مَضَىwent forth حَسَنٌHasan فِيin حَلْبَةِarena الشِّعْرِpoetry سَابِقاًin the lead
مَضَى حَسَنٌ فِي حَلْبَةِ الشِّعْرِ سَابِقاً
وَأَدْرَكَand caught up لَمْdid not يُسْبَقْbe outstripped وَلَمْand did not يَأْلُslacken مُسْلِمُMuslim
وَأَدْرَكَ لَمْ يُسْبَقْ وَلَمْ يَأْلُ مُسْلِمُ
Hasan went forth in poetry's arena, leading the field.
Hasan excelled in the arena of poetry as a pioneer,
And Muslim caught up, was not outstripped, and spared no effort.
And attained what none had attained before and Muslim never wearied.
وَبَارَاهُمَاand rivaled them both الطَّائِيُّal-Ta'i فَاعْتَرَفَتْso acknowledged لَهُin his favor
وَبَارَاهُمَا الطَّائِيُّ فَاعْتَرَفَتْ لَهُ
شُهُودُwitnesses الْمَعَانِيthe meanings بِالَّتِيto that which هِيَit أَحْكَمُmost masterfully wrought
شُهُودُ الْمَعَانِي بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْكَمُ
And al-Ta'i rivaled them both, and so won recognition
Al-Tai outshone them both, so the witnesses of meaning
From the witnesses of meaning for what is most masterfully wrought.
Acknowledged him as the most adept.
وَأَبْدَعَand excelled فِيin الْقَوْلِexpression الْوَلِيدُal-Walid فَشِعْرُهُso his poetry
وَأَبْدَعَ فِي الْقَوْلِ الْوَلِيدُ فَشِعْرُهُ
عَلَىaccording to مَاwhat تَرَاهُsees it الْعَيْنُthe eye وَشْيٌembroidery مُنَمْنَمُfinely patterned
عَلَى مَا تَرَاهُ الْعَيْنُ وَشْيٌ مُنَمْنَمُ
And al-Walid excelled in expression, so his poetry,
Al-Walid created uniquely eloquent speech,
As the eye beholds it, is finely patterned embroidery.
As refined as visions seen by the eye.
وَأَدْرَكَand attained فِيin الأَمْثَالِmaxims أَحْمَدُAhmad غَايةًa goal
وَأَدْرَكَ فِي الأَمْثَالِ أَحْمَدُ غَايةً
تَبُزُّoutstrips الْخُطَىthe strides مَاthere is no بَعْدَهَاbeyond it مُتَقَدَّمُadvance
تَبُزُّ الْخُطَى مَا بَعْدَهَا مُتَقَدَّمُ
And Ahmad attained in maxims a goal
Ahmad attained in proverbs the utmost extent,
That outstrips all strides; beyond it there is no advance.
Beyond which all steps lag behind.
وَسِرْتُand I walked عَلَىon آثَارِهِمْtheir footsteps وَلَرُبَّمَاand perhaps
وَسِرْتُ عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ وَلَرُبَّمَا
سَبَقْتُI was first إِلَىto أَشْيَاءَsome things وَاللَّهُand God أَعْلَمُknows best
سَبَقْتُ إِلَى أَشْيَاءَ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ
And I walked in their footsteps, and perhaps
I followed in their footsteps, and sometimes
I was first to attain some things—and God knows best.
I surpassed certain things, and God knows best.
Sol 6.1