أَعِدَنdo give it back ياO مُحَمَّدَMuhammad اِبنَson of زُهَيرِZuhayr
أَعِدَن يا مُحَمَّدَ اِبنَ زُهَيرِ
ياO عَذابَscourge of اللُصوصِthe thieves وَالشُطّارِand the rogues
يا عَذابَ اللُصوصِ وَالشُطّارِ
Give it back, O Muhammad son of Zuhayr,
Hand it back, O Muhammad ibn Zuhair,
O scourge of thieves and rogues!
O you, the scourge of thieves and rogues!
يَسرِقُsteal السارِقونَthe thieves لَيلاًat night وَهَذاand this one
يَسرِقُ السارِقونَ لَيلاً وَهَذا
يَسرِقُrobs الناسَthe people جَهرَةًopenly بِالنَهارِby day
يَسرِقُ الناسَ جَهرَةً بِالنَهارِ
Thieves steal by night, but this man
Thieves steal under the cover of night, yet this one
robs people openly by day.
Robs people openly in the broad light of day.
صارَhas become شِعريmy poetry قَطيعَةًtribute لِخِيارٍfor select men
صارَ شِعري قَطيعَةً لِخِيارٍ
لِمwhy لِماذاwhy لِقِلَّةِbecause of the scarcity of الأَشعارِpoems
لِم لِماذا لِقِلَّةِ الأَشعارِ
My verse has become tribute for the elite.
My poetry has become a fiefdom claimed by the 'elite'—
Why? Why? Because poems are scarce.
Why? And wherefore? Is there such a scarcity of verse?
Sol 6.1