أرقصوهthey made him dance بقولهمby their saying فيلسوفa philosopher
أرقصوه بقولهم فيلسوف
حينwhen غنتsang علىupon قفاهthe back of his neck الكفوفthe palms
حين غنت على قفاه الكفوف
They made him dance by calling him a philosopher,
They danced him with their saying he's a philosopher
when palms sang upon the back of his neck.
When the palms clapped upon his nape
كاتبwriter الشرقthe East مالهhe has no منany جزاءreward
كاتب الشرق ماله من جزاء
غيرexcept صفعslapping السقاةthe cupbearers حينwhen تطوفthey make their rounds
غير صفع السقاة حين تطوف
The writer of the East has no reward
The writer of the East, he has no reward
but the cupbearers’ slaps as they make their rounds.
Except the slaps of the water-carriers as they circle round
ولهand his is السبكthe casting حينwhen ينشىhe composes وماand not يسـhe casts (first part)
وله السبك حين ينشى وما يسـ
ـبكhe casts (remaining part) مماof what يخطhe writes إلاexcept الحروفthe letters
ـبك مما يخط إلا الحروف
And his is the casting when he composes; yet he casts
And his is the pouring forth when he composes but he pours not forth
nothing of what he writes but letters.
Except the letters of what he writes
كذبتproved false فيabout باينهhis eloquence (probable reading) كلevery دعوىclaim
كذبت في باينه كل دعوى
هوhe فيamong الناسthe people سارقa thief معروفwell-known
هو في الناس سارق معروف
Every claim about his eloquence has proved false;
Every claim against him is a lie
among people, he is a well-known thief.
Among the people he's a known thief
Sol 6.1