أتيتI came بابكyour door مراثrepeatedly (conjectural reading) لتأذنso you may grant permission ليto me
أتيت بابك مراث لتأذن لي
فصارso it became عنيfrom me إذنpermission البابthe door محجوباwithheld
فصار عني إذن الباب محجوبا
I came to your door [repeatedly], that you might admit me;
I came to your door repeatedly seeking permission to enter,
Yet permission to enter was withheld from me.
Yet the door's permission was denied to me.
إنif كنتyou are تحجبناyou bar us بالذئبin the wolf مزدهياًtaking pride
إن كنت تحجبنا بالذئب مزدهياً
فقدfor indeed لعمريby my life أبوكمyour father كلمspoke to اللذيباthe wolf (apparent reading)
فقد لعمري أبوكم كلم اللذيبا
If you keep us out, taking pride in the wolf,
If you bar me for fear of slander by the gossipers,
Indeed, by my life, your father spoke to the wolf.
By my life, your father has silenced the slanderers.
فكيفthen how لوif كلمhe had spoken to الليثthe lion الهصورthe fierce one إذنthen
فكيف لو كلم الليث الهصور إذن
تركتمyou would have left الناسthe people مأكولاfood ومشروباand drink
تركتم الناس مأكولا ومشروبا
What if he had spoken to the fierce lion? Then
If the lion were to address the hissing serpent,
You would have made people into food and drink.
Would you then leave people exposed as prey?
هذاthis السنيديal-Sunaydi لاnot تخفىis hidden دمامتهhis ugliness
هذا السنيدي لا تخفى دمامته
يكلمhe speaks to الفيلthe elephant تصعيداًupward وتصويباand downward
يكلم الفيل تصعيداً وتصويبا
This al-Sunaydi, whose ugliness is plain,
This Al-Sanadi's prestige is no secret,
Speaks to the elephant, upward and downward.
He addresses elephants with grace and tact.
إنيindeed I امرؤٌa man منfrom قريضQuraysh (conjectural reading) فيwithin أرومتهاits stock
إني امرؤٌ من قريض في أرومتها
لاnot يستطيعُcan ليagainst me الاعداءthe enemies تكذيباa charge of falsehood
لا يستطيعُ لي الاعداء تكذيبا
I am a man of [Quraysh], of its very stock;
I am a man of Quraish, in their alleys,
My enemies cannot prove me false.
My enemies cannot deny my lineage.
ولاnor مصاهرةintermarriage with الحبشانthe Abyssinians منamong شيميmy ways
ولا مصاهرة الحبشان من شيمي
ولاnor ترىyou see لونthe color وجهيmy face الدهرever غربيهاraven-black (conjectural reading)
ولا ترى لون وجهي الدهر غربيها
Nor is intermarriage with Abyssinians one of my ways,
I have no need for ties with the Abyssinians,
Nor will you ever see my complexion [raven-black].
Nor has my face ever turned away in disgrace.
اذهبgo اليكto yourself فلنfor never will آتىI come عليكto you ولنnor will
اذهب اليك فلن آتى عليك ولن
ألفىI be found ببابكat your door طلاباًan eager seeker ومطلوباand one sought
ألفى ببابك طلاباً ومطلوبا
Go your way; I shall not come to you, nor
Go away from me, for I shall not come to you,
Be found at your door, whether seeking or sought.
Nor will I be found at your door, seeking or sought.
Sol 6.1