لَوif كُنتُI were مِنof سَعدِSaʿd بنِson of ضَبَّةَḌabba لَمnot أُبَلI care
لَو كُنتُ مِن سَعدِ بنِ ضَبَّةَ لَم أُبَل
مَقالاًa remark وَلَوand even if أَحفَظتَنيyou angered me بِالقَوارِصِwith biting insults
مَقالاً وَلَو أَحفَظتَني بِالقَوارِصِ
If I were of Saʿd ibn Ḍabba, I would not mind
Had I been one of Sa'd ibn Dhubyan's ilk, I would not care
A remark, even if you provoked me with biting insults.
for any saying though you should protect me with coats of mail,
وَكَيفَand how بِصَفحيwith my pardoning عَنof لَئيمٍa vile man تَلاحَقَتhave gathered
وَكَيفَ بِصَفحي عَن لَئيمٍ تَلاحَقَت
إِلَيهِto him بِأَخلاقِwith the traits of الدَناءَةِbaseness ناقِصِdeficient
إِلَيهِ بِأَخلاقِ الدَناءَةِ ناقِصِ
And how could I pardon a vile man in whom have gathered
How could I spare one so vile when meanness
The traits of baseness—a man of little worth?
clung to him with the attributes of baseness and vileness?
نَهَيتُكَI forbade you أَنto تَجريrace وَلَيسَand is not بِلاحِقٍable to catch up
نَهَيتُكَ أَن تَجري وَلَيسَ بِلاحِقٍ
مَشوبُcrossbred الفِلاءِthe foals بِالجِيادِwith the fine steeds الخَوالِصِthe purebred ones
مَشوبُ الفِلاءِ بِالجِيادِ الخَوالِصِ
I forbade you to race: there is no keeping pace
I ordered you not to run away, for one impeded with guilt
For a crossbred foal with purebred steeds.
is not worth pursuing, even with steeds of pure breed.
Sol 6.1