فانّيfor I وَمَدحَكَand my praise of you غَيرَnot المُصيhitting the mark (word continues)
فانّي وَمَدحَكَ غَيرَ المُصي
بِcompletes the preceding word كالكَلبِlike the dog يَنبَحُbarks at ضَوءَlight of القَمَرthe moon
بِ كالكَلبِ يَنبَحُ ضَوءَ القَمَر
For I, with my praise of you missing the mark,
For I, in praising you, am no flatterer
am like a dog barking at the moonlight.
Like a dog barking at the moon's glow
مَدَحتُكَI praised you أَرجوI hope for لَدَيكَwith you الثَوابَthe reward
مَدَحتُكَ أَرجو لَدَيكَ الثَوابَ
فَكُنتُso I was كَعاصِرِlike one squeezing جَنبِthe side of الحَجَرthe stone
فَكُنتُ كَعاصِرِ جَنبِ الحَجَر
I praised you, hoping for a reward from you;
In praising you I hope for reward from you
so I was like one squeezing the side of a stone.
Thus was I like one milking a barren goat
Sol 6.1