ياO جاهِلاًُignorant one عابَfound fault with شِعريmy poetry
يا جاهِلاًُ عابَ شِعري
فكدَّand so wearied قلبيmy heart وآلَمْand caused pain
فكدَّ قلبي وآلَمْ
O ignorant man who found fault with my verse,
O ignorant one who faulted my poetry,
and thereby wearied my heart and caused me pain:
And so wearied my heart and caused it pain!
عليَّincumbent upon me نحتُcarving القَوافيthe rhymes
عليَّ نحتُ القَوافي
وماand what عليَّupon me إذاif لَمْnot
وما عليَّ إذا لَمْ
the task of chiseling rhymes falls to me—
It is for me to carve the rhymes;
yet I bear no blame if I do not.
And what blame is mine if [you] do not ...?
Sol 6.1