كُنتُI used to أَذُمُّI disparage اِبنَson of مالِكٍMalik فَإِذاbut behold
كُنتُ أَذُمُّ اِبنَ مالِكٍ فَإِذا
ذاكَthat one سَماءٌsky; heaven عِندَcompared with اِبنِson of نَيسانِNaysan
ذاكَ سَماءٌ عِندَ اِبنِ نَيسانِ
I used to disparage Ibn Malik, but behold:
I used to blame the son of Malik, but then
That man is heaven compared with Ibn Naysan.
That one is a sky next to the son of Naysan
قَدalready قيلَit has been said ماnot يَحمَدُpraises المُجَرِّthe experienced person (word continues)
قَد قيلَ ما يَحمَدُ المُجَرِّ
بُcompletion of “the experienced person” لِلأَوَّلِto the first حَتّىuntil يُجَرِّبَhe tries الثانيthe second
بُ لِلأَوَّلِ حَتّى يُجَرِّبَ الثاني
It has been said: the experienced man gives no praise
It has been said, do not praise the beginner
to the first until he tries the second.
Until you have tried the next
قَطَنتُI settled فيin آمِدٍAmid أُؤَمِّلُهُI place my hopes in him
قَطَنتُ في آمِدٍ أُؤَمِّلُهُ
وَأَيُّand what خَيرٍgood فيin ظِلِّshade of قَطّانِa cotton merchant
وَأَيُّ خَيرٍ في ظِلِّ قَطّانِ
I settled in Amid, placing my hopes in him.
I resided in hope which I wished for
And what good is there in a cotton merchant’s shade?
And what good is there in the shadow of cotton
Sol 6.1