غِياثُGhiyath بنُson of جارودَJarud فيin نَفسِهِhimself
غِياثُ بنُ جارودَ في نَفسِهِ
دَنِيٌّbase وَضيعٌlowly وَفيand in هِمَّتِهhis ambition
دَنِيٌّ وَضيعٌ وَفي هِمَّتِه
Ghiyath ibn Jarud, in himself,
Ghiyath ibn Jarud in himself
Is base and lowly—and in his ambition too.
Is lowly and worthless, though in his ambition
شُيَيخٌa little old man نَطيبُwe take delight بِهِin him دائِماًalways
شُيَيخٌ نَطيبُ بِهِ دائِماً
وَنَقتَبِسُand we draw الضَحِكَlaughter مِنfrom قَبسَتِهhis spark
وَنَقتَبِسُ الضَحِكَ مِن قَبسَتِه
A little old man in whom we always delight,
An old man, always cheerful of mind
And we draw laughter from his spark.
And we glean laughter from his jest
يَجيءُhe comes بِشَعرٍwith verse (a pun on hair) كَشَعرِlike the hair of اِستِهِhis arse
يَجيءُ بِشَعرٍ كَشَعرِ اِستِهِ
وَإِلّاand otherwise كَماlike what طالَhas grown long مِنof شِعرَتِهhis pubic hair
وَإِلّا كَما طالَ مِن شِعرَتِه
He comes with verse like the hair on his arse,
He comes up with poetry like his poetry
Or else like his pubic hair grown long.
Unless it grows long like his beard
وَلَوand if لَمnot يَكُنhe were أَحَمقاًa fool لَمnot يَكُنhe would be
وَلَو لَم يَكُن أَحَمقاً لَم يَكُن
لَيَذكُرَto speak of ماwhat لَيسَis not مِنof صَنعَتِهhis craft
لَيَذكُرَ ما لَيسَ مِن صَنعَتِه
And were he not a fool, he would not
And if he were not a fool, he would not
Speak of what is not his craft.
Mention what is not of his making
Sol 6.1