شِعْرُpoetry ابنِson of أَوْسٍAws رياضٌgardens جَمَّةُabundant in الطُّرَفُdelights
شِعْرُ ابنِ أَوْسٍ رياضٌ جَمَّةُ الطُّرَفُ
فنحنُso we منهfrom it مَدىthroughout الأيامِthe days فيamid تُحَفِtreasures
فنحنُ منه مَدى الأيامِ في تُحَفِ
Ibn Aws's poetry is gardens rich in delights;
The poetry of Ibn Awos is a beautiful garden,
So through it we dwell amid treasures all our days.
Providing us pleasure for many days,
لَكِنْbut كَرِهْناهwe disliked it لمَّاwhen سارit traveled فيalong طُرُقٍpathways
لَكِنْ كَرِهْناه لمَّا سار في طُرُقٍ
منfrom فيكَyour mouth مكروهَةِrepulsive الأنفاسِbreaths والنُّطَفِand droplets of saliva
من فيكَ مكروهَةِ الأنفاسِ والنُّطَفِ
But we disliked it when it traveled along pathways
But we disliked it when he walked the paths
From your mouth, foul with breath and spittle.
Of objectionable passions and desires.
والشِّعرُand poetry كالرِّيحlike the wind إنْif مَرَّتْit passed علىover زَهَرٍflowers
والشِّعرُ كالرِّيح إنْ مَرَّتْ على زَهَرٍ
طابَتْit grew fragrant وتَخبُثُand it becomes foul إنْif مَرَّتْit passed علىover الجيَفِcarrion
طابَتْ وتَخبُثُ إنْ مَرَّتْ على الجيَفِ
And poetry is like the wind: if it passes over flowers,
Poetry is like the wind - if it blows on flowers,
It grows fragrant, but turns foul if it passes over carrion.
It is fragrant, but fouls if it blows on carrion.