وقومand some people تصدّواset themselves to لنظمto composing القريضpoetry
وقوم تصدّوا لنظم القريض
فأضحواso they became لمصلحهfor its corrector يُفسدُونthey spoil
فأضحوا لمصلحه يُفسدُون
And some people set themselves to composing poetry,
A people set out to compose poetry
And so they came to spoil it for its corrector.
Yet for reform they cause ruin
ألاlo! إنّهمindeed they لهمُsurely they themselves المفسدُونthe corrupters
ألا إنّهم لهمُ المفسدُون
واقسمُand I swear بالبيتby the House لاnot يشعرُونthey perceive
واقسمُ بالبيت لا يشعرُون
Lo! They themselves are indeed the corrupters,
Indeed, they are the corrupters
And I swear by the House, they are unaware.
I swear by the House, they do not perceive