أأنصفam I to be treated fairly? ممنby those whose طبعهمtheir nature منof مقابحvices
أأنصف ممن طبعهم من مقابح
ولمand did not يعنهمbenefit them مدحيmy praise ولمand did not يؤذهمhurt them هجوىmy satire
ولم يعنهم مدحي ولم يؤذهم هجوى
Am I to be treated fairly by those whose nature is made of vices?
Is it fair of those whose nature is ugly
And my praise did not benefit them, nor did my satire hurt them.
That my praise does not help them, nor my satire harm them
نبيهمtheir prophet السكرباجthe sikarbāj stew والشيخand the sheikh ربهمtheir lord
نبيهم السكرباج والشيخ ربهم
وعزهمand their glory ذلhumiliation الفقيهthe jurist أوor النحوىthe grammarian
وعزهم ذل الفقيه أو النحوى
Their prophet is sikarbāj stew, and the sheikh is their lord.
Their prophet is the wine-seller, their lord the sheikh
And their glory lies in the humiliation of the jurist or the grammarian.
Their pride is the humiliation of the jurist or the grammarian
فمنso, among عجبwonders أرجوI hope for منfrom الشمسthe sun شربةa draught
فمن عجب أرجو من الشمس شربة
وطالand grew long رشاthe well-rope الآمالthe hopes حتىuntil وهيgrew weak داوىunclear in context
وطال رشا الآمال حتى وهي داوى
How strange, then, that I hope for a draught from the sun!
So it is no wonder I hope for a drink from the sun
And the rope of hopes grew long, until [unclear] grew weak.
And the irrigation of hopes continues though it withers me
Sol 6.1