوتُ الفَضلَ دَهراً وَهوَ عِندي

رَقاشِيٌّ كَما زَعَمَ المَسولُ

رَقاشِيٌّ كَما زَعَمَ المَسولُ

I lampooned al-Fadl for a long time, taking him to be

I denigrated merit for a long time though it was with me

I mocked Al-Fadl for an age, deeming him in my view

a Raqashi, as the man questioned claimed.

A slanderer, as the questioner claimed

A descendant of Raqash, as the informant claimed.

فَلَمّا سوئِلَت عَنهُ رَقاشٌ

فَلَمّا سوئِلَت عَنهُ رَقاشٌ

لِنَعلَمَ ما تَقولُ وَما يَقولُ

لِنَعلَمَ ما تَقولُ وَما يَقولُ

Then when Raqash was asked about him,

So when merit was asked about the slanderer

But when Raqash was questioned concerning him,

so we might know what she says and what he says,

To know what she says and what he says

That we might ascertain what she says and what he says,

وَلَمّا أَن نَصَصناهُ إِلَيها

وَلَمّا أَن نَصَصناهُ إِلَيها

لِتَعلَمَ ما يُقالُ وَما نَقولُ

لِتَعلَمَ ما يُقالُ وَما نَقولُ

and when we traced his descent to her,

And when we referred her to him

And when we traced his lineage back to her,

so she might know what is said and what we say,

So she knows what is said and what we say

So that she might understand what is rumored and what we state,

وَجَدنا الفَضلَ أَكرَمَ مِن رَقاشٍ

وَجَدنا الفَضلَ أَكرَمَ مِن رَقاشٍ

لِأَنَّ الفَضلَ مَولاهُ الرَسولُ

لِأَنَّ الفَضلَ مَولاهُ الرَسولُ

we found al-Fadl nobler than Raqash,

We found merit more generous than the slanderer

We found Al-Fadl to be of nobler standing than Raqash,

for the Messenger is al-Fadl’s patron.

Because merit's master is the Messenger

Because Al-Fadl's patron is the Messenger.