أُخبِرتُI was told ضَبَّةَDabba تَهجونيshe lampoons me لِأَهجوهاso that I may lampoon her
أُخبِرتُ ضَبَّةَ تَهجوني لِأَهجوها
وَلَوand even if حُدواthey were driven on كَحَداءِlike the driving-chant of القَينِthe smith ماnot عادواthey returned
وَلَو حُدوا كَحَداءِ القَينِ ما عادوا
I was told that Dabba lampoons me so that I may lampoon her.
Even if driven on with the smith's chant, they would not return.
كادواthey schemed بِنَصرِby supporting تَميمٍTamim ليagainst me لِتُلحِقَهُمso you might include them
كادوا بِنَصرِ تَميمٍ لي لِتُلحِقَهُم
فيهِمamong them فَقَدfor indeed بَلَغواthey attained الأَمرَthe goal الَّذيwhich كادواthey schemed for
فيهِم فَقَد بَلَغوا الأَمرَ الَّذي كادوا
They schemed against me by backing Tamim, so you might count them
Among them; they have attained the goal they schemed for.
أَودَلَّهُمor directed them بَعضَone of مَنthose who يَرتادُseeks out مَشتَمَتيgrounds to revile me
أَودَلَّهُم بَعضَ مَن يَرتادُ مَشتَمَتي
عَلَيَّagainst me فَليَحذَرواso let them beware وَاطعَمَand fed them الذيwhat اِرتادواthey sought
عَلَيَّ فَليَحذَروا وَاطعَمَ الذي اِرتادوا
Or did one of those seeking grounds to revile me direct them
Against me—let them beware!—and feed them what they sought?
كانواthey were عَلىduring عَهديthe two eras of ذيthe possessor of القَرنَينِthe two horns أَربَعَةًfour
كانوا عَلى عَهدي ذي القَرنَينِ أَربَعَةً
وَقفاًfixed فَماso not أُنقِصواthey were diminished مِنهُfrom it وَلاnor زادواthey increased
وَقفاً فَما أُنقِصوا مِنهُ وَلا زادوا
In Dhu al-Qarnayn's two eras, they numbered four,
Fixed at that: they were not reduced below it, nor did they increase.
لاnot يَكثُرونَthey grow numerous وَإِنeven if طالَتgrew long حَياتُهُمُtheir lives
لا يَكثُرونَ وَإِن طالَت حَياتُهُمُ
وَلاnor تَبيدُperish مَخازيهِمtheir disgraces إِذاwhen بادواthey perish
وَلا تَبيدُ مَخازيهِم إِذا بادوا
They do not multiply, though their lives grow long,
Nor do their disgraces perish when they perish.
Sol 6.1