وأجبتand I answered مَنْthe one who يلحىreproaches علىfor تركِleaving القضاthe judgeship
وأجبت مَنْ يلحى على تركِ القضا
تلفُdestruction العدوَّthe enemy علىto العدوِّthe enemy رخيصُcheap
تلفُ العدوَّ على العدوِّ رخيصُ
And I answered the one who reproached me for leaving the judgeship:
I have answered those who insist I abandon justice
An enemy’s destruction costs his enemy little.
To set an enemy upon an enemy is cheap
قَدْindeed قيلit was said ليto me قاضٍa judge فأيُّso what مزيَّةٍdistinction
قَدْ قيل لي قاضٍ فأيُّ مزيَّةٍ
لاسمٍfor a name هوit is المستثقلُconsidered burdensome المنقوصُdefective
لاسمٍ هو المستثقلُ المنقوصُ
I have been called a judge—so what distinction is there
It has been said to me, "Be a judge," but what merit
In a name that is burdensome and defective?
In a name, it being odious and defective?