لَقَدindeed نَفَقَsold well الرَديءُthe inferior goods وَرُبَّand many a مُرٍّbitter thing
لَقَد نَفَقَ الرَديءُ وَرُبَّ مُرٍّ
مِنَof الأَقواتِfoods يُجعَلُis placed فيin الصَحافِthe platters
مِنَ الأَقواتِ يُجعَلُ في الصَحافِ
Poor wares have indeed sold well, and many a bitter morsel
The ignoble man perished, and however much bitterness
Of food is served upon platters.
There was in food, it was placed in baskets,
وَأَكرَمَنيand honored me عَلىdespite عَيبيmy flaw رِجالٌmen
وَأَكرَمَني عَلى عَيبي رِجالٌ
كَماjust as رُوِيَwas recited القَريضُverse عَلىdespite الزِحافِmetrical variation
كَما رُوِيَ القَريضُ عَلى الزِحافِ
And men have honored me despite my flaw,
And a man honored me despite my fault
Just as verse is recited despite metrical variation.
As al-Quraish were mounted on camels without saddles,
وَمَنand whoever يَركَبrides إِلىto الهَيجاءِbattle خَيلاًhorses
وَمَن يَركَب إِلى الهَيجاءِ خَيلاً
فَإِنَّthen indeed سِواهُsomeone other than him يُقدِمُadvances وَهُوَwhile he is حافيbarefoot
فَإِنَّ سِواهُ يُقدِمُ وَهُوَ حافي
And if one rides horses into battle,
And he who rides horses to battle,
Then surely another advances barefoot.
His opponent advances while he is barefoot.