أَتاني كَلامُ الجاهِلِ اِبنِ كَيَغلَغٍ

أَتاني كَلامُ الجاهِلِ اِبنِ كَيَغلَغٍ

يَجوبُ حُزوناً بَينَنا وَسُهولا

يَجوبُ حُزوناً بَينَنا وَسُهولا

The words of that ignoramus, Ibn Kayghalagh, reached me,

The words of the fool, Ibn Kayghlagh, have reached me,

Traversing rugged ground and plains between us.

Traversing the rugged terrain and the plains.

وَلَو لَم يَكُن بَينَ اِبنِ صَفراءَ حائِلٌ

وَلَو لَم يَكُن بَينَ اِبنِ صَفراءَ حائِلٌ

وَبَيني سِوى رُمحي لَكانَ طَويلا

وَبَيني سِوى رُمحي لَكانَ طَويلا

And were there no barrier between the yellow woman's son

And were there no barrier between the son of Safra

And me save my spear, it would be long enough.

And myself but my spear, that reach would be vast.

وَاِسحاقُ مَأمونٌ عَلى مَن أَهانَهُ

وَاِسحاقُ مَأمونٌ عَلى مَن أَهانَهُ

وَلَكِن تَسَلّى بِالبُكاءِ قَليلا

وَلَكِن تَسَلّى بِالبُكاءِ قَليلا

And Ishaq poses no threat to anyone who has insulted him,

Ishaq is harmless to those who degrade him,

But he consoled himself with a little weeping.

Though he sought consolation by weeping a while.

وَلَيسَ جَميلاً عِرضُهُ فَيَصونَهُ

وَلَيسَ جَميلاً عِرضُهُ فَيَصونَهُ

وَلَيسَ جَميلاً أَن يَكونَ جَميلا

وَلَيسَ جَميلاً أَن يَكونَ جَميلا

And his honor is not fair, that he should guard it,

His honor is not fair, that he should preserve it,

Nor is it fitting for it to be fair.

Nor is it fitting for him to be fair.

وَيَكذِبُ ما أَذلَلتُهُ بِهِجائِهِ

وَيَكذِبُ ما أَذلَلتُهُ بِهِجائِهِ

لَقَد كانَ مِن قَبلِ الهِجاءِ ذَليلا

لَقَد كانَ مِن قَبلِ الهِجاءِ ذَليلا

And he lies: I did not abase him by satirizing him;

He lies who claims that my satire debased him,

Indeed, he was abased before the satire.

For he was base long before the satire began.