أتانيcame to me عليّAli الباسليّal-Basili بشعرهwith his poetry
أتاني عليّ الباسليّ بشعره
فياand oh لكto you منof شعرpoetry ثقيلٍheavy مطوَّلlong-winded
فيا لك من شعر ثقيلٍ مطوَّل
Ali al-Basili came to me with his poetry.
The valiant Al-Basali brought me his poetry
And oh, what heavy, long-winded poetry!
Oh, what verbose and burdensome verse!
مكرّcharging مفرّfleeing مدبرٌturning away مقبلٌadvancing معاًall at once
مكرّ مفرّ مدبرٌ مقبلٌ معاً
كجلمودlike a boulder صخرrock حطًّهhurled it down السيلthe torrent منfrom علon high
كجلمود صخر حطًّه السيل من عل
Charging, fleeing, turning away, advancing—all at once,
Scheming, fleeing, plotting and charging together
Like a boulder of rock the torrent hurled down from on high.
Like boulders strewn by a torrent from above