وقالُواand they said فعظَّمْso honor قدرَهُhis worth ومحلَّهُand his standing
وقالُوا فعظَّمْ قدرَهُ ومحلَّهُ
فإنَّfor indeed أباAbu (father of) الخَطّابِal-Khattab شَيخٌan elder لهُhe has نَفْسُa spirit
فإنَّ أبا الخَطّابِ شَيخٌ لهُ نَفْسُ
And they said, “So honor his worth and standing,
for Abu al-Khattab is an elder with spirit.”
فقلتُso I said لهُhe has نفسٌa spirit ولكِنْand yet سخيفَةٌpetty
فقلتُ لهُ نفسٌ ولكِنْ سخيفَةٌ
ونحنُand we علىagainst أمثالِهاthe likes of it أبَداًforever
ونحنُ على أمثالِها أبَداً
So I said, “He has a spirit, but a petty one,
and we are forever against its kind.”