وَأَعجِبand marvel لَهُat him فيin الحَربِwar نَثرُscattering كَتائِبٍbattalions
وَأَعجِب لَهُ في الحَربِ نَثرُ كَتائِبٍ
بِكَفٍّwith a hand أَبَتrefused فيin السِلمِpeace نَظمَcomposing كِتابِa letter
بِكَفٍّ أَبَت في السِلمِ نَظمَ كِتابِ
And marvel at him scattering battalions in war,
He scatters armies in war with a hand
With a hand that refused to compose a letter in peace.
That refuses in peace to arrange a book.
يُحاسِبُنيhe holds me to account فيfor لَفظَةٍa word بَعدَafter لَفظَةٍa word
يُحاسِبُني في لَفظَةٍ بَعدَ لَفظَةٍ
وَمَعروفُهُand his bounty يَأتيcomes بِغَيرِwithout حِسابِreckoning
وَمَعروفُهُ يَأتي بِغَيرِ حِسابِ
He holds me to account for word after word,
He takes me to task over word upon word
Yet his bounty comes without reckoning.
Though his favors rain down unreckoned.
Sol 6.1