ردَدْتَ عليَّ مدحِي بعد مَطْلٍ

ردَدْتَ عليَّ مدحِي بعد مَطْلٍ

وقد دنَّسْتَ ملبسَه الجديدا

وقد دنَّسْتَ ملبسَه الجديدا

You returned my praise to me after stalling,

You echoed back my praise after a long absence,

though you had already soiled its new garment.

Though you had soiled its new garb.

وقلتَ امْدح به من شئتَ غيري

وقلتَ امْدح به من شئتَ غيري

ومن ذا يقبل المدْح الرَّديدا

ومن ذا يقبل المدْح الرَّديدا

And you said, “Use it to praise whomever you wish, other than me.”

You said, "Praise with it whoever you wish but me!"

And who would accept returned praise,

And who would accept insincere praise?

ولا سِيمَا وقد أعمَقْتَ فيه

ولا سِيمَا وقد أعمَقْتَ فيه

مخازِيَكَ اللواتي لنْ تَبيدا

مخازِيَكَ اللواتي لنْ تَبيدا

especially since you have embedded deep within it

Especially when you have plunged into it

your disgraces, which will never vanish?

Your faults that will never perish.

وما للْحَيِّ في أكْفان مَوْتٍ

وما للْحَيِّ في أكْفان مَوْتٍ

لبوسٌ بعدما امتلأتْ صديدا

لبوسٌ بعدما امتلأتْ صديدا

And the living have, in the shrouds of death,

What use are clothes to the living in the shrouds of death,

no garment to wear once they have filled with pus.

Worn after they had filled with maggots?