تَشَبَّهَhe modeled himself بِالأَكارِمِafter the nobles عَبدِʿAbd (servant of) شَمسٍShams (the sun)
تَشَبَّهَ بِالأَكارِمِ عَبدِ شَمسٍ
لَئيمٌa base man وَاِبنُand son of ذيone with جَدٍّa forebear لَئيمِbase
لَئيمٌ وَاِبنُ ذي جَدٍّ لَئيمِ
ʿAbd Shams mimicked the noble—
He aped the nobles of ʿAbd Shams—
ignoble himself, and son of a wealthy man as ignoble.
a base man, and son of a man of base ancestry.
وَماand not لَكَfor you حينَwhen تُنتَقَدُare scrutinized المَعاليnoble deeds
وَما لَكَ حينَ تُنتَقَدُ المَعالي
حَديثٌanything recent فيin الأُمورِaffairs وَلاnor قَديمُanything old
حَديثٌ في الأُمورِ وَلا قَديمُ
And when lofty merits are weighed, you have
And when noble deeds are scrutinized, you have
nothing recent in affairs, nor anything ancient.
no recent distinction in affairs, nor any of old.
