قُلsay لِاِبنِto the son of حَربٍHarb مَقالَةَthe utterance of العاتِبone who reproaches
قُل لِاِبنِ حَربٍ مَقالَةَ العاتِب
وَلَستُand I am not فيماin what أَقولُI say بِالكاذِبa liar
وَلَستُ فيما أَقولُ بِالكاذِب
Say to Ibn Harb words of reproach,
Say to Ibn Harb the words of the reproacher
And I am no liar in what I say.
And I am not among those who lie in what I say
أَماdid ... not? رَأَيتَyou saw الرَفّاءَthe darner يُحزِنُنيhe saddens me
أَما رَأَيتَ الرَفّاءَ يُحزِنُني
بِرَفوِهِby his darning طَيلَسانَكَyour cloak الذاهِبworn-out
بِرَفوِهِ طَيلَسانَكَ الذاهِب
Have you not seen the darner sadden me
Have you not seen the heights saddening me
By darning your worn-out cloak?
With its towering that is going away
أَفناهُconsumed it جَورُthe cruelty of البِلىwear and decay عَلَيهِupon it كَماjust as
أَفناهُ جَورُ البِلى عَلَيهِ كَما
أَفنىconsumed الهَوىlove عُمرَthe life of خالِدِKhalid الكاتِبthe scribe
أَفنى الهَوى عُمرَ خالِدِ الكاتِب
The ravages of wear have consumed it, just as
Ruined on it the injustice of affliction as
Love consumed the life of Khalid the scribe.
Love ruined the life of Khalid the writer