يقولُونthey say زَيدٌZayd لِمْwhy تَركْتَyou abandoned مديحَهُhis praise
يقولُون زَيدٌ لِمْ تَركْتَ مديحَهُ
وقدand indeed ظَهَرتْhave appeared مثلlike النجومِthe stars معاليهِhis lofty merits
وقد ظَهَرتْ مثل النجومِ معاليهِ
They say, “Why have you stopped praising Zayd,
They say, "Zayd, why have you stopped praising him
when his lofty merits have appeared like the stars?”
Though his virtues shine brightly like stars?"
فقلتُso I said لهمto them ماnot ذاكَthat جهلاًout of ignorance لِحقّهِof his claim
فقلتُ لهم ما ذاكَ جهلاً لِحقّهِ
عَلَيَّupon me ولكنْand yet خِفتُI feared أنthat لاnot أوفّيهI give him his due
عَلَيَّ ولكنْ خِفتُ أن لا أوفّيه
So I told them, “It was not from ignorance of his claim
I said, "It's not from ignorance of his merit
upon me, but I feared I would not do him justice.
That I've stopped, but fear I cannot do justice."
وماذاand what عَسَىmight المدَّاحُthe panegyrist فيهabout him يقولُهُhe says it
وماذا عَسَى المدَّاحُ فيه يقولُهُ
وكلّand every غلوٍّexaggeration فيهabout him دونshort of الذيthat which فيهis in him
وكلّ غلوٍّ فيه دون الذي فيه
And what could a panegyrist possibly say of him,
What can a praiser say that's adequate?
when every exaggeration about him falls short of what is in him?”
Any praise is less than he deserves.
Sol 6.1