شادَbuilt المُلوكُthe kings حُصونَهُمtheir fortresses وَتَحَصَّنواand fortified themselves
شادَ المُلوكُ حُصونَهُم وَتَحَصَّنوا
مِنagainst كُلِّevery طالِبِseeker of حاجَةٍa need أَوor راغِبِone seeking favor
مِن كُلِّ طالِبِ حاجَةٍ أَو راغِبِ
Kings built their fortresses and barricaded themselves
Against every petitioner or seeker of favors.
عالَوthey raised high بِأَبوابِwith gates of الحَديدِiron لِعِزِّهاfor their impregnability
عالَو بِأَبوابِ الحَديدِ لِعِزِّها
وَتَنَوَّقواand took pains فيover قُبحِthe ugliness of وَجهِthe face of الحاجِبِthe doorkeeper
وَتَنَوَّقوا في قُبحِ وَجهِ الحاجِبِ
They raised iron gates to make their fortresses impregnable,
And took pains over the ugliness of the doorkeeper’s face.
فَإِذاthen when تَلَطَّفَhe acted tactfully لِلدُخولِto gain entry إِلَيهِمُto them
فَإِذا تَلَطَّفَ لِلدُخولِ إِلَيهِمُ
راجٍa hopeful petitioner تَلَقّوهُthey received him بِوَعدٍwith a promise كاذِبِfalse
راجٍ تَلَقّوهُ بِوَعدٍ كاذِبِ
Then, when admission to their presence is tactfully sought
By a hopeful petitioner, they greet him with a false promise.
فَاِضرَعso plead إِلىto مَلِكِthe King of المُلوكِkings وَلاand do not تَكُنbe
فَاِضرَع إِلى مَلِكِ المُلوكِ وَلا تَكُن
باديdisplaying الضَراعَةِabasement طالِباًasking مِنfrom طالِبِone who asks
بادي الضَراعَةِ طالِباً مِن طالِبِ
So beseech the King of kings, and do not be
Displaying your abasement, begging from another beggar.
Sol 6.1