إِنif تَغَزَلتI composed love verse أَوor مَدَحتI praised فَإِنيthen indeed I
إِن تَغَزَلت أَو مَدَحت فَإِني
لَستُI am not بِالشاعرthe poet المُطيلwho prolongs كَلاميmy speech
لَستُ بِالشاعر المُطيل كَلامي
If I write of love or offer praise, then I
If I sing of love or offer praise, then I
am no poet to spin my words out long.
am no poet who draws out my words.
أَناI مِنof مَعشرٍa people هُمthey الناسthe people لَكنbut
أَنا مِن مَعشرٍ هُم الناس لَكن
لَمdid not يُدارواthey flatter الوَرىhumankind لِأَجلfor the sake of مرامan aim
لَم يُداروا الوَرى لِأَجل مرام
I am one whose clan are the people indeed—yet
I am of a people who are humanity itself, yet
they never courted humankind to gain an end.
they have not flattered humankind to attain an aim.
كُلُall مَنwho قَدindeed مَدَحتُهُI praised him فَهُوَthen he is دونيbeneath me
كُلُ مَن قَد مَدَحتُهُ فَهُوَ دوني
وَحَبيبand a beloved هويتهُI loved him فَغُلاميthen he is my servant
وَحَبيب هويتهُ فَغُلامي
Everyone I have praised stands beneath me,
Everyone I have praised is beneath me,
and any beloved I have loved is my page.
and any beloved I have loved is my servant.
Sol 6.1