قدindeed حطّdiminished منfrom قدرstanding الحطيئةal-Ḥuṭayʾah ذكرهاmention of her
قد حطّ من قدر الحطيئة ذكرها
وأرتكand she showed you ذاfull of خطلnonsense قريضverse الأخطلal-Akhṭal
وأرتك ذا خطل قريض الأخطل
Her renown has brought down al-Ḥuṭayʾa’s standing,
Mention of her has indeed diminished al-Ḥuṭayʾah’s standing.
and shown you al-Akhṭal’s verse to be flawed.
And she has shown you al-Akhṭal’s verse to be full of nonsense.
شمختshe towered علىabove الشماخal-Shammākh عجباًin pride مثلماjust as
شمخت على الشماخ عجباً مثلما
قدindeed هلهلتshe unraveled فيin الشعرpoetry نسجweave مهلهلMuhalhil
قد هلهلت في الشعر نسج مهلهل
Proudly she towered above al-Shammākh, just as
She has towered proudly above al-Shammākh, just as
she made al-Muhalhil’s poetic weave unravel.
She has indeed unraveled Muhalhil’s poetic weave.
