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, you did not feel your own downfall,
You were not the first aspirant to fail.
You were not the first ambitious one to fail,
لوif كنتyou were تعرفknow والداًa father تسموyou rise 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 in whom to take pride,
If you had known a noble father to take pride in,
You would not, in your lowliness, claim descent from Tal Afar.
You would not have claimed lowly lineage from Tulaifir,
تاهacted arrogantly ابنthe son of بائعةa female peddler of الفسوقvice علىover الورىmankind
تاه ابن بائعة الفسوق على الورى
بقذالwith the nape of صفعانone often slapped ونكهةand the breath of ابخرa foul-breathed man
بقذال صفعان ونكهة ابخر
The son of a woman who peddles vice lords it over mankind,
You wandered astray, son of a whore seller in the land,
With his oft-slapped nape and his foul breath,
With the meanness of Qudhal and the stench of dung,
وبلادةand dullness فيin الشعرpoetry تشهدattests 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 attesting that he is
And the crudeness in poetry that testifies he is
A billy goat—even were you aided by al-Buhturi's poetic gift.
A ram even if you claimed him to have 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 was made of sugar.
Sol 6.1