ماnot جَعفَرُJa‘far اِبنِson of مُحَمَّدِMuhammad اِبنِson of الأَشعَثِal-Ash‘ath
ما جَعفَرُ اِبنِ مُحَمَّدِ اِبنِ الأَشعَثِ
عِندِيَin my view بِخَيرٍany better اِبُوَّةًin parentage مِنthan عَثعَثِ‘Ath‘ath
عِندِيَ بِخَيرٍ اِبُوَّةً مِن عَثعَثِ
Ja‘far, son of Muhammad, son of al-Ash‘ath, is not
Ja'far son of Muhammad son of Ash'ath
any better in parentage, in my view, than ‘Ath‘ath.
Is not for me a father of virtue but nonsense
عَبَثاًin vain تُمارِسُyou grapple بيwith me تُمارِسُyou grapple حَيَّةًa snake
عَبَثاً تُمارِسُ بي تُمارِسُ حَيَّةً
سَوّارَةًswift to strike إِنif هِجتَهاyou rouse it لَمnot تَلبَثِit delays
سَوّارَةً إِن هِجتَها لَم تَلبَثِ
In vain you grapple with me—you grapple with a snake,
In vain you abuse me, in vain you hiss like a snake
swift to strike: if you rouse it, it will not delay.
A bracelet - if you annoy it, it will not last
لَوif يَعلَمُhe knows المَغرورُthe deluded man ماذاwhat حازَhe gained مِنof
لَو يَعلَمُ المَغرورُ ماذا حازَ مِن
خِزيٍdisgrace لِوالِدِهِfor his father إِذَنthen لَمnot يَعبَثِhe meddles
خِزيٍ لِوالِدِهِ إِذَن لَم يَعبَثِ
If the deluded man knew what he had gained in
If the deluded man knew what he reaped of
disgrace for his father, then he would not have meddled.
Disgrace for his father, then he would not fool around
Sol 6.1