جاءَتcame إلىto المملوكthe servant منfrom مولىa lord لهof his
جاءَت إلى المملوك من مولى له
أبياتverses شعرpoetry راقgave delight حسنbeauty خطابهاtheir address
أبيات شعر راق حسن خطابها
There came to this servant, from a master of his,
To the servant came, from his lord,
verses of poetry whose gracious discourse gave delight.
Verses of poetry whose graceful address gave delight.
رقتwere subtle معانيهاtheir meanings وألغزand was enigmatic لفظهاtheir wording
رقت معانيها وألغز لفظها
وزهاand shone علىon القرطاسthe paper رسمthe form كتابهاtheir writing
وزها على القرطاس رسم كتابها
Their meanings were subtle; their wording, all enigmas,
Their meanings were subtle, and their wording enigmatic;
and the form of their script gleamed upon the paper.
And the form of their writing shone upon the paper.
تذرleave الفرزدقal-Farazdaq حائراًbewildered متبلداًstupefied
تذر الفرزدق حائراً متبلداً
ولبيدand Labīd أبلدmore dull-witted عنat فصيحeloquent جوابهاa reply to them
ولبيد أبلد عن فصيح جوابها
They leave al-Farazdaq bewildered and stupefied,
They leave al-Farazdaq bewildered and stupefied,
and Labid too dull to offer them an eloquent reply.
And Labīd duller still, unable to answer them eloquently.
وتخطand surpassed (reading uncertain) مقدارthe length الخطيةthe Khatt spear لفظهاtheir wording
وتخط مقدار الخطية لفظها
لماwhen غداbecame متجانساًharmonious متشابهاalike
لما غدا متجانساً متشابها
Their wording outstrips the measure of the Khaṭṭī spear,
And their wording surpassed the length of a Khatt spear,
once it has grown consonant and self-resembling.
When it became harmonious and alike.
