وَلائِمَةٍand a reproaching woman ليof me فيconcerning الهِجاءِsatire أَجَبتُهاI answered her
وَلائِمَةٍ لي في الهِجاءِ أَجَبتُها
مَلامُكِyour reproach ليof me فيمَنconcerning the one whom هَجَوتُI satirized مِنَan instance of الظُلمِinjustice
مَلامُكِ لي فيمَن هَجَوتُ مِنَ الظُلمِ
And to a woman who reproached me for satire, I replied:
Your reproach of me for the one I satirized is unjust.
أَحَقُّmore deserving بِلَومٍof blame مَنthe one سَهِرتُI stayed awake مُراعِياًwatching
أَحَقُّ بِلَومٍ مَن سَهِرتُ مُراعِياً
لَهُfor him النَجمَthe stars فيin تَنقيحِpolishing غَرّاءَa radiant ode كَالنَجمِlike a star
لَهُ النَجمَ في تَنقيحِ غَرّاءَ كَالنَجمِ
More deserving of blame is he for whom I stayed awake, watching
the stars as I polished an ode as radiant as a star.
فَلَمyet not أَلقَI found مِنهُfrom him البِشرَa smile فَضلاًto say nothing عَنِof النَدىgenerosity
فَلَم أَلقَ مِنهُ البِشرَ فَضلاً عَنِ النَدى
وَياand oh رُبَّhow many a مَدحٍpoem of praise صارَbecame داعِيَةَa cause of الذَمِّcensure
وَيا رُبَّ مَدحٍ صارَ داعِيَةَ الذَمِّ
Yet I found no smile from him, let alone generosity.
And oh, how many a poem of praise has become a cause for censure!
Sol 6.1