إِذاif الثَقَفِيُّthe man of Thaqif فاخَرَكُمvies with you in boasting فَقولواthen say
إِذا الثَقَفِيُّ فاخَرَكُم فَقولوا
هَلُمَّcome فَعُدَّthen recount شَأنَthe story of أَبيAbu رِغالِRighal
هَلُمَّ فَعُدَّ شَأنَ أَبي رِغالِ
When a Thaqīfite vies with you in boasting, say:
If a man of Thaqif vies with you in boasting, then say:
“Come, recount the story of Abū Righāl.”
Come, then recount the story of Abu Righal.
أَبوكُمyour forefather أَلأَمُthe basest of الآباءِthe fathers قِدماًof old
أَبوكُم أَلأَمُ الآباءِ قِدماً
وَأَولادُand the children of الخَبيثِthe vile man عَلىaccording to مِثالِa pattern
وَأَولادُ الخَبيثِ عَلى مِثالِ
Your forefather has long been the basest of forefathers,
Your forefather was the basest of fathers of old,
and the vile man’s children are all cast in one mold—
and the vile man's children follow a pattern—
مِثالُthe pattern of اللُؤمِbaseness قَدindeed عَلِمَتknows مَعَدٌّMaʿadd
مِثالُ اللُؤمِ قَد عَلِمَت مَعَدٌّ
فَلَيسواfor they are not بِالصَريحِof pure descent وَلاnor المَواليfreedmen
فَلَيسوا بِالصَريحِ وَلا المَوالي
the mold of baseness, as Maʿadd well knows.
the pattern of baseness, as Maʿadd well knows;
So they are neither pure-blooded Arabs nor clients.
for they are neither of pure descent nor freedmen.
ثَقيفٌThaqif شَرُّthe worst of مَنthose who رَكِبَrode المَطاياthe mounts
ثَقيفٌ شَرُّ مَن رَكِبَ المَطايا
وَأَشباهُand the likes of الهَجارِسِfox-cubs فيin القِتالِbattle
وَأَشباهُ الهَجارِسِ في القِتالِ
Thaqīf are the worst of all who ever mounted a beast,
Thaqif are the worst of those who ride mounts,
and in battle the very likeness of foxes.
and are like fox-cubs in battle.
وَلَوand if نَطَقَتspoke رِحالُthe saddles of المَيسِhackberry wood قالَتthey would say
وَلَو نَطَقَت رِحالُ المَيسِ قالَت
ثَقيفٌThaqif شَرُّthe worst of مَنthose فَوقَupon الرِحالِthe saddles
ثَقيفٌ شَرُّ مَن فَوقَ الرِحالِ
Were the mays-wood camel saddles able to speak, they would say:
And if the hackberry-wood saddles spoke, they would say:
“Thaqīf are the worst of all who sit upon saddles.”
Thaqif are the worst of those upon the saddles.
عَبيدُslaves of الفِزرِal-Fizr أَورَثَهُمhe bequeathed them بَنيهِto his sons
عَبيدُ الفِزرِ أَورَثَهُم بَنيهِ
وَآلىand he swore لاnot يَبيعُهُمُhe would sell them بِمالِfor money
وَآلى لا يَبيعُهُمُ بِمالِ
They are al-Fizr’s slaves; he bequeathed them to his sons
Slaves of al-Fizr—he bequeathed them to his sons,
and swore never to sell them for money.
and swore he would not sell them for money.
وَماand not لِكَرامَةٍout of esteem حُبِسواthey were kept وَلَكِنbut
وَما لِكَرامَةٍ حُبِسوا وَلَكِن
أَرادَhe desired هَوانَهُمtheir humiliation أُخرىthe last of اللَياليthe nights
أَرادَ هَوانَهُم أُخرى اللَيالي
They were not kept for any honor, but rather—
And they were not kept out of esteem, but
he intended to humiliate them another night.
he desired their humiliation till the last of nights.
Sol 6.1