وَماand not أَناI إِلّاexcept مِنamong أَقَلِّthe least of عَبيدِهِhis servants
وَما أَنا إِلّا مِن أَقَلِّ عَبيدِهِ
وَلَكِنbut عُبَيدٌa little servant مِنamong أَقَلِّthe least of عَبيدِservants
وَلَكِن عُبَيدٌ مِن أَقَلِّ عَبيدِ
And I am but among the least of his servants,
but a little servant among the least of servants.
وَرُبَّand many a شَريدwanderer الفِكرِin thought لاnot الشِعرِin verse قَدindeed أَتىhas brought
وَرُبَّ شَريد الفِكرِ لا الشِعرِ قَد أَتى
بِصَخرٍwith a rock (Sakhr) لِصَخرِfor Sakhr وَهوَand it لِاِبنِfor the son of شَريدِSharid
بِصَخرٍ لِصَخرِ وَهوَ لِاِبنِ شَريدِ
And many a wanderer in thought—not in verse—has brought
a rock (Sakhr) for Sakhr, though it is for Ibn Sharid.