بأَيِّfor which الخُلتَينَof the two qualities عَلَيكَyou, as the object of praise أُثنِنيshall I praise (apparent intended reading)
بأَيِّ الخُلتَينَ عَلَيكَ أُثنِني
فَإِنّيfor I عِندَat مُنصَرِفيmy departure مَسولُto be questioned
فَإِنّي عِندَ مُنصَرِفي مَسولُ
For which of the two qualities shall I praise you?
With which of the two companions shall I praise you,
For I shall be questioned when I depart.
When I am about to bid farewell and depart?
أَباfor? (apparent intended reading) الحُسنىthe better quality وَلَيسَand there is not لَهاfor it ضِياءٌradiance
أَبا الحُسنى وَلَيسَ لَها ضِياءٌ
فَمَنthen who هذاthis one يُصَدِّقُbelieves ماwhat أَقولُI say
فَمَن هذا يُصَدِّقُ ما أَقولُ
For the better one, though it has no radiance?
O father of beauty - but beauty has no brilliance -
Who, then, is there to believe what I say?
Then who will believe what I say?
أَمِor الأُخرىthe other وَلَستُand I am not عَلىtoward صَديقيmy friend
أَمِ الأُخرى وَلَستُ عَلى صَديقي
بِذيone possessed of عَجَلٍhaste إِذاwhen لاحىquarrels عَجولُa hasty person
بِذي عَجَلٍ إِذا لاحى عَجولُ
Or for the other? Yet toward my friend I am not
Or the other - yet I cannot rely on a friend
one to act in haste when a hasty man quarrels.
Who is fickle, and rushes heedlessly away.
Sol 6.1